MIM(Prisons) is a cell of revolutionaries serving the oppressed masses inside U.$. prisons, guided by the communist ideology of Marxism-Leninism-Maoism.
www.prisoncensorship.info is a media institution run by the Maoist Internationalist Ministry of Prisons. Here we collect and publicize reports of conditions behind the bars in U.$. prisons. Information about these incidents rarely makes it out of the prison, and when it does it is extremely rare that the reports are taken seriously and published. This historical record is important for documenting patterns of abuse, and also for informing people on the streets about what goes on behind the bars.
I have promoted our mission and newsletter throughout my housing area
and unit informing others of all you offer and on the Texas Pack which
brought me to understanding of your organization. Since I have been put
through the mill and received a major case for having a pair of earbuds!
They went ballistic on me and I have thus been having to fight their
injustice and need as much assistance – have sought out the civil rights
division special litigation section for their abuse of authority that
needs to be investigated.
I have also educated those who are undergoing similar abuses such as
negligence in health matters; harassment and retaliation of filing
grievances. I believe they (admin) have put a jacket on my file due to
my assistance which has caused this extreme action they have taken on
this non-threatening, non-dangerous charges.
I had a friend of mine in this system who warn me about their lying and
hateful abuse of authority and he was setup for a fall. Vacca v
Farrington cite as 8S5W3d 438 (Tx App – Texarkana 2002) A good case to
understand just one fellow’s struggle with the system: Vacca alleges
that as a result of the retaliation, he experienced pain, humiliation,
weight loss, emotional distress, punishment without due process,
imminent fear for his life, and a “chilling” of his right to exercise
access to the courts. Judgment of trial court is reversed, case
remanded.
In response to
“CALIFORNIA:
Challenges and Reports” (in ULK 56), the comrade/s at MDF,
Contra Costa County Jail being hit with gang enhancements and other
unjust treatment. Faulty gang allegations was a major error in my trial
as a southern Chican@, hence my return on appeal, which also made case
law (Court of Appeal, Fourth District, Division 3, California. The
PEOPLE, Plaintiff and Respondent, v. Jerry RAMIREZ and Catherine
Rodriguez Villarreal, Defendants and Appellants. G052144 Decided:
February 05, 2016). I hope this can be of assistance. Should be in the
lexus by now but is also attainable via internet. They have been trying
to turn our culture into a crime for the last 500+ years. It’s going to
take a lot more than a STEP act to get rid of us. In commemoration of
“Black August” and the “Plan de San Diego”, I send mine to all comrades
North, South, East and West.
I’m writing to let you know my parole in March is no longer to be. The
K-9 set me up with a fabricated RVR 115 report and possible DA referral.
It’s total bullshit. This pig says I kicked him in his right shin. I’m
right foot dominant, as well as right hand. He asked me to step out for
cell search. That would have been the 4th damn time that week. I
refused. He said, “you’re serious?” I said, “Damn right I’m serious.”
Protocol would have been for him and his partner to shut my door and
call his sergeant. Instead his partner opened up a whole can of pepper
spray on me. I proned out and slid due to so much spray, myself on my
stomach out of cell. He started talking smack, he’s really a coward. So
I turned on my side and said a few pleasantries of my own. He sprayed me
some more. Guess he was surprised the first can didn’t do its job. Even
his colleagues gave me my respect. That pissed him off even more. So of
course he clipped me for my TV, fan, ripped some family photos in 3
pieces, and who knows what he did with the others. This C/O has a
history for being a dirty pig, and a lot of his co-workers don’t like
him, not even his Lieutenant.
Needless to say, I’m now in ASU. What this RVR should have been was a
simple “obstructing DVR.” I would have got that time back, but he had it
in for me ’cause I made him look like a punk-ass coward in front of his
partner a week prior to this incident. I snatched things he would try to
take from me out of his hand, and told him, “before you think of taking
things from me you better call all your buddies to do it, ’cause you
can’t do it with just your partner here.” What made him hate on me more
is the fact that I’m almost 50, I’m 49 years old and am cut up with a 6
pack. I’m in pretty good shape for a man my age. I’d catch him giving me
dirty looks.
