Densho Digital Archive
Frank Abe Collection
Title: Sam Horino Interview
Narrator: Sam Horino
Interviewer: Frank Abe
Location:
Date: February 22, 1993
Densho ID: denshovh-hsam-01-0011

<Begin Segment 11>

FA: Did you go to Leavenworth or McNeil?

SH: Leavenworth.

FA: How was that?

SH: Well, I have no complaint. They have to do their jobs, you know. In other word, the court says this, so we had to comply. They gave us, in the five years... so we had to comply, and then it was appealed. What more can you do?

FA: Was there a point during the trial or the prison, that you felt maybe you made a mistake?

SH: Oh, I always felt that when the trial was going on, they were barking up the wrong tree. They only asked you whether the conspiracy occurred. Any... conspiracy is a very slim line, you know. You get three of us talking together, we do something, well, "You talked about it?" "Yeah." Conspiracy, you get three of us [inaudible]. See?

FA: When you were in prison, did you ever think feel like maybe you shouldn't have taken the path you did?

SH: Nope. Never did. I never did, because I thought that's the right thing to do. I believed in it. Because that's our inherent right.

FA: Frank Emi told us about the judo exhibition at Leavenworth. Tell me about that.

SH: Well, I, that and I do go with what the, what the, what the opponent, I don't want to. I knew I could control everybody. So he's a rassler, I rassled with him. If he's a boxer, you could tell a boxer. I won't let him get, I won't let him get the, the range on me. [Laughs] So we'd take it around and roll all over and that's it. 'Tisn't the idea of whether you draw or lose.

FA: Frank Emi says it was meant to establish your place among the inmates, to show them that they should not mess with you.

SH: I think they did, but you know, only thing is, I said, "It's a sport," I said. It's a sport. Boxer got a sport. It's a sport, huh? Baseball is a sport, judo is a sport. This is for our, for our own health's sake. You know, you do that. Some people like tennis and some people like fencing. I chose that, but I never, I never want to use that to punish anybody or anything. But I play with him, he's a, just to get, just about draw. Figure draw always.

FA: Sure.

SH: Roll around, you get on top of me, I get underneath and let him roll all over. Let him get tired. I get tired, too. [Laughs]

<End Segment 11> - Copyright © 1993, 2005 Frank Abe and Densho. All Rights Reserved.