Greetings Warriors,
Years ago I vowed to never use J-Pay again and use my own bank account and card, our families work hard and I refuse to give the prison their money. To those brothers on my old yard in Pender, NC on strike. In 2017 I awoke from a dream. Close custody quit working. Medium & minimum custody was a bit slower to quit. Pender, NC is a medium custody camp. How the national guard will still do the work anyway. I’m on supermax going through all the oppression in the news. I just came off a ten day hunger strike. Advice on that is do it safely. No more then 8 days (unless you still got body fat left). Don’t take the red pill. I went from 155lbs to 137lbs (6′). Don’t think of food. The fifth days a piece of cake. Peace be upon you and your family with mercy and blessings of god.
Warrior of God/Iman Husayn
“AK” Anthony L Harris
Peace. Serenity.
Let’s have an art contest. Submit your art to Atl Books to Prisoners.
Category Archives: Letters from prisoners
Hays State Prison: The Safest Prison in the State of Georgia
With respect and understanding to the reader of this literacy, the above saying is a quite reiterated from the time you arrive at this camp to the time you leave, if you’re blessed to see that day. The storm of death is just around the corner. I’ve been here at this camp for over 5 years now; and as time passes the old Hays is starting to resurface. Both offender and staff can sense the hostility that lingers in the midst of our living quarters.
Hays State Prison has a historical background for violence, both offender on offender assault and staff abuse. Some of our superior staff have allegedly beat murder charges before becoming tenets of their administrative position. A level six (6) maximum security institution understaffed and overcrowded; and to make matters more disturbing we are under the supervision of a vitiate administration. Before I begin my elaboration I want the reader to know all of the following attachments are classified as “prohibited documents” in pursuant to O.C.G.A. 42.5.36; Cited as Confidentiality of information supplied by inmates, Penalties for breach; Classified information nature of department investigation reports; confidentiality of certain “Identity Information”; Custodian records.
The following is an example in which one can consider a form of Breach of security. [REDACTED]…you can see both general population (A,B,C, D-1 and Y building) and the Tier Unit (E-Building- Tier 1, and F, H, and G building as Tier 2) all lack adequate staffing to properly supervise their unit. In the segregation units there are days where there isn’t a control booth officer available. Consequently, preventable incidents take place and sometimes claims the lives of those involved.
In similarity but more direct, I will now examine general population. The functional capacity rate for this camp is no more than 800 offenders; However it houses over 1060 offenders. Each building has two (2) sixty four (64) man cell houses except for Y building, it has four (4) units. The majority of its offender population is level 2 mental health and/ or are down here for disciplinary reasons. There are two (2) “pre-agressor” buildings- C and D-1. Here is where they house offenders who scale to be potential aggressors rather than victims in a situation of assault, at least this the reason the admin provides an offender when they inquire them about their housing. In my eyes it is a stereotype placement designed to create a “Gladiatorial Environment”. Majority of the occupants in those units are affiliated and there is a great number imbalance between the groups.
Imagine the possible depravity inside those units or around compound,to help make this possible I included a small “incident list” a comrade of mine recorded. More than likely most of these incidents have gone unreported to the Central Office in Forysth.
1. 10-31-18 Tier 1 allegedly stabbed (2) offenders in defense after bursting out their shower
2. 11-11-18 (D-1) 2 prisoners stabbed each other
3. 11-20-18 (D-1) Multiple prisoners draw weapons on each other
4. 11-22-18 (D-1) 1 offender stabs another in main artery
5. 12-13-18 (D-1) 8 prisoners stab 1 over 20x
6. 1-6-2019 6-10 prisoners stab 1 20x
7. No control booth ofc in E- Building Night Shift
8. Per Lt. T. Smith (1-14-19) No control booth ofc. for E-Control
9. 1-17-19 Marion Luke was stabbed to death in front of the main chow hall
10. Tac Squad search 3 buildings and found over 50 weapons
11. 1-25-19 in Y building several offenders fought and stabbed each other
Aggression is bred in such environment, so for the officers overly aggression is a safeguard but sometimes triggers confrontation. If you exclude the Tier Unites, infirmary, education, details, and tower officers you only have 20 to 30, sometimes less especially weekends and holidays, working general population. By them knowing the vast difference in the numbers that exist between offenders and the “Iron Fist” concept is applied and oppression becomes the state of administration.