I just finished re-reading in ULK 53 page 12 “Texas Reform
Updates.” It sufficiently raised my ire enough to put pen to paper and
submit my 14-page memorandum which I had the balls to place into the
“Head Warden’s” hand personally. I enclosed a copy of the same with this
letter.
As a result of that act, 90 minutes later I had a member of the Law
Library staff in my cell going through my legal paperwork, devoid of the
prerequisite authorization (I-186) of a Warden to do so. Whereas, other
copies of my own writings – which I sent out, had duplicated, and
returned via the U.S. Postal Service – were filched and used to
administer a disciplinary case claiming additional fictitious
contraband.
This memorandum outlines in detail how the law library (L/L) is run “out
of compliance” with BP-03.81, ATC 020, 030, 050 and the Offender
Orientation Handbook (I-202).
Among other things, participants of the L/L, i.e. prisoners, are
disallowed the right to vocally interact in assisting each other in
legal matters.
Since that fateful day, harassment and retaliation in the L/L has
steadily intensified. Not being one to take this illicit conduct, I have
sent a copy (oh, about eight of ’em) to various entities akin to “60
Minutes,” Texas Attorney General, Texas Governor, Access to Courts (ATC)
Administrator, Houston Chronicle and other prisoner-assisting
organizations.
A multitude of the L/L patrons had no idea the actual truth of how a
TDCJ L/L is intended to be operated and run. The staff are actually
obligated to facilitate us (prisoners) in assisting one another in legal
matters. Not harassing us for spreading the litigious knowledge – as per
the ATC Rules.
I have several Step 2s [grievances] under review and am just awaiting
their return so I can initiate State Tort action, because the Federal
Courts do not have jurisdiction to make the State of Texas follow their
own laws and rules. Only the State can make the State conform to its own
rules.
If you think that I’m pissed, you’re right! After all, I am convicted
wrongfully, and wrongfully convicted in this pissant of a state. Being
former military, I do not give in. I will prevail(!!) in getting things
straightened out and being exonerated. In the course of accomplishing
that, I will altruistically get the L/L in this POS unit to come into
compliance with the legislatures’ intent and the Board Policies intents
too.
Other prisoners in Texas I am certain will have use for my memorandum.
Go ahead and offer it up. If we prisoners in TDCJ don’t start pulling
together we are destined to end up fucked off. Expose these people for
what they are!
MIM(Prisons) responds: TDCJ’s long-term goal seems to be to hide
all relevant policies from the people who are interested in them most,
and then just operate its facilities however it pleases. That’s why we
created the Texas Campaign Pack, and why this comrade sent us eir
memorandum to the Warden. If the state won’t provide this information,
we have to do it ourselves. Send in $2.50 to get the Texas Pack.
Exposure and lawsuits are worthwhile approaches, but can’t be our
be-all-end-all. We fight to not only get the law library back in
compliance, but to change society to the point where these problems are
no longer possible. We want oppression to become obsolete, and we want
oppressed people to have the power to make this a reality!
I am writing in regards to retaliation from officers for an attempted
sexual assault by an officer that reached into my cell and tried to hit
me in the private area. The cameras show this officer assaulting me.
About 4 or 5 days go by and Sgt De Chow comes to my door and rolls it
and tells us to strip out. During that process I hand my knee brace to
him and he tries to bend it and it don’t bend so he closes the door and
takes my brace to the front of the run by the picket and takes it apart.
A Lt. Simmons shows up and takes my brace and leaves the block and
Sgt. DeChow comes back and puts me and my celly in the dayroom. I ask
the Sgt why he took it apart and he stated it doesn’t matter it’s
contraband, the metal inside could be used as a weapon.
The knee brace was given to me by UTMB hospital Galveston because I have
a messed up left knee and need it. I’m placed in lock-up by Lt. Simmons
and when I ask why he says investigation from someone higher than him.
Three days go by and Sgt. Easley investigates a case for 13.0
destruction of property saying I tore the knee brace up. Note all of
this is on camera where I was housed and a review of the cameras will
show the Sgt. DeChow taking my brace to the front of the run pulling it
apart. I feel like all this is being made up in retaliation for the
grievance I filed on an officer prior to this.
