DAY 22: CA Prisoner Hunger Strike Recent letters and reports from the inside “We appreciate all the help and concern. I’m very tired and extremely dizzy. I’m not sure how long my body can go, but I will not eat. I know some have stopped. We will go until they find us unresponsive..." ------------------------ Received by California Prison Focus ( prisons.org/ ) CPF News Digest – July 25, 2013 from Pelican Bay SHU prisoner in Ad Seg and HS rep 7/21/13 Arturo Castellanos I hope this short note finds you and all our supporters in high spirits. Myself and the rest of the Reps are doing ok in ASU although they do have cold air blasting through the vents. We covered them but as time goes by on this HS the lack of warm air circulating in these cells will cause adverse effects. Also you must remember that some or most of the Reps are over 50 and are considered high risk for medical complications because of their chronic illnesses like high blood pressure. And what adds to the risk is that Doc. Sayers *again* discontinued all medications, even the baby 81 mg aspirins… Even though he is no longer head medical official, it is obvious he still contains some power here among medical staff who distain him. However, our spirits are high and our determination is solid and we will see this through until CDCR officials settle our Demands in our favor. And our strength and positive attitude is even greater with all the news on how our outside supporters, including those in other countries, are putting pressure on Gov. Brown and Secretary Beard to bring a settlement offer that we can accept for real changes to long term confinement, which destroys one’s mind and health and relations. So all our love and respect goes out to all our supporters. And, even though the numbers go down—last count was 1200—we are not discouraged, we have broken the record and put another wake-up call where general population also see the STG-SDP as a threat to them once it gets placed in the CCR Title 15. ------------------------------------------------------------- [from prisoner at PBSP SHU, 7/20/13 He was moved from Corcoran SHU to PBSP and does not know why. Not put in PB SHU, but rather in ASU—with hunger strikers. If someone takes a tray, he’s moved out of ASU. _____________________________________ [from prisoner in CCI SHU, 7/17/13] Staff in 4B of CCI SHU are still using sandbags about 5’ long and 6” wide to seal people in their cells. Also, cells are ransacked every time a prisoner leaves, e.g. for showers, medical, or visits. Some prisoners are doing rolling HS: a week on, a few days off, back on. Prisoners have received no incoming mail in the last week, and visitors have said they have received nothing from inside. (He thinks legal mail is unaffected but is not certain.) Some guards are “threatening to pepper-spray any cells caught passing food through open tray slots.” _____________________________________ [from prisoner in PBSP SHU, short corridor] An officer threatened today that whoever doesn’t eat will be moved to AdSeg or to C12—where debriefers and informants are housed. The ombudsman Jean Weiss visited, but he got no information of value from his 20-minute talk with her. He said that “the Mediation Team reported” on ch. 9 “that [prison staff] were reading all our legal mail.” _____________________________________ [from prisoner in PBSP SHU, 7/18/13] A C/O said as of 7/18 there were 200 inmates on HS in the SHU. The letter writer gave these numbers: In D1: 13 or 14. In D5: 25. In D6: 7. In D9: 20. “Sergeant came around this evening telling staff plans were underway to move inmates still participating to C-12 (Debriefing Block – three or four pods are supposedly regular SHU inmates). Inmates believe this is a tactic to get inmates to stop their fast. No one wants to be associated with a block of debriefers. It may also be an attempt to incite violence as many inmates would resist such a move. Please ensure that this is addressed. I figure it is a bluff. There are many inmates hanging on. Don’t know about general population or Ad Seg. I know CDCR is having daily conferences between Sacramento and 4 prsions with SHUs.” -------------------------------------------------------- [from Corcoran SHU prisoner 7/21/13] “Here’s an update on the hunger strike here in Corcoran. Since our last letter the following has occurred: *The RN has been making daily rounds and checking all inmates’ vitals. Also weigh-ins started on the 15th. *Showers started for all on July 17th *Still not yard or law library. Solely paging service is being run for PLU inmates *Medical runs to 4B clinic is operative, however, one inmate at a time into clinic, so no communication among inmates. So this does slow the use of the clinic down. *This week they (CDCR) have been shipping inmates to new Folsom SHU from 4B yard here. Reason unknown! We assume to break up the spirit of the protest. C.O.’s have actually come to our cells and asked us if we want to go voluntarily, if not they will pick and you must go. Many of us have declined to move. *Also we are being issued write-ups (115s) for the hunger strike.” -------------------------------------------------------------- [From prisoner in Ad Seg at Pelican Bay 7/21/13] He reports that he is on hunger strike due to bogus gang validations. He has been in SHU for association with gangs as of March 2006. After being recently reviewed, he was placed in Step 2 of the Step Down program but refused, claiming that he does not want to begin to work his way through the program only to get presented with further false evidence of gang affiliation. So he was transferred to Pelican Bay Ad Seg unit on July 16. ---------------------------------------------------- [from Pelican Bay