Thursday, November 7, 2019

November 2019 Recommendations by FFUP Founder and intake worker

FFUP FOUNDER , INTAKE WORKER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS for November 2019 start
I am posting here requests for things that are achievable now , would make a great difference in these people’s lives  and would help head the prison in the right direction. 
link to intake report including items not listed here:
link to complaints and significant letters, articles of last few months:
 just in- a must read:


DOC doing all it can to deny court access

Carl Lusk 564445 GBCI: 11 1 19

this case sums up the meanness , pettiness and persistence of the efforts to silence prisoner> it is a court order that goes through the steps the DOC used : https://casesprison.files.wordpress.com/2019/11/carl-lusk-court-order16-c-1053.pdf
ORDER in Case 16-C-1053/US appeals Crt /7th District /Lynn Adelman judge .
     Basically, Carl was out of envelopes and so borrowed one from another prisoner- reason for denial of complaint and failure of exhaustion- the court goes through each step of the DOC’s process- obscene.
Included here is also a letter written in pencil, which is unscannable and another tactic for keeping him from litigating and communicating effectively. I tried to unsuccessfully to make it more readable on a photo apt .
relevant to the court order is this paragraph:
”I have also applied for multiple legal loans , they go so fast on postage and your only allowed 1 per year per case and as you can see I have many . The limit also declines yearly because I can’t pay them back yet due to segregation status. pretty soon they’ll only owe me$1.00. “
Carl also:1)requests 20 embossed envelopes, 2)includes denial of appeal rights by County court because waited too long ( scanned and returned)
Baclground: the efforts to hamper or deny lawsuits by prisoners have been going on forever but have reached a new height with the proliferation of rules requiring solitary prisoners to use only pencils, rules against prisoners talking in law library and general denial of law library. 
We ask especially for an investigation in the pencil requirement. This was required only when an inmate had use a pen nib as a weapon, 
 

A Help for 2 individuals in DIRE NEED
1)Timmy Johnson 616546 WCI, ( 1988,31YO)  
letters written with rubber pencil on scraps of paper/ hard to read impossible to scan/typed first, second one he tried to answer my questions but was  almost impossible to read , At his suggestion I called him mother. a summation of what I have  learned from what I gleaned from his letters and his mother. :
TWO ISSUES: most urgent-
1)Timmy had an incident with a guard where Timmy ended up spitting  at him/mother and Timmy; story is that the guard said racial slur and spit at Timmy first. Much of  first letter covers this. The danger is that the guard in the incident now often serves Timmy food and Timmy is afraid it is doctored and will not eat it. Mother says it is guard’s smirks that scares Timmy.
2)second issue is his conviction and is indicative of many in there. Before the crime occurred Timmy’s   mother had gone to the court house asking that her son be committed to a mental institution, that is behavior had radically changed. She was refused.
the crime: Timmy was in cab, was hearing voices that told him the cab driver was the devil and was going to kill him- He stabbed the cab driver and I guess took the car on a chase. Says he crashed it trying to die. Promised hospital
got Prison and much abuse.
Is interested in out legal project where he learns the law- all he does will need typing, will need
to get a volunteer for that. first letter typed:
This just in 11 6 19 by email from Timmy mother:  Good afternoon Peggy,
         “We as Timmy Johnson Jr’s family did everything we could to get him help. We were able to have him committed to Hillcrest, four oaks, phase, and he went to patient facilities such as Life Help and the Gannor Center. He also checked himself into mental facilities on multiple occasions. Prior to the crime, our family went to the court house to file papers to have Timmy Johnson Jr committed days leading up to the sentence. The judge denied us to have him committed. Moving forward, since he’s been incarcerated the last 5 years, the guards have harassed and destroyed his personal belongings, which not only punishes Timmy, but us as his family as well. They destroyed his T.V., tablet, and radio that we as his family purchased. They take half of his money that we send to him for his restitution. We think that is unfair to us and him. If he had a job of his own, them taking money from his check for restitution would be understandable.”



recommendation: 1) Timmy needs out of WCI, he needs treatment and a nurturing environment, He needs to be in a mental health facility, not a prison
2) long term- We need a treatment center and policies like those lawsuit mandated for women’s prison in TCI:  

WI DOC's Power Point Close look at the mental health treatment center built for TCI, the women’s prison, as part of the lawsuit: Flynn Vs Doyle,06-C-0537.
https://ffupstuff.files.wordpress.com/2018/06/3what-doesnt-kill-you-makes-you-stronger.pdf

2)Drugging and Raping and then not allowing a rape kit test:
Derrick Smith 344250 CCI
The following is from September. It happened again. Third shift guards allowed me to be homosexually raped  again. It happened twice and I bled for 3 days anally. I wrote complaining to the warden, medical, psychology
 and all prison administration before and  after it happened. They did nothing included
disregarded (sic) all my requests  to have a rape kit done.          
 They drugged me by putting something in my food. When I woke up  I almost fell into shock
because there was so much blood. I feel horrible. I am praying for help not to lose my battle for life.