Psychologically a conflict derives for few of the staff, the ordered malpractices characterize those who see this as a job and not as a place to abuse. Physically they are fatigued, the staff response to institutional emergencies is inefficient due to poor training, organization, and poor physical stability. To be realistic what else can you expect after working 2 post for 12 hours and at times your off days are spent working too? In accordance to O.C.G.A. 42.5.36 (D)(1) [REDACTED] Again, negligence can be seen by those responsible for filing and protecting such information. In respect of the staff the staff their personal information was scratched out for the purpose of its exposure is not to defraud but to prove breach.
I know this revealment will cause repression or maybe worse, for this matter I ask you to make it go viral. More will suffer on bot ends if those who can help or know how to fight remain inactive. in a situation where you must become Pro-active. To conclude this I state the following: Officials who reluctantly work under these life threatening conditions know that you ahve a right to complain for correction. The Whistle Blower Act Protects you- O.C.G.A. 45-1-4. Comrades within the struggle, realize before we can demand a stoppage to administrative oppression we must case the oppression amongst ourselves. Our disorder excuses the necessity for their venal order. PEOPLE society, these conditions cannot be expected to bring correction or reformatory to a criminalized person. Send your complaints and concerns to the Georgia Department of Correction Commissioner’s Designee
P.O. Box 1529
Forsyth, Ga 31029
And/or Warden K. Sprayberry at kevin.sprayberry@gdc.ga.gov
The above words were express with no intentions to incite disturbance. I am exercising my 1st amendment right of Freedom to express and access to media. Keep strong my fellow Prisoner of War.
Marcus Aurellis #926687
AKA
Comrade Left Hand
INJUSTICE: Disciplinary Reports
In the GDOC us prisoners receive disciplinary reports for fractions. Aka DR’s. At Hays is that we never know that we have received one until we get investigated. There is a process to go by and if U don’t serve the offender a copy within 24hrs of the infraction then it is procedural error on the staff’s part and dismissed. Ha! Inv. Ofc. Kendricks claims that we should take it up with the Disciplinary Hearing Officer (DHO).
So is the Inv. incompetent in his position or deliberately malfeasant to hinder our release, deduct a $4 fee, or just to see us miserable by placing sanctions on us such as visitation, phone, store, personal property, packages and sometimes library and recreation? He is misguiding us and knows it. And we can’t do anything about it cause we can’t grieve the DR process whatsoever, per SOP. WTF?
Many of us plea out in order to avoid the max sanction when we can win by SOP rules. U fail to realize that it still sticks on ur record when U plea. The ones of us who are vets and try to fight get fuk’d because they don’t want to admit that we beat them cause of they’re err. The DHO advised me that he was trying to work with me for a plea of 20 days. Pick 12. So for a DR I never even saw, I got 75 days. My advocate who was supposed to make sure all procedures were followed was clueless to her duty! After I spoke with her the next week she stated: He was trying to work with U.
I appealed to Forsyth. Before U ask who am I to have such opinions that I express though I am not perfect, I am an honest enough 60% self-reformed prisoner whose actions speak 4 themselves, to say that I’m Fed up with the INJUSTICE of the WORLD.
By: Willie Coe
Eating: A privilege or right?
By: King Coe
At Hays State Prison in Trion, GA.