SHU Prisoner D unit (short corridor) 7/21/13] Officials are making comments that “we (prisoners) are not going to get nothing, etc.” Several guards have been overhead saying that the leaders are eating while everyone else was supporting their call for the hunger strike. “We know this is propaganda.” On the 17th they came to take out food items. They found no food, but took koolaid, coffee, sweetener and tea. They took everyone’s drinkable canteen items despite their protest. Medical staff has been coming around to a few cells only, and when they are told that there are other cells on HS they respond stating that C/Os only gave them certain cells that are on hunger strike. So these C/Os are lying about who is on hunger strike. A sergeant is threatening that anyone on hunger strike will be moved to Ad Seg. The sergeant is also coming around with a tray count list showing us who are left on hunger strike saying, “Look, it’s over. Everyone is off. Why are you guys still on? It’s over.” This was 7-20-2013. ------------------------------------------------------------ [From Prisoner at CCI, Tehachapi SHU 7/22/13] *As of today (14 days in) participating hunger strikers have only been weighed once (7/16) *Medical staff are not making regular rounds *yard is still running (walk alone cages). We found out today that other blocks are not being sandbagged, only 1 block. *rolling participation is now the order of the day *guard are, for the most part, not taking anything personal, however, a couple in 1 block are going out of their way to mess with people. One idiot got a hammer and hammered down all the doors to seal us in the cells. *They took the bowls, cups and soap dishes off the August canteen slip. (These were some of the items allowed by the memos I sent you). A guard said, “They changed their mind since you guys went on hunger strike.” *Mail is starting to trickle in—from two weeks ago. *Staff in 1 block are forcing both occupants in a cell to go to yard or neither can go. This can cause problems as people are light headed and do not have the energy to attend yard, especially in hot weather. (Their motivation for getting both people out is so they can trash the cell. We are being hit (with searches) every three days during yard, and every other day during showers (about six times a week). ------------------------------------------------------------ [from prisoner in Corcoran SHU via lawyer visit 7/25/13] A phone call from a lawyer who met with his client on Thursday morning (July 25) reports that his client had counted at least 10 times when they heard calls for “man down” which required men to be taken out for hospitalization. Showers were denied at Corcoran for ten days straight, but were recently reinstated, though without hot water. Most of the water pressure comes from the hot water, however, so it’s only a small amount of cold water that is available. At other times not during a hunger strike, hot water is available. The air venting system is problematic. It is blowing air, but not cold air. The current temperature in the prison is hotter now than it was during the extreme heat wave in June. It is also hotter than it normally is. Prisoners are still being denied law library, and only started to get yard against last Saturday after being denied. Prisoners on hunger strike had all food out of their cells confiscated [as per the regulations]. As of July 24, no one in 3R is being weighed. Prisoners are being informed that they have a 115 [Serious Rules Violation] without going through the stipulated process of asking for a investigative officers and being able to respond to the charge. Apparently the officer is simply stopping at the door, informing the prisoner that they are receiving a 115 and finding them guilty immediately. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ [from Corcoran SHU prisoner 7/21/13] “Since the resistance of the hunger strike has begun, various tactics to break, disarm, dismantle the spirit of the struggle has been a consistent theme conjured up by the officials as a combative movement against a peaceful protest. “Allow me to fill you in. To disrupt the peaceful protest the officials have resorted with false propaganda saying so-and-so in such-and-such building are eating so you all should as well. They (officials) have become confrontational and verbally combative to all those participating as if those participating in the peaceful protest have offended them (officials) personally behind it all. The officials continue to utilize the (non-program) of not receiving yard, lack of a shower program and even passing out of canteen to those who are not participating in the peaceful protest allowing (five to seven) days to pass before even passing it out. “If you complain they always project the bad program out to the hunger strikers rather than them just taking the responsibility for not doing their job. “Those who began the hunger strike but couldn’t fulfill the longevity due to medical reasons were still written up for a 115 (serious) rules violation, stripped of yard and canteen privileges without the due process of the 115 even being process. The officials stress that per captain’s orders even if you participated in the peaceful resistance for one day you will be issued a 115, not allowed showers, no yard, no canteen until the peaceful resistance is over…” --------------------------------------------------------------- [from Corcoran SHU prisoner 7/16/13] A prisoner reports that they are not being evaluated except that they weighed them once after the 8th day. He reports they have not received showers. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- [from Corcoran SHU 7/19/13] At first hunger strikers were told