 But Peg, I’m so afraid, sick and tired. No one is even willing to think about helping me including the courts. I don’t know how much longer I can keep going. I’m scared to eat or sleep at night. If something positive does not happen soon, I am afraid of what I might do.
         Although I have known this man many years, these rapes started about a year ago: here is possibly the first time I heard. He was then at WCI:
WCI 12 3 18-
          “By now you should have gotten my last letter before this one. I explained the garbage  I’m enduring by God’s grace. I can’t do it without him. I’ve been on paper restriction for asking for
toilet paper. The guards are trying to quiet me and keep me from reporting being verbally and physically and sexually assaulted. Nov 14th through 20th I even wrote complaints on toilet tissue. Hence one of the reasons for the paper restriction.  Also they stopped my legal loan. (asks me not to order paper as he is writing the court using back of docs).
      The abuse and stress that I am forced to endure  has given me a severe lack of energy. I take 150 mg of Benadryl to help me fall asleep. I do so in increments. The Guards favorite practice is to put some form of date rape drug instead of our real medications. Of course that will knock us out for the night. The only way to know we’ve been raped is when we wake. Sometimes there’s pain in the anus area. But the shock is when I try to have a bowel movement. There would be so much blood in the toilet that it would look like an artery was cut. I tell you the truth. It is not my doing. It is the wisdom and strength of God that allows me to stand and endure. “
His latest letter ( October 31st) states the court rejected hi plea ofr injunctive relief and Derrick is afraid it will  move to dismiss with prejudice. I do not know the content of this suit but I fell strongly that alleged victims of rape in the WIDOC need ot have immediate access to rape kit testing. The claim that I hear so often from aithorites- “UNRELIABLE” or “lying” is moot if a test was not even done. Derrick is also fighting to prove his innocence in his criminal case.
Recommendation- 1)instruct all prisons to do rape kit testing when rape is alleged instead of ignoring! Start with  Derrick in CCI next time he files a complaint or asks for health services after he aleges rape.
                                    2) Allow Derrick to have SPNs on guards who abuse him.
                                    3)”Prea is a joke” is the saying among prisoners. FFUP did a report on it in 2016 and earlier had filed a john Doe for a prisoner – will include link to report-
1)FFUP PREA report 2016:https://casesprison.files.wordpress.com/2019/11/prea-report-ffup-8-2016.pdf.
   There must be independent review of complaints and prisoners need to be able to enlist outside help. None of the nonprofits dealing with victims of sexual assault ( and there are many)  now comes into help unless invited by the prison so most prisoners who complain about sexual abuse end up in worse position as  same guards who abused now often retaliate. Since the 2014 Wisconsin Watch articles came out delineating abuse complaints in WCI , the conditions have gotten worse, with the guard most named as abuser by inmates, ( Joseph Beahm).now heading the unit. All the “Guidelines” put in by the DOC are long disregarded or manipulated to prove finally meaningless.  The prisoners who complain despite retaliation are courageous and I am afraid , there are many more who suffer but are afraid to complain.
Other documents related to PREA violations:
2)letter to then new Governor evers on Derrick Smith and PREA: has more complete letters of 2018:  https://casesprison.files.wordpress.com/2019/11/dsmith-prea-to-evers-1-19all.pdf
3) word copy of Center for investigative journalism on guard on inmate abuse 2014: https://ffupstuff.files.wordpress.com/2014/08/ww-wci-all.pdf
B)Mentally ill Prisoners Revoked after months and years of solitary with no treatment
                       MENTALLY ILL  PRISONERS NEED TREATMENT AT WRC BEFORE RELEASE !
Truth in sentencing prisoners are released ready or not with little support after release and no real treatment or training while in prison . Many of these prisoners are mentally ill and have spent months and years in solitary and they are quickly back to the same because the current  revocation policy allows them to be sent back to prison for the most minor infractions.
        Many of these prisoners self harm when they are in long term solitary, and they are punished for this behavior instead of being treated.
Below is a list of Truth in sentencing prisoners (TIS ) revoked within last few months that FFUP has worked closely with/advocated over the past few years.  All have spent forever in solitary and are now back to the same old horror. Those who have written me since revocation have stories of unjust revocations and no real chances real given.

