Call it senseless, call it tragic, call it what you will, it’s death
suffered again at the hands of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice
(TDCJ), in Huntsville, Texas.
You would probably think that I was referring to an execution,
considering the infamous Execution Chambers TDCJ operates in Huntsville
that has contributed to the death of over 400 humans in the last 30
years. However, this death took place at an area located outside another
TDCJ prison called the Wynne Unit, that’s located about 10 minutes from
the Death Chambers which are at the Walls Unit.
On September 24, 2007, inmates John Ray Falk and Jerry Martin, were
escorted out the back gate of the Wynne unit to perform their job
assignments as members of the “Hoe Squad.” this particular Squad
received its name from the gardening tool that’s assigned to each inmate
as they exit the back gate; it is commonly called a “Hoe”. Duties of the
Hoe Squad are best described as what most people would probably call a
“Chain Gang,” except in Texas there’s no chains. Each inmate is assigned
a garden tool and ushered to an isolated field that typically is located
not too far from the prison grounds. Once everyone arrives at the field,
the inmates are lined up in several rows and forced to chop grass or
turn dirt at the pace of a numbered-paced song, that’s normally chanted
by a few designated inmates.
Depending on the size of the Hoe Squad you will have 6-10 armed officers
mounted on horseback to supervise the working inmates. These officers
are known for their Ten-Gallon hats that are exclusively made as part of
their TDCJ-issued uniform. No other officers in TDCJ are permitted to
wear such a Cowboy hat; only the Field Officers. This is one of the many
things that separate the officers assigned to work inside the prison and
those who work out in what is called the “fields” with the Hoe Squad.
Susan Canfield, age 59, was one of the Field Officers on the Wynne Unit,
and was assigned to supervise the Hoe Squad that Falk and Martin were
assigned to.
Falk was serving a Life Sentence for a 1986 murder conviction. Martin
had just completed his 10th year of a 50-year sentence for two counts of
attempted Capital Murder. At 10:10am they decided to overpower Officer
Canfield and another officer, and took their weapons. After a brief
shootout with some other officers, Martin and Falk fled to a nearby
parking lot and stole a Huntsville city truck and ran over Officer
Canfield who was trying to stop them while they were making their
escape. Shortly afterwards Officer Canfield died.
Death is what the TDC has been known for, mainly because of their brutal
and extremely active Execution Chamber. However, many people who have
had direct experience with TDCJ know that TDCJ has long maintained a
culture of death. The inhumane and barbaric conditions TDCJ prides
itself on have contributed to the death of many staff people who have
worked for TDCJ as well as people who have been held as prisoners within
its system. The TDCJ allows their punitive laws and policies to take
precedence over rehabilitation for prisoners and safety for everyone,
including their officers.
TDCJ directors have no qualms or reservations about placing their
officers in high risk situations in order to obtain their goals of
dehumanizing, harassing, and severely punishing all prisoners within
their system on a daily basis. They feel as if it is their moral
obligation to ensure that every day is a living hell for those who have
been found guilty of committing a crime in free society, even at the
cost of the safety of their own officers.
This is why Falk and Martin were assigned to work in the Hoe Squad
despite their lengthy sentences, and Officer Canfield placed in a very
risky position that would ultimately cost her the loss of her life. TDCJ
spokeswoman Michelle Lyons has made many reports to the media outlets
that alludes to the decision that was made, that permitted Falk and
Martin to work outside the prison gates in the fields under supervision,
was related to Falk and Martin’s clean disciplinary records, and their
minimum security classification levels. It is Ms. Lyon’s intent to give
the general public the impression that being assigned to work outside
the prison grounds in the Hoe Squad, is some prestigious award allotted
to inmates for good behavior, which is absolutely false and extremely
misleading.
As a person who has spent the last decade in the TDCJ, and has been
assigned to the Hoe Squad, I can positively assure you that the Hoe
Squad is the most dreadful and despised job assignment in TDCJ. Upon
entering TDCJ I was assigned to work in the Hoe Squad by the TDCJ
Classification Committee. I was told by this committee that it’s TDCJ’s
practice to make all incoming inmates start at the bottom (Hoe Squad)
and work their way up to a job in food service or a job as a porter.
However, the moment that you received a disciplinary case or rub someone
the wrong way after working your way up, you will be instantly sent back
to the Hoe Squad. The Hoe Squad is one of the many vehicles TDCJ
utilizes as a form of punishment for delinquents and to ensure none of
their rules are violated.
No one volunteers to work in the Hoe Squad, it’s the most brutal job
ever! Mr. Falk, who had been in prison for 21 years, and Mr. Martin, who
had been in prison over ten years, were not assigned to the Hoe Squad
for being model prisoners, they were assigned to the Hoe Squad as a form
of punishment, despite what Ms. Lyons would like the public to believe.
As a result, Office Canfield was placed in an unsafe environment that
allowed these idiots to kill her.
This is a tragic and senseless death at the hands of the TDCJ. This is
their culture. The usage of Hoe Squads has long been suspended in every
prison system in the United States, except Texas. What did the TDC
official expect out of Falk and Martin? TDCJ is just as much responsible
for Officer Canfield’s death as Falk and Martin.