With rhetoric targeting Islamic institutions, and President Trump’s
policies towards fighting ISIS, today (27 March 2017) on CNN a top
military adviser was questioned about these so-called air strikes which
have been blamed for the death of civilians. His only answer was, “we’re
doing an assessment on what happened in Syria and Iraq.” Americans who
support imperialism, is it right to kill people for profit? Have we
forgotten that corporate america has so much investments tied up in Iraq
and its natural resources? Are we so truly blind to ignore the genocide
of Syrians and Iraqis at the hands of globalist pigs? We need to get
away from national struggles and take up international struggles as a
whole.
We’re so american which is a contradiction in itself. To say you’re
american and support a system which exploits, murders, enslaves, and
justifies bombing innocent people is saying you’re not true to what you
base your belief in: A belief in freedom and liberty and pursuit of
happiness. Is your happiness someone else’s death? This system of
capitalism has to be abolished and replaced with communism, where no
government will have power over other governments or people having
control over other people. People need to be the controllers of
production. Socialism must be our goal and communism the final chapter
where all people can be equal.
We in prison must create a public opinion to change this system of
oppression. Those in the streets can learn a lot from us prisoners
locked away. We challenge the administrations here in prison and no
matter what they do to us, we unify and get things done. If the
prisoners can go on massive worker strikes for wages and make some small
change I believe the street orgs can do the same. If all the workers was
to strike and just have one day of solidarity and unity around all the
issues which causes oppression and injustice we might see some change or
create a movement which might affect others across the world to do the
same. This strike will shake up the elite, and they will realize that
the people do have the power, not them. Without the workers, capitalism
can’t thrive, but there will be a percentage of people who are so
addicted to consumerism and the system of capitalism and will sell out.
So we must unify the masses, and help one another with food, and the
necessities to make sure all are taken care of during the struggle when
the system collapses.
MIM(Prisons) responds: This writer is right on about the
contradiction between people who say they believe in freedom and justice
while supporting the Amerikan system exploiting, brutalizing and killing
people around the world. The Amerika-first mentality that many people,
including prisoners, have is in direct opposition to the value system
that Amerikkka claims to uphold. And we applaud the idea of prisoners
setting an example for organizers in the street with the unity and
struggle being built behind bars.
One point we have to consider when comparing the potential actions of
prisoners and those on the streets is where these groups fit in on a
global economic analysis. The vast majority of workers in the United
$tates are part of the labor aristocracy. They are actually being paid
more than the value of their labor, at the expense of workers in the
Third World. The profits from Third World workers’ labor are propping up
the economy of Amerika. This is why it’s so easy for Amerikans to
support imperialist militarism; it is actually directly in line with
their own material interest. So when Amerikan workers go on strike to
demand higher wages, it ends up being a demand for even more wealth
stolen from the Third World. At best this is a demand that the Amerikan
bourgeoisie give the workers a bit more of their large share of this
stolen wealth. Either way it’s not a progressive demand.
The demands of prisoners’ strikes are oftentimes far more progressive
because prisoners are not getting paid from the wealth stolen from Third
World workers. Also usually prisoner strikes are not focused on wages,
and are tied up with issues like brutality, isolation, censorship, and
medical care. So while we definitely think organizers on the streets can
learn from the solidarity and activism behind bars, we have to be sure
to consider differences in conditions between these two situations when
applying what is learned.
El 13 de Junio, La República Popular Democrática de Corea (RPDC)
liberaron a un estudiante Amerikano, Otto Warmbier, quien estuvo
encarcelado allí por 15 meses. El estudiante llegó a casa en coma y
murió pocos días después. Según los oficiales Coreanos, Warmbier había
estado en coma poco después de ser arrestado, debido a complicaciones
causado por botulismo, una condición que se puede contraer por medio de
comida, agua o tierra contaminada. Es posible que el encarcelamiento de
Warmbier solamente haya sido un acto político para el gobierno del RPDC.
Estuvo condenado por robar un cartel de propaganda.
Lo inusual de Warmbier es que era un güero adinerado y joven,
disfrutando el privilegio de su riqueza y su ciudadanía Amerikana yendo
a una aventura divertida al visitar Corea del Norte. En su mayor parte,
Amerika busca encarcelar a los lumpen de naciones oprimidas y a los no
documentados, y también a la gente que lucha contra el imperialismo.