  below: All back in prison ( or in the process )after years in solitary with much self harm no treatment or training of any value                                                             
                                  RECENTLY REVOKED, GIVEN NO REAL CHANCE
Timothy Sidney 480018
Bobby coil 518792
Christopher Goodvine 310458
Michael pietila 377976
Louis Keys 587473 ( pending
Michael Pugh 615180( pending)

below:Here is a list of some of the prisoners that desperately need to be transferred to WRC before release.
They beg for treatment at WRC before release. The DOC has  many excuses for not allowing this. Treatment at WRC earlier has some value as it gives them a break from the constant negativity of solitary in the WI DOC BUT the effects quickly evaporate when they go back to the same old same old. these are just for – there are many many more
Tyler L Milton 596157 WCI bd1998 ; 20 y.o. ( out 2 4 20)
Jordan Cosby 501015; WCI BD1991 (27), release date 4 27 20/
Gerald Easterling- 564618;WCI ;BD 1992 out 2 7 21
Damien Huff 551050 BD 1994 ( 24) release date 5 25 2022/  GBCI         

Two letters that sum up their situations well. They are older letters but conditions have not change for the better.
Tyler L Milton 596157 WCI bd1998 ; 20 y.o. ( out 2 4 20)
9 16 18
I am writing to let you know that I had a failed suicide attempt. The stress is getting to me.Multiple correctional officers have been telling me a lot of messed up things. Some examples  of what they have been saying include:“just kill yourself already”
“you have nothing to live for” I’ve been gone two days, why are you still alive?” “I’m going to poison your food” “I hope you die in your sleep tonight. That way you die  peacefully and I won’t have to put up with  you ever again. That’s a win win situation,
it can’t get better than that.”“Next time you cut yourself, cit deeper. Hit a vain You won’t feel a thing.”“oh, your back? I was hoping you wouldn’t make it through surgery.” Please consider adding me to your team of Plaintiffs. If it’s not for money it’s for justice                         

Gerald Easterling  564618;WCI ;BD 1992 out 2 7 21
I have not heard from him in months but this is an incredible description of what he goes
through:
From Within and beyond this 8” by 14” square foot steel deprivation cell  that is designed for  my mental and physical and social dehumanization, I bring to you this letter  of concern    regarding the adverse effects of long  term segregation sensory deprivation.After spending 3 years in intensive solitary   confinement ,deprived of human contact, I had become super-sensitive to the 5 basic human senses. This deliberate and intentional stripping of the cell down to a isolation cell, then the stripping
of the individual down to the basic necessities and even down to the personal effects- then locked within this cell 24 hours a day with barely the bare essentials and where even this wall-mounted stainless steel mirror is the segregation  cell is removed from the walls so that even the sight of one’s own image is denied. And no matter how strong a person is , sensory deprivation is depravity at its worst. All 5 basic human sense-sight, sound, smell, touch,   and taste-are severely suppressed-when one is slowly but surely and very subtly stripped of all common sentiments of humanity. So once again, I am  force d to adapt to a Fucker of situation. Under these adverse conditions of confinement one tends to crave a change of scenery and location, and atmosphere, and environment just so s/he can see new sight instead of the same old everyday mind-deadening routine and faceless faces..hear new and different sounds other than the  quiet and indescribable silence that seems to speak louder than noise, smell different scents besides the foul stale and  contemptible odor so common to everyday existence in this bottomless pit..one seeks to touch base with and feel and embrace another human in an intimate and sensitive and humane and compassionate and personal way as opposed to the impersonal and inhumane and insensitive and degrading manner..one develops a strong, intense desire to taste various foods besides the same old tasteless and non variety and everyday, recycled meals. One is served just enough good to have a bowel movement and just enough to say alive. Where even one’s sense of taste and appetite, and taste buds is denied and deprived, Torture chambers where absent various forms of social stimuli, the human mind can become so debased and so dehumanized , and sink so low tha if one isn’t so careful , there is a tendency to adjust and conform and accustom oneself to a standard of living that is lower than that which exists within the animal kingdom.

Note: I have long worked with the mentally ill in solitary and tried to work with DOC to get changes that cost nothing going, like getting books into inmates with more ease and less expense. Prisoners an I have discussed many ideas that could be implemented IF the DOC took its mission to rehabilitate prisoners and keep the public safe seriously and I hope to share them with  you in the future.

