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(November
30, 2005) (April
19, 2006) 
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Phone communications from jails and prisons are routinely recorded
and monitored. The
fifth estate has obtained transcripts of some of the dozens
of telephone conversations between Mike Danton in the Santa Clara,
California jail and David Frost:.
The conversations were recorded in the weeks following Mike Danton's
arrest in April, 2004 for conspiracy to arrange the murder of David
Frost.
The following are audio files:
Tape 1
Tape 2
Tape 3
Tape 4
The following is an excerpt of one of the transcripts:
TELEPHONE RINGS
David Frost: Hello
Operator: Hello, this is a collect call from.
Mike Danton: Mike
Operator: An inmate at the Santa Clara County Department of Corrections. To accept charges, press 0. To refuse
Beep
Operator: This call is subject to monitoring and recording. Thank you for using Evercom.
Mike Danton: Hello.
David Frost: Hey kiddo…You okay?
Mike Danton: This cell sucks.
David Frost: I'm sorry?
Mike Danton: This place where I am now sucks.
David Frost: Did you tell the lawyers that?
Mike Danton: I haven't seen them.
David Frost: Oh, they're on their way. They're coming like ... I thought you were calling me because they left?
Mike Danton: No.
David Frost: Okay. You upset?
Mike Danton: Yeah.
David Frost: Well talk to me about it.
Mike Danton: I just woke up.
David Frost: Pardon?
Mike Danton: I just woke up.
David Frost: Okay, well tell me – what's the matter?
Mike Danton: (Unclear)…because I had to move out so I had to put all my shit together and…
David Frost: Okay. Remember something, okay?
Mike Danton: Yeah.
David Frost: This isn't going to last long. We're going to do what we said we're going to do, we're going to get you into the counselling and that changes everything. The whole setting I found out everything about it. It's like…your own little…room, it's not a jail cell, it's an apartment type thing. And you have to have your own stuff. We've got to give you your own stuff. You've just got to go to counselling every day. You have computer, you have access. I mean obviously it's not…you're under counselling so you can't like go on a porno sites or something. You know what I mean?
Mike Danton: I was never on a porno site.
David Frost: I know you weren't. But I'm saying we didn't need to be, you had porno going in your own house.
So anyways, tomorrow, hopefully you're sent to St. Louis by Thursday because they're subpoening me into court every day at 9:30, so I can testify before the Grand Jury and all that is, is they ... they'll show the Grand Jury they have wire taps on you and because I was at the apartment they're going to try and say I was the victim and I'm going to say the same thing I said that night.
Mike Danton: Right.
David Frost: And then it's going to be…they have enough to indict you, trust me, because they indicted the girl on fuck-all.
Mike Danton: Right.
David Frost: So, anyways, you'll be ... you'll ... then you're going to come back at some point, hopefully Thursday and then wherever you are I'll try and get in to see you, okay?
Mike Danton: Hmm.
David Frost: And then what'll happen is at some point, what happened to her, will happen to you. You will go for a bond hearing and that's usually like a day later after they formally charge you with this shit?
Mike Danton: Right.
David Frost: So what'll happen is you can talk to these knuckleheads about this when they come in. And just say to them: How is this going to work? Like say – if I'm back on say ... say to them, say: If I'm back on Thursday when do I have the hearing to allow me to get into counselling?
Repeat to them 'counselling' five, six times. It's good for a lot of reasons. First of all you send your point home.
Mike Danton: Right.
David Frost: Second of all, you show the remorse that you need it. Third of all, you get the fuck out of these jail cells.
Mike Danton: Yeah
David Frost: Okay? And I know this sucks Mike, but I'm not saying that you need this right now because I don't believe you do but this process right now is what's fucking us up. Now you see why Edelson and I were pushing so hard to get you on that fucking plane and gone.
Mike Danton: Right.
David Frost: Because we knew this holdover was going to be bullshit.
Mike Danton: Why are they ... how come they hold me over?
David Frost: Because it's, they're not being dicks, it's just the Marshall's office usually doesn't like to send one person at a time so they wait 'till they have a couple different things they have to do ...