Entonces, en este país no hay mucha posibilidad que Warmbier terminara
en prisión.
Después de la muerte de Warmbier hubo un clamor de crítica contra el
gobierno del RPDC, con Trump atacando la “brutalidad del régimen de
Corea del Norte.” Esta crítica viene de la misma gente que se queda
callada con respecto a las condiciones que causan muerte regularmente en
prisiones Amerikanas. Los prisioneros se enferman regularmente por
condiciones que incluye insuficiente comida o también comida
contaminada(1), moho(2), toxinas y otros riesgos ambiental en prisiones
viejas y sucias (3) agua contaminada (4) niveles de calor inseguro(5) y
asistencia médica inadecuado, incompetente y deliberadamente negligente.
(6) Más, esto sólo es la lista del abuso por “negligencia.” Mientras
tanto, más de 100,000 prisioneros son torturados a diario en prisiones
de los Estados Unidos (7) y algunos prisioneros importantes y activos
políticamente han terminado muertos.(8)
Paralelo al caso en Corea, las prisiones Amerikanas tienen muchos
indocumentados (9), especialmente de México y Centroamérica,
encarcelados por cargos pequeños o falsos. Esta gente quiere regresar a
sus países, casas y familias. Algunos no hablan Inglés y entonces no
pueden luchar por sus derechos. Algunos fueron engañados para declararse
culpables sin entender de verdad el juicio. Y algunos de estos
prisioneros terminarán severamente enfermos o también muertos debido a
las condiciones dentro de prisiones Amerikanas.(10)
Nosotros no esperamos que los nacionalistas blancos ofrezcan una crítica
sobre la “brutalidad del régimen amerikano” por todos estos crímenes
hechos a prisioneros mantenidos detrás de las barras en este país.
Debería ser una vergüenza para los Amerikanos que los Estados Unidos
encierran personas a una velocidad mayor que cualquier otro país en el
mundo. Pero se oculta este sistema de control social, mientras los
perdonadores del imperialismo hipócritamente critican el RPDC (y otros
países) por su tratamiento a un prisionero Amerikano.
MIM(Prisiones) lucha para poner un fin al sistema en que las prisiones
son lugares donde la gente va para sufrir y morir prematuramente.
Soy un ciudadañ@ Mexican@ criado en las formas viejas de hacer negocios.
Nuestra palabra siempre era buena hasta nuestro último respiro. En la
política de la prisión y la política mexicana la palabra no tiene
significado. (Díganle eso al buen tío Colocio, quien pago con su vida
por creer en la palabra de alguien más.)
Bueno, después de 20 años en la línea principal, mejor conocida como
pabellones activos, yo hice la transición a un pabellón SNY. Aquí,
encontré muchos herman@s (p.e. camarad@s que hicieron la transición hace
años y hasta décadas.)
Afortunadamente, escapé a la lavada de cerebro a la que mis companer@s
chican@s están expuestos en las escuelas y los barrios. Así que yo
renuncié y me vine al mundo bizarro. Encontré que muchos de mis nuevos
camaradas, no tienen ninguna clase de conciencia política. Una y otra
vez ellos declinaron mis intentos de leer algo de mis libros. No me
escapó de mi mente que alguna vez yo también fui así. Me tomó años
despertar a la cruel realidad de mi encarcelamiento.
De cualquier manera mi primer compañero de celda fue un hombre blanco. Y
descubrí lo que siempre supe en teoría. Que todos somos ignorantes,
pobres, y condenados. (Sin importar el color de la piel, credo, o
afiliación de pandilla). Por razones que no son pertinentes a este
ensayo, mi nuevo compañero solo duró conmigo menos de 24 horas en la
celda. Aun así, en mi dejó una profunda impresión. El me dijo que en la
línea, su líder de la pandilla le mandó pegar (p.ej. apuntalar) por una
deuda de $50 dólares de vino hecho en prisión. Así que él tuvo que
asumir la posición y permitir que su querid@ compañer@ lo apuñalara. (Su
compañero le quedaban unos cuantos meses para irse a su casa.) Así es
cuán fuera de control están las pandillas.