C) Misusing sex offender  policies and statutes to extend incarceration for Old law prisoners . ( please investigate)
We have been reporting on this phenomenon for quite a while. Old law prisoners are skipped over and not given treatment or they are promised treatment  , moved and then not given it. New is prisoner arbitrarily assigned treatment and a new risk level with no due process or any new testing.  When there is no room for SOT treatment for TIS prisoners, they are given a waiver and released. Never for Old Law prisoners. Prisoners have alo been help beyond their MR date for bogus reasons and one prisoner, Ronald Schroeder is fighting assignment to Sandridge- so inaapropriate it would be funny if it were not so serious.

a)Tony Merriweather 199123 NLCI: Here is latest  in this fiasco:  a fine litigator who dedicates his time and resources to helping other inmates. He is one of FFUP’s main litigator guides and I have known him since starting this work at Boscobel Supermax when it opened: https://casesprison.files.wordpress.com/2019/11/tony-merriweather-sot-fiasco10-19.docx
Basically, after being decades eligible for parole and having programming used as an excuse to hold him, he is told he now has a need for a four year Sec offender treatment program and not the 2 he had needed. This was without an testing or interviews

other examples of above fiascos
a)Nick Brosz: promised programming, moved, no program:https://casesprison.files.wordpress.com/2019/11/nick-brosz-6-22-19-.pdf
b)Ron Schroeder: in process of being civilly committed to Sandridge- Ronald Schroeder- a fine person, litigator, special target it seems. There was no basis for revoking him  nor now to commit him except :They can here are a bunch of his writings on the subject of revocation and how to change.
Here are some of his writings:
from Ron Schroeder
      
This is from a man who would like to remain anonymous
    I was moved to a program unit in 2016 at OSCI and was told I would be starting in the next group. That group came and went and then I was told I would be starting in the next group. Again, that group came and went and I wasn't in that one either. I have been waiting and waiting for treatment, along with other's, including those under old law, just to be told you will be in the next group. Now we find out that the last group of this year (2019) is most likely canceled. Which means myself and other's from MR year 2021 (under Truth In Sentence), will not receive  treatment causing those to be released untreated and those under Old Law won't be receiving treatment either because of the possible cancelation and will end up doing even more time period. Now they are saying I can no longer get into a group because of my time constraints. ( meaning I don't have enough time now to complete a group), nor will they reevaluate me for consideration to be lowered to a lesser program need for the same reason. I have been trying for treatment so I could go to minimum for more money, but now I am forced to do "dead time". I feel punished yet again, but this time it's do to OSCI's choice's, and not mine. I feel even worse for those under old law being put off longer and longer, causing them to stay incarcerated and to waste even more time waiting for Parole to clear them for release after completing their group's. my sympathies go out to all of you.
I would also like to add that the majority of inmates being released from prison are untreated. most refuse group. of the ones that agree to group, some will be terminated. some will quit. few will complete. they will be released to do group on the street. which leaves old law with no choice but to wait for the doctors to let them into group. and each group only has a maximum of 14. there are so few who are offered group. truth inmates will receive a no fault letter in there file. ("do to no fault of your own, you do not have enough time to do group while you’re in prison.") old law will never see a letter like that.

AND the CORKER: only one prisoner remains in the SOT OSCI group- engineered to fail. 
SOT groups used to keep prisoners in:
CORY AKSTULEWICZ (311424)( 10-13- 19from)
do you remember about me telling you about the program i was in and got kicked out of in january of this year ? well now there was only one person left . Now these people hurried up an graduated that person so now that  group is all done. for now it was supposed be done in march of 2020 but that is not the case .i’m to see the parole board in may of next year we shall see what happens then . Facilitators are leaving this institution going to Racine correctional institution I think

D just in-this court order is a must read:Denial of court access


                               DOC doing all it can to deny court access

Carl Lusk 564445 GBCI: 11 1 19

this case sums up the meanness , pettiness and persistence of the efforts to silence prisoner> it is a court order that goes through the steps the DOC used : https://casesprison.files.wordpress.com/2019/11/carl-lusk-court-order16-c-1053.pdf
ORDER in Case 16-C-1053/US appeals Crt /7th District /Lynn Adelman judge .
     Basically, Carl was out of envelopes and so borrowed one from another prisoner- reason for denial of complaint and failure of exhaustion- the court goes through each step of the DOC’s process- obscene.Included here also is part of  a letter written in pencil, which is unscannable and another tactic for keeping him from litigating and communicating effectively. I tried to unsuccessfully to make it more readable on a photo apt .
relevant to the court order is this paragraph:
”I have also applied for multiple legal loans , they go so fast on postage and your only allowed 1 per year per case and as you can see I have many . The limit also declines yearly because I can’t pay them back yet due to segregation status. pretty soon they’ll only owe me$1.00. “
Carl also:1)requests 20 embossed envelopes, 2)includes denial of appeal rights by County court because waited too long ( scanned and returned)

Background: the efforts to hamper or deny lawsuits by prisoners have been going on forever but have reached a new height with the proliferation of rules requiring solitary prisoners to use only pencils, rules against prisoners talking in law library and general denial of law library. 
We ask especially for an investigation in the pencil requirement. Traditionally, this was required only when an inmate had use a pen nib as a weapon, 
 






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