Mike Danton: Yeah
David Frost: Because you go on an airline, right? So, I mean don't ... don't zero it in on yourself and think this is just about you. It's not about you. It's about them and their fucking around but the lawyers have talked and got a promise and this is what this Bob guy's going to tell you today.
He's going to tell you that they've been promised that it's not going to be much longer. So what we're guessing is Thursday. Okay? What day is it today, Tuesday?
Mike Danton: Yeah.
David Frost: Okay, hang in for me okay? I know it's sucks.
Mike Danton: You know all what I had to eat today is fucking two pieces of bread.
David Frost: Okay, listen, listen. That's the kind of shit I want you to tell these guys. And I want you to talk about that right off the hop. I told that fucking guy to bring you Macdonalds. He said they might not let you ... they might not let him bring it in to you. I said: Bring him Macdonalds for your meeting so he can fucking eat. I was really mad about that. So you make sure that if Frank's there? Talk to Frank about that. Say: Frank, is there anything you can do to get me some food? And like ...
Mike Danton: (Unclear) you guys (unclear) I have to get my wallet and everything ...
David Frost: No, no, we got it, we got it, don't worry about that. That's all being sent. I have a bit of an issue that I can't get Rycroft's number because I don't have your sheet because they're in the apartment. But what I'm going to do, I'm hoping he used his head. What I'm going to do is when I fly in, because I'm being subpoenaed so the government flies me.
Mike Danton: Right.
David Frost: So…it's kind of cool isn't it?…they're flying me…it's kind of cool…but anyways. So they're flying me. I think I'm leaving tomorrow night. I get in like late and then, how does it work? I get in late and then ... and then the next morning at 9:30 I got to this fucking subpoena, right?
Mike Danton: Hmm.
David Frost: And then I testify and then I leave and then my flight's later on so I have time to go get your mail. I have time to take care of a few of the errands that you need, because what I'm being told by my big lawyer is, Dave this is going to happen quick. He's going to land, there's going to be a hearing and there's going to be a bond hearing…may need Sheldon for that.
You sign the house, you get him put straight into counselling and we get this ball rolling, get him the fuck out of the dungeon. And he said – the guy keeps telling me: You tell him it's not like this. He said: This is what they do to scare the fuck out of you, they want you to think this is what it's like, but it's not. And the reason why they do that is before they negotiate, right?
Mike Danton: Hmm
David Frost: They want you to be always worried about during the negotiations that that's how you're going to have to live. Now, I know you don't want to talk to inmates and I don't blame you, but you ask anybody that's been in jail will tell you, it's like a condo. Once you're placed where you're going to be.
You're not going to jail. You're going to counselling. Okay? And this negotiation like is already starting to take place. I've told you what happens, that you have to have a psychiatric assessment.
Mike Danton: When am I seeing Shel?
David Frost: Supposedly he got fucking bitter that you didn't get transferred today and he's all fucking wired up so he may come right out to you now…Do you care where that session starts?
Another voice comes on the line
I have an attorney here.
Mike Danton: I've got an attorney here
David Frost: Okay, that's them. Okay, I want you to pay attention to me okay? Be calm, cool, collective, but you talk about your fears. Okay? I want you know how much I care about you, how much I love you and no matter what happens, you're going to get through this. You're still going to be a young man, innocent guy. You've got a lot ahead of you.
Mike Danton: (Unclear)
David Frost: I'm sorry?
Mike Danton: …fears of father…
David Frost: That's alright, okay? And fears of everything. You've had all kinds of issues, just be calm, don't talk quickly, talk quietly, talk calmly. You know, if you've ... you know Mike, you might have a breakdown. If you do, that's fine. You know I'm not telling you to do it ..
Mike Danton: I got to go.
David Frost: Okay. Listen – I am behind you ...
Mike Danton: I know
David Frost: We all are, okay, love you kid.
Mike Danton: Love you too.
David Frost: Bye.
Mike Danton: Bye.
(End)