Para que el lector sepa: el Mexican@ común y corriente no pertenece a
carteles o gangas de la prisión y de las calles. La mayoría de los
prisioneros Mexicanos no saben de la avalancha de política de prisión
que se les viene encima. Sin vergüenza, puedo decir que si mi consejer@
me hubiera dicho del papel que me esperaba jugar en una yarda activa, yo
me hubiera salido de allí inmediatamente. No estaba escrito así, y fui
atrapado en un sistema fallido de rehabilitación.
Fui inmediatamente clasificado como un “parsa” o “herman@ de la
frontera.” Este “STG” (grupo de amenaza y seguridad) está bajo las
ordenes de los sureños (una ganga de prisión) para hacer apuntaladas, y
seguir órdenes.
Lo que no sabe el Mexicano, es que todos estos incidentes violentos
pueden ser usados por el panel de audiencias de libertad (BPH). Dios no
permita, que uno tenga un apuntalamiento a hace diez años. Ellos
literalmente actúan la parte de estar sorprendidos que esta clase de
cosas pasen en prisión. Hasta un reporte de una manzana robada será
usado para decir que somos un peligro para la comunidad libre. Estos
académicos de verdad creen que estos “gulags” son “centros” de alta
rehabilitación. ¡Y que un@ insiste en comportarse mal!
Mi nuevo compañero es un viejo Mexicano. El es respetuoso y sabe cómo
hacer tiempo. El también renunció, cuando descubrió los cambios del
viento en el aire. Y antes de que las cosas se pusieran peor, le hizo la
mejor decisión de su vida. Se convirtió en un SNY más. El medio
ambiente, aquí está más suelto. El viejo de la ganga se terminó. Yo no
he visto actos predatorios en contra de aquellos que son muy débiles,
para defenderse. Luego están aquellos que actúan como verdaderos – “PC”
en custodia protectora. Ellos creen que el C/O es su papá, o su hermano
mayor. Son escandalosos. Y visten sus pantalones a media nalga. Aun así,
el estar hablando con el personal de prisión se puede ver también en la
yarda ‘C’ (p. ej., una yarda activa). Ellos vienen a la oficina del
programa y pasan tiempo con ellos. (p. ej. poniéndose cómodos con el
enemigo, el opresor).
Yo descubrí, que si me mantengo solo, y cuido solo mis propios negocios,
yo puedo volar sin ser detectado. Esto no era posible en una yarda
activa, porque se espera que uno haga trabajo para la ganga de la
prisión. Las nuevas gangas de la prisión de este lado, estas son
reservadas. Y hacen sus peleas sin pedir ayuda. Aquellos, que no
queremos envolvernos en las guerras de gangas – se les deja fuera del
drama. Yo he hablado con ex-sureños y norteños (viejos y jóvenes), y
muchos se describen a sí mismos como Mexicanos nacidos de este lado.
Muchos se han dado cuenta que el Mexicano nacional no es su marioneta
para ser usada y tirada. Todos ellos están de acuerdo que el haberse
convertido en SNY es la mejor decisión que pudieron haber tomado. Sus
nuevos líderes son sus familias, patria y raza.
Aquí, ex-jefes y líderes de gangas son nada. No son más que un esclavo
entre los miles. Lejos están los días de dinero con sangre, gloria,
celulares, y actos egoístas enormes con respecto a la vida y la muerte.
En cuanto a mi transición de un esclavo activo a un “SNY”, esta fue
fácil. Empaqué mis cosas sin levantar mucha sospecha. Y en la escuela le
dije al oficial “que quería salir del pabellón.” Ellos me presionaron
para decirles lo que sabía acerca de los grandes sapos gordos, y de
aquellos que les besan el culo. No tenía nada que decirles. Y aunque
hubiera sabido algo, no se las hubiera dicho nada. Ya estoy muy viejo
para convertirme en un informante del estado. Así que, no todos los SNYs
son informantes. Ya me han dicho que a veces los oficiales amenazan al
prisionero con devolverlos al pabellón principal. Pero este no fue mi
caso. (Para su información, las oficiales nunca harán eso).