A man can’t tell the difference between his human rights and his offender privileges. I was always told by CO’s that the basic necessities was all that the GDOC had to provide for us: Food, Clothing, and Shelter. And anything after that was a privilege. Which is contradictory because the 1 hour of daily recreation required by State law, is diminished to 2 hrs a week of gym and is received all in one wop! But that’s another topic of. When reporting to chow administration post themselves in front of the chowhall and stops and returns to their dormitory any prisoner who is inadequately or improperly dress to the 8:00-4:30 inspection hours regulated by the DOC. Which means if I don’t have certain clothing such as a belt, cogs, striped shirt or haircut or beard trimmings not in accordance to the rules I’m refused my meals and COMMANDED to return to my dorm hungry. But the absurd thing is that this is a spiteful tactic because there is a process called the Disciplinary Report (D.R.) process. And the infractions vary from unkempt cell to assaults. Why don’t they use these codes of conduct and instead our food? When we argue our right to eat they reply: “all that you have to be is given an OPPORTUNITY TO EAT and you just refused your opportunity. NOW TURN AROUND AND GO BACK!” Sometimes the prisoner may be wrong but honestly we also just don’t have the materials designated by the institution due to theft, lost/misplaced and often mislaid. But the overall question is: Is eating a human right or an offender privilege??
Overcrowded – Understaff Prisons: What Could Possibly Go Wrong?
January 12th 2019
Written by Brother Ladarius Colbert 100145093
Greetings people of society, there is a statewide issue within the Georgia Department of Correction that continues to go underestimated and unattended. To guess many of you would think I’m referring to the gang epidemic or high rate of contraband within the walls of prison, all of which surrounds the criminalization of the offender. However, this article is more so focusing a more vital problem that not only affects the offender’s livelihood but the staff as well… Overcrowded prisons with staff shortages.
I arrived at Hays State Prison on February 16th 2016 on a disciplinary transfer; immediately upon arrival I notice the restricted movement at the camp. Outdoor exercise was rarely allowed and interaction between dorms were prohibited. I will admit, the strict movement had the camp atmosphere settled amongst the offenders but between us and the staff there exists a hostile vibe. Officers were always overly aggressive anytime we encountered one another and at a split action or sign of defiance cause for unlawful use of force.
I was confused at the “fear sowing” tactic because as stated earlier the violence level at the camp was moderate in comparison to the other facilities such as Valdosta, Telfair, and Smith State Prison. It wasn’t until I was placed on Tier 1 in E-1 cell 204, here is where I would find out the cause behind the above said insignificancies. The camp was understaff; like now, the offenders in segregation were deprived of a number of basic necessities. They receive infrequent cell sanitation; infrequent outdoor exercise; infrequent shower call-sometimes two times a week; and infrequent medical attention.
Often there would be one guard working an entire building that houses 128 offenders. On the same notation, but not as severe, general population is no different. The workload is overwhelming for the staff, where there has been numerous occasions where officers have spasm. Their irrational state can be results from lack of rest. Indenture labor, which consists of demeanful treatment, long hour hauls, seldom break periods, and occasional work on off days, has produce poor work ethics and ineffective response efforts to emergencies.
Inadequate security supervision: I am currently housed in a “pre-aggressor” dorm (C and D building). classification claims in a case of any form of an assault we will be the aggressor. Nonetheless, more than often our dorm floor officers are periodically stationed to work other work areas. There is hardly ever an officer available to attend to our concerns except for the control booth guard.
In consequence there has been a pattern of assaults in our dorm as well as others. In the segregation unit there has been a number of suicide attempts (some successful and gone unreported) and a vast of offender on offender assaults. Officers are unable to do consistent rounds because they are required to be in two different stations.
Medical illnesses / emergencies: medical illnesses go untreated and eventually worsen because of insufficient attention. If there is no escort officer available and unit manager McAllister is occupied you’re bound to miss your medical appointment. Friday – Sunday medical is shut except for urgent emergencies, pill call, and dialysis / diabetic check-up.
Education and access to courts – particularly in C and D Building we are subject to frequent setbacks in our litigation efforts and/or completing case plan program due to staff shortage. Many of those who are subject to such preventable disparity fail to meet certain time limitations and in case of the former are delayed relief and for the latter are denied pardonship for parole. On file it appears as the offender is being neglect to his assigned task, without notice or chance to provide an explanation they are shot down in their stride for equity or release.
