Five times a week, he is allowed a 20-minute shower. That's standard procedure whenever an inmate leaves his cell for any reason other than a shower or yard time. These restrictions can last indefinitely. Visits are rare because Tamms is located across the Mississippi River from Cape Girardeau, in the most remote part of the state. Freeman's relatives, for instance, must travel more than 300 miles for a two-hour visit.
Many prisoners say they've told their friends and relatives to stay home.
They don't want their loved ones to see them like this. He won't be sent to a less restrictive prison unless he can convince prison officials he is no longer affiliated with gangs. And in prison, it's tough to prove a negative. After 90 minutes, a guard taps on the visiting-room door. It's time to go.