Para aquellos que deje atrás, paren y piensen acerca de esto, por un
largo tiempo. ¿De verdad vale la pena el dar la vida haciendo mandados
de tonto? Lo que te están mandando a hacer al hijo de alguien más, te lo
harán a ti. Los maestros de la causa perdida de la manipulación, no vale
la pena matar y morir por esta. A la fregada sus órdenes, ellos no son
nuestros padres, tíos o hermanos mayores. Juegan a ser dios con nuestras
vidas y libertad.
Ellas son sociópatas con sed de sangre y con la sangre de nuestros
hermanos y hermanas en sus manos. Ellos son el hermano menor del
opresor, ellos ayudan al opresor a mantenernos en checkeo. Dale, y diles
que ellos mismos hagan los asesinatos. No te pueden exigir que cumplas
tu palabra, que diste cuando eras un niño. Tú no sabias acerca de la
vida cuando te tentaron a unirte a la ganga. Nunca te dijeron que para
cuando cumplieras 15, ibas a estar muerto o viviendo en las gulagas.
Nunca te llevaron a un funeral y te dijeron: “Ese eres tú en unos
cuantos años.” Ellos nunca te llevaron a las gulagas a visitar aquellos
que están sepultados vivos. ¿Si te hubieran dicho que una muerte
temprana o vida en prisión era tu futuro? Lo más seguro es que hubieras
corrido de volada.
Así que a la edad de 20, 30 y hasta de 60 años, uno debe despertar a la
realidad de nuestro predicamento y analizar las contradicciones de
nuestra esclavitud. Para que así nos podamos quitar las viejas cadenas
que nos unen a una causa perdida. Uno debe de evolucionar y pensar fuera
de la caja. Este es el Siglo 21, nuestras familias nos necesitan allá
afuera.
MIM(Prisiones) responde: Organizaciones lumpen (LOs) en los
E$tados Unidos son generalmente organizaciones de los más marginalizados
económicamente de los oprimidos en este país. Donde sea, camaradas han
hablado de las diferencias entre la Organización Neo-colonial lumpen
(NLO) y los LO. La experiencia del camarada anterior refleja la práctica
de los NLO. Pero las LOs, en general, tienen tanto como los aspectos
capitalistas como los colectivo/nacionalistas. Y aquellas que aceptan el
aspecto colectivo (generalmente, en una forma revolucionaria
nacionalista), pueden evolucionar y convertirse en organizaciones
políticas de masas (PMOs).(1) Así que, mientras tenemos dificultad con
los camaradas en los LOs para que se muevan en dirección de una PMO, la
historia anterior es muy común en California, donde SNY ha venido a
representar una tercera parte de los prisioneros en años recientes.(2)
Este camarada también toca la pregunta nacional e identidad nacional en
Aztlán. El hecho de que aquellos con descendencia Mexicana nacidos
dentro de las Estados Unidos y que más bien se identifican como
Mexicanos, habla de la contradicción nacional entre el Americano
colonizador y el territorio colonizado de Aztlán. Como este camarada
también reconoce, nosotros nos referimos a aquellos nacidos al norte de
la frontera los U.S./México, como Chican@s.
Este reconocimiento de la nación Chican@ profundamente conectada a, pero
separada de México, fue el resultado de la lucha de revolucionarios
nacionalistas y comunistas de los 1960s, que organizaron a la raza en el
Suroeste. Para aquellos que estén interesados en este tema, deberían
revisar Chican@ Power y La Lucha por Aztlán, del grupo de estudio de
MIM(Prisiones). Este libro está disponible para los prisioneros por $10,
o a cambio de trabajo.
Laud and honor the martyrs! Even those who weren’t warriors. The
unconscious brother enjoys a guilty comfort. Not from inheritance,
but rather he lives in a First World Settled by invaders and tomb
raiders, capitalist traders raping the earth. Governments promise
prosperity if only you kneel. Can Third World tragedies find any
appeal? Or does bourgeois culture supply you with unlimited
hope? Like oppression, crime and dope. Faith in religion tickles
your conscience but that doesn’t make it science. We struggle
together: The People - equal. The chains of slavery rattle like
tambourines to a new upheaval. So laud and honor the martyrs! Even
those who weren’t warriors. Flies swarm around the dung of
capitalism, invoking disgust at its chauvanisms and material
greed. Don’t be part of the problem.