Lately the education level has been high, reactionary transgression is motivated by capricious thinking. in an environment where the capacity level is 723 but the functioning level is around 1050 with so much animosity and little supervision, what do you think goes on? With the exception of a few, correction cannot be expected when your survival is at a high stake. Let’s not denote the provocative oppression used as an action to maintain submissive order. There are short-timers such as myself, medium/minimum-security offenders, nonviolent offenders, probationers/parole violators, and hardworking staff just to make ends meet inside an unsecured maximum security prison. People of society recognize the existing dangers and misrepresentation of this factor – Incarcerated lives matter too!
On the behalf of the Georgia offender population and the rightful staff who state of peonage goes unnoticed. Keep strong better days are to come.
All concerns and inquirements need to be sent to the following contacts. Your voice matters, make an effort to cause a positive change.
Questions and concern should be sent to the following people:
- Warden Sprayberry office number 706-857-0432 email Kevin.Sprayberry@gdc.ga.gov
- Commissioner 404-656-6002
- Facility director 404-655-2809
Racist Jailers Watch as Prisoner Burns Alive
This is a letter from a prisoner who witnessed a gruesome, preventable death. He would like all the help he can get in seeking justice:
On June 29, 2018 prisoner Freddie Pickett lost his life here at North Carolina’s Supermax Facility Polk Correctional, due to the deliberate indifference shown daily by the miscreants who patrol these concrete fields. Prisoner Freddie Pickett’s death was documented and reported as a suicide, not as a murder. Mr. Pickett was murdered by the North Carolina Department of Public Safety (NCDPS) representatives. Mr. Pickett who had an extensive history of mental health disorders, set a fire in his cell. Once the fire began to burn it activated the smoke detector, which the “then” got the attention of the block officer (Gardner). From my time being held captive here at this razor-wire plantation, I’ve noticed that officer is a racist sadist who has no regard for a prisoner’s life and wears his neo-nazi pride as a badge of honor for the world to see. Once officer Gardner visually noticed the smoke and fire in Mr. Pickett’s cell, he then left at a unhurried pace. Gardner returned with assistant unit manager Harriss who looked in Mr. Pickett’s cell window and stated to her subordinates who by this time gathered around, “to not go in and get him until he is unresponsive.”
Several officers from units throughout
the facility had made their way to A-Hall of Polk’s Supermax unit to
watch a man be burnt alive. The same type of gatherings took place in
Springfield, IL when there were anti-black riots in 1908 where New
Afrikans were tied up and burnt alive while neo-nazi men, women, and
even police officials stood by to watch.
These miscreants stood by and watched
Mr. Pickett bang on his cell window and beg that they take him out
the smoke filled cell. These sadists’ only response was “once
you’re unresponsive we will come in and get you”. The same officers
who took an oath to serve and protect stood by and watched Mr.
Pickett be burnt to death. It was a full thirty minutes before the
officers went into the cell and “pulled” Mr. Pickett’s
“unresponsive” body out. By this time it was too late, the smoke,
the fire, and the disregard for human life took the life of Mr.
Pickett, who had been incarcerated almost 20 years and was to be
released within the next year. He was documented as a prisoner who
committed suicide.
I could enlarge on the details of this
murder but I want to get to the question I’m sure several of you
have. Why would a prisoner set their cell on fire knowing that it
could be the cause of their death? These fires are being set “to
get the attention of the block officer.” I’ve been to many of these
plantations here in NC and even the oldest have emergency
call-buttons in the cells. These are buttons placed in each cell,
that when pushed alerts the officer in the control booth, who then
should notify the floor officers that the emergency cell-button has
been pushed and the prisoner of that cell is requesting the officers
assistance. Here at Polk’s Supermax Facility there are no emergency
call-buttons in any of the 96 cells. The majority of these cells
house mentally ill prisoners or prisoners with health disorders.
There being no cell-buttons isn’t due to complications because when
this Supermax Facility was built it was equipped with emergency
call-buttons in each cell. But over time maintenance was given the
order by administration to disconnect all the call-buttons in the
cells. This was done because of the complaints of the officers in the
booth claiming it was aggravating but not only is this a health
hazard, more importantly it also violates the building codes required
by the state contractors that must pass this inspection before the
facility can be open. That is why this facility was equipped with
call-buttons that were later disconnected.
Being that there aren’t any
call-buttons, prisoners are compelled to bang on the window of their
cell for long periods of time to get the attention of these sadist
overseers. To drown out the noise of us beating on our cell windows
these miscreants plug up four industrial sized fans. So when
prisoners grow tired of beating the windows they set fires, which
then activates the smoke detectors that’s in the cell, and then
higher ranking officers such as Sgt.s, unit managers, etc…are
notified.
We are being murdered, brutally
beaten, denied adequate medical care, housed in cells that are not
properly heated, given no phone calls, given no outside recreation
and treated similar to the prisoners of war at WWII. The (NCDPS)
policy and procedures and the 8th amendment are supposed
to protect us from these violent acts. But neither the policy nor the
8th amendment are regarded without care or respect.
How many of us have to die at the
hands of these miscreants, be brutally beaten or tortured before
these tyrants are demanded to cease these on-going atrocities and be
held accountable. We don’t have call-buttons, we don’t have any
phones to call authorities to help us. Many of these prisoners don’t
have families to care about their well being. But I care about these
prisoners, I care about these prisoners with mental health disorders
and I vow to continue to fight this oppressive, exploitative,
murderous system. But I’m only one man, I need the assistance of
those of y’all in society who can protest outside of these
razor-wire plantations, who can call the administrators and question
these atrocities.
Joseph Stewart
PO BOX 2500
Butner, NC 27509
Still in solitary for striking, NC prisoner exhorts others to join the fight
I send warm greetings to my solid comrades Todd Martin and Jace Buras who stood alongside me in solidarity and who became legends in our August 20, 2018 prison strike at Hyde C.I. in Swan Quarter, N.C. I further send special greetings to Joseph Stewart, Mumia Abu-Jamal, Jeff Duke (both on death row), Kathy Swafford (women’s prison) and to our Palestinian allies and those abroad and globally who are imprisoned in jail and prisons across the world. I also send out a special thanks to floodgates editorial collective and also those who organized in the public to do a noise demonstration outside the prison fence with us on August 20, 2018. And again in protest of our being put in solitary confinement and then again by marching in Raleigh in front of director of prisons, Kenneth Lassiter’s office on Oct 1, 2018 demanding our release from solidarity confinement. As everyone knows, December is the month of Christmas and of celebration. But for the families of Joshua Carter who committed suicide in Oct. 2018, and another prisoner who also committed suicide on Nov. 1, 2018 at Pasquotank C.I. there won’t be much to celebrate. These two suicides directly support what our comrade Joseph Stewart wrote about the long stints in solitary confinement and how it affects some of us. These two suicides one month apart and barely weeks after the N.C. DPS public statement that “N.C. is one of the most progressive states in the nation concerning prisoner rehabilitation” is an example of just how progressive these selfish totalitarian ideologies are completely frivolous. What a ridiculous statement! It’s time to wake up from being zombies and realize how this dark and overly punitive prison administration has fastened itself to our necks like greedy vampires drunk on our sustenance while sucking our the best of us by feeding in a frenzy on our lost freedoms, individuality, confidence, and peace of mind. For too long it has harbored a culture of abuse and deception, and has preyed upon each of us as well as our families. The revolution is here! For the sake of our loved ones, and to preserve any chance of any kind of life outside of prison for many of us, it has become imperative that we establish unity and communication, and to organize globally by seriously reaching out to one another through this newsletter, and the use of “jacks” for those of us who can access them in order to coordinate and strike all at once on an international level. We must get the attention of BBC and CNN news. We can accomplish this by standing in solidarity and rising up together and attacking this overly punitive system that has ensnared, enslaved and robbed us of our god given liberty. They can’t lock all of us in solitary confinement, and from the actions of prisoners in 17 states who took part in our Aug 21, 2018 prison strike, the governors are already trying to figure out what to do because we have rattled their confidence but sadly its not enough. So start storing up on canteen items for the long haul for when we strike again so you’ll have food for institutional lockdown. This way we can take a few weeks and say fuck work, canteen, visits, tv, phone, yard and fuck the administration! We then demand that “ALL” states reinstate their parole commissions with new policies that provide for parole opportunities for EVERYONE! We want better food, minimum wage for our slave labor, let us purchase Ipods, JP4 players, battery operated TVs, give us our law libraries back, abolish all 85% mandatory minimum laws and long term solitary confinement and 10.00 administrative fees for the rule violations in the states where this applies. The S.C. inmates went hard and got what they wanted. The revolution and opportunity is knocking on your door at this very moment. So I implore all of you as renegades not “inmates”, to put down your racism for this one cause, put down your fear, uncertainties, and insignificant, irrelevant ideologies of what the next person is in prison for, or the color of their skin, gang set, rank or cred, and join us in 2019 to bring it on in and lets get control of our lives and freedom while making a monumental historical stand to be remembered for generations to come.
Todd Martin, Jace Buras, Joseph Stewart, and myself Randy Watterson stood together as renegades and chose to sacrifice our medium custody and all of our privileges, and are presently enduring long term solidarity confinement for the rehabilitation and well-being of all 39,996 of you men, women, trans, and children behind bars in N.C. and for the billions of other prisoners across the United States and foreign countries in a unified effort to make things better for all of us.
Its hell and back here in solidarity confinement thinking about our families, passing the time living in the memories of our minds but we did it because we feel your pain and we share your tears this Christmas and your struggle is our struggle. We have chosen the right place to stand as humans and we believe that no one should have complete control over another’s life, and we believe in all of you. Now we need your support in 2019 to help us push the government to give us these amenities and an opportunity to one day be free from exile and purgatory.
Aren’t your families worth standing up for and getting back to? This is the new age, and as prisoners we must evolve with the ever changing society and its views. It is of tantamount importance that we stand together and reclaim our liberty and fight the tyranny that binds us all.
Stand with me, Todd, Jace, Joseph, Mumia, thousands others and our foreign allies in 2019 so that our combined actions can be heard in Washington D.C. and echoed all over the world in history. To all of you g-shines, big homies, generals, christians, muslims, and everyone, it is your duty to issue orders to all kitchen workers, clothes house, janitors to cease all work on the day to soon be announced or get off the yard when we set this historical date. Everyone in prisons are important to us and we love you at Floodgates and at Insight. Please contribute however you can with stamps, money, checks to provide prisoner support. You may send any letters of encouragement to me at: Randy Watterson #0427985 527 Commerce Dr. Elizabeth City, N.C. 27909 or at justiceforrandywatterson.wordpress.com And all donations to Insight at: Atlanta Books to Prisoners 80 Mayson Ave. NE Atlanta, Ga 30307 or web: http://www.atlblackcross.org
NC’s “progressive” razorwire plantations: A report from a prison strike leader
Revolutionary greetings.
I hope these words find all my komrades in support of the August 21st prison strike courageously strong and defiant. In response to our prison strike here in NC, North Carolina Department of Public Safety (NCDPS) put out a three-paragraph statement, which contained a bunch of frivolous words. But one that caught my attention the most was “Progressive” (NC is one of the most progressive states in the nation concerning prisoner rehabilitation) “LOL”
Komrades let’s look at the definition of “progressive”: 1. moving toward, advancing 2. open to or favoring new policies or methods 3. tending to spread or become more severe (the American Heritage dictionary 4th edition)
Now if the (NCDPS) hierarchy was referring to the latter definition, then komrades we all could agree with them right? But any conscious person knows that the totalitarian sadist that rules with a iron fist would never blatantly admit that the spreading of their totalitarianism is severe. So we will agree that it was the former two definitions that was used in the (NCDPS) response to the August 21st prison strike. Moving forward, advancing. If this form of progression was being made, it would be noticeable to those of us immured within These razorwire plantations. There isn’t no form of progression being made towards the rehabilitation of the prison commune.
how does long-stints of solitary confinement rehabilitate a person? If you are resilient, strong of mind and body, then the harsh conditions of long-term confinement may not cause one to break. But there are many who broke mentally because of the strain put on one’s mental health, there’s the inevitable depression, social disorder derived from long-term confinement in these razrwire plantations deepest and darkest holes.