I am writing to inform you that I am commencing a hunger strike on 2017
September 9, to continue until the below issues are resolved. These
issues are regarding equal treatment, retaliation, legal rights, First
Amendment rights, staff misconduct and conditions of confinement. The
Warden is Kevin Curran. The Deputy Warden is Ruben Montano. The Chief of
Security is Rodrick Williams, a captain. I am in Kasson Unit. Mental
Health Dr. Tracy Rogers is advocating for me. She is well informed.
She’s trying to help my situation, but is up against security and
administration.
List of Hunger Strike Resolutions:
Allow me to resume taking my paralegal correspondence course
Rescind the ban on all my incoming magazines and books
Give me my TV from property office
Give me my prescription eyeglasses from property
Allow me to receive sunglasses in accordance with my Special Needs Order
Remove me from Protective Custody (PC) status
Provide me unfettered access to grievance forms
Provide me with regularly scheduled legal calls to my attorneys
Conduct legal box exchanges in accordance with policy
Allow me to do book exchanges with my personal books in property
Arizona Department of Corrections (ADC) allowed me to begin the
course, via Blackstone Career Institution. I aced the first exam. My
tuition sponsor (my mom) and I entered into a $800 enrollment agreement,
only to be told by ADC I could not continue the course because maximum
custody prisoners cannot take correspondence courses. I am no longer a
max custody inmate; I’ve lowered my score. I am now close custody, but
ADC still won’t allow me to resume the course. This course will help me.
It will improve my life, and my chances at staying out of prison upon
release. I guess the prison doesn’t want that.
In Jan 2017 the mail room began enforcing an illegal ban on all my
incoming books and magazines because I would regularly appeal their
censorship of publications. Presently, I subscribe to more than 20
magazines and newsletters. ADC returns all to sender without giving me a
chance to appeal. The same is done with books.
I am serving over 3 years of disciplinary Loss of Privilege (LOP)
sanctions, including loss of appliances. ADC is withholding my TV in
property. But I am the only one in Kasson Unit Wing One being subject to
loss of appliances. Everyone else on LOP is allowed to retain their TV
and appliances. They single me out because I file so many grievances and
some civil rights lawsuits, which other prisoners are scared to do.
ADC said my mom could send in prescription eyeglasses, then withheld
them upon arrival. They’ve been held in property since May 2017 and are
medically necessary. They comply with all ADC policies.
In retaliation for my grievances on mail room, mail room staff keep
returning to sender my medical sunglasses under false pretexts. I have a
medical Special Needs Order for them. And I’ve previously had sunglasses
here at Browning Unit, both max custody units.
ADC placed me under protective custody without notifying me,
violating due process. They put me in PC without cause, as an insult to
my integrity and pride. There is no need or justification to put/keep me
under PC status.
Prison staff refuse to provide me with the grievance forms I require
to proceed in the grievance process, in violation of their own policy
(D.O.802) and my First amendment right to redress of grievances. My
COIII (counselor), Mr. A. Oswald, refuses to provide me with the forms,
as do all staff, who tell me they’ve been ordered not to give them to
me.
My C.O.III, who’s backed by ADC administration on this, refuses to
provide me with any legal calls to my two criminal attorneys and my
civil rights counsel, all of whom are attorneys-of-regard. This violates
my constitutional rights to speak with and consult with my lawyers, and
is causing irreparable damage to my cases.
Kasson property officer Ms. T. Williams repeatedly violates policy
(D.O. 909) by not allowing me to do legal box exchanges. Property is to
conduct exchanges within 3 days of the request. I submited weekly, for
the past 4 months and she allowed only 1 exchange. Because I’m only
permitted to possess 4 of my 16 legal boxes in my cell, this violation
prohibits me from accessing vital legal documents and thus hinders my
ability to adequately litigate my cases. I’ve filed many grievances on
Williams, and this is her retaliation.
I have several personal books in property. Williams’s superiors at
Central Office have ordered her to allow me to do book exchanges, but
she refuses to let me. This has been going on for one year, since my 7
September 2016 arrival to Kasson. I simply wish to read my books.