I witness it daily with those around me, many komrades become mentally ill and become depended on psychiatric medications that kills the consciousness to a point they become less responsive to the daily oppression. It’s easier for the overseers to “control” a prisoner sedated by one of the many experimental psychiatric medications given to prisoners. The overseers are conscious that this tactic is very effective.
the most common mental health disorder is schizophrenia, this is a psychiatric illness marked by psychosis, including hallucinations, delusions and disorganized thoughts. This illness causes many prisoners to deny their provided meals daily. This is due to the fact that the prisoner thinks that the overseers are doing things to their food to cause them death. Komrades we are aware that this is one of the harmful tactics used by the overseers, but usually done to those who fight the applied oppression. Not done to one who has no voice because it’s being silenced by the seductive psychiatric medication he/she takes daily.
On September 1, 2016 mental health prisoners seeking psychiatric help (level 2) and taking psychotropic medications (level 3) were no longer to serve more than 30 days per year on solitary confinement and are not to be housed on isolation supermax (H-con) pursuant to high security maximum control conditions of confinement, chapter C section 1701(b)(2)(3)(4). When I brought the above policy to the attention of mental health staff member Mrs Lutz of Lanesboro, she stated that yes it was true that the above policy should be implemented but being that so many offenders were mental health level 2 and level 3 that there was no room at the at the current facility that house mental health prisoners. In return I asked, so the guys that’s dealing with severe mental health illnesses that’s being held on long-term isolation are being disregarded due to the overcrowded mental health programs? Mrs Lutz stated it was above her head and it was a problem she couldn’t fix!
The case law of Ruiz vs Estelle was brought to my attention by my fellow komrade Keith “Komrade Malik” Washington Deputy Chairman of the New African Black Panther Party/White Panther Organization Prison Chapter in his article (Ben Larue RIP)
The release case says:
The components of a minimally adequate mental health program are encompassed by the following: there must be a systematic program for screening and evaluating inmates in order to identify those who require mental health treatment. Treatment must entail more than segregation and close supervision of the inmate patients. Treatment requires the participation of trained mental health professionals, who must be employed in sufficient numbers to identify and treat in an individualized manner those treatable inmates suffering from serious mental health disorders.
There is no progression being made towards implementing the above, komrades. But let the hierarchy of (NCDPS) tell it NC is one of the most progressive states towards prisoners rehabilitacion. definition 2 of progressive states: open to or favoring new policies or methods.
The (NCDPS) hierarchy has its own ideology and its totalitarianism, which means all opposition is outlawed. This isn’t inscrutable comrades, it’s very clear they’re not open to or favoring new policies or methods. The same methods that’s being implemented today were also implemented in the 70s long-term isolation. Some methods derived from the days of slavery, there’s nothing new about any of these methods or policies.
If (NCDPS) hierarchy was open to new policies and or methods, they would acknowledge the national demands of all those supporting the August 21st prison strike:
1. Immediate improvements to the conditions of prisons and prison policies that recognize the humanity of imprisoned men and women.
2. An immediate end to prison slavery. All persons imprisoned in any place of detention under United States jurisdiction must be paid the prevailing wage in their state or territory for their labor.
3. The Prison Litigation Reform Act must be rescinded, allowing imprisoned humans a proper channel to address grievances and violations of their rights.
4. The Truth in Sentencing Act and the Sentencing Reform Act must be rescinded so that imprisoned humans have a possibility of rehabilitation and parole. No human shall be sentenced to Death by Incarceration or serve any sentence without the possibility of parole.
5. An immediate end to the racial overcharging, over-sentencing, and parole denials of Black and brown humans. Black humans shall no longer be denied parole because the victim of the crime was white, which is a particular problem in southern states.
6. An immediate end to racist gang enhancement laws targeting Black and brown humans.
7. No imprisoned human shall be denied access to rehabilitation programs at their place of detention because of their label as a violent offender.
8. State prisons must be funded specifically to offer more rehabilitation services.
9. Pell grants must be reinstated in all US states and territories.
10. The voting rights of all confined citizens serving prison sentences, pretrial detainees, and so-called “ex-felons” must be counted. Representation is demanded.
When requested by NC public radio show the takeaway to have a representative for (NCDPS) the producers of the show was told that they had no one to come because all were too busy! But the written response stated that (NCDPS) was progressive! Not having a representative to speak on behalf of (NCDPS) concerning the NC prisoners conditions shows just how progressive the oppression is.
That brings me to state the following before I bring this to a end. We have little sense of our own power. The power is in the masses we komrades are the masses. The actions we take this day forward will dictate our future. you know just as I do what needs to be done in order for those above 10 demands to be met with regard.
It’s going to take Mass solidarity amongst the prison communist, individualism isn’t the key to rectifying these harsh inhumane conditions applied by the oppressor. It’s going to take both outside support and inside demonstrations. Malcolm X made it clear comrades! If you ain’t willing to die for your freedom then you need to remove the head from your vocabulary.
Before I conclude this essay I request any of you who desire to assist the prisoners Liberation Organization with raising awareness of the inhumane conditions Force upon prisoners in NC and throughout the nation please contact me via mail at Joseph Stewart #0802041
PO Box 2500
Butner NC 27509
The prisoners Liberation Organization is in its infant stages, any ideas are welcomed. Our goal is for those on the inside of this razorwire plantations to teach prisoners literacy and legal rights, providing outside resources info to prisoners who will be in need of assistance after they are released and instructing them how to obtain basic necessities. A 501(c)(3) tax deductible account will be established for fundraising. So we can provide prisoners with books, newspapers, legal material and funding for our own newsletter. The newsletter will serve as a platform for prisoners and outside supporters to express themselves concerning tactics and solutions to alleviate these inhumane living conditions until prisons as a whole are antiquated. Dare to struggle
Dare to win
Deputy Minister of Defence
White Panther Organization
NC Branch
Joseph “Shinewhile” Stewart
Report back from NC prison striker: Seg for 6 months for protesting
I just received your newsletter today. Thank you. But I’m no longer at Hyde. I was moved to Bertie, for my role in being one of the three people who organized the protest at Hyde Correctional in Swan Quarter, NC with outside parties organized by ST.
I saw a article y’all had wrote about the four inmates being held in segregation. I am one of those four, and I only know of two others. Because they were with me at Hyde to organize and participate in the peaceful protest. Our names as followed: Todd Martin, Randy Watterson, and myself Jace Buras. The protest which was peaceful, was supposed to start on August 21st 2018. I told T&R and S that it would be better to do it on August 20th 2018 so the police, if got wind of it, would still believe it was on the 21st. On the day of August 20th, around 1 p.m. five or more cars pulled into Hyde’s parking lot, and out came many protesters. They were marching, blowing trumpets, beating drums, videotaping everything. All the while inmates hung up self-made banners saying “In Solidarity”, “Better Food”, “Better Wages”. Simple heartfelt messages asking to be treated as human beings and not slaves & animals. While the peaceful protest went on, prison guards had their weapons pointed at us and the outside protesters. In order to get the 400-plus inmates to no longer protest and cause friction inside the prison, they closed the yard and put Hyde on lockdown. To which in spirit of the protest, everyone went peacefully inside. Many men, some with no release date under NC’s structured sentencing law, had tears in their eyes. Why? Because it showed to them that there are people who still believe in them and want them to be free and productive members of society. Which is all of us what. Even under such harsh sentencing, we just want a second chance and to be viewed as men, not convicts. After the prison shut down, days later I was put in the hole for backlog and pending investigation. The following day so was Todd and Randy. We three went on a hunger strike starting that day. The following Monday we were shipped away from Hyde. I was moved to Bertie, and have no clue where Todd and Randy went. For my understanding they were and still are in segregation. I myself was placed on ICON for 180 days, which is long-term isolation, my release date was pushed to February of next year, and I was labeled srg level 3 for a non gang infraction. To this, I stand proudly still and hope that all men and women who deserve a second chance at life is given it. You may lock me away and throw away the key. But you cannot take my voice.
In solidarity, Jace
Jace Buras #1522417
Bertie Correctional
PO Box 129
Windsor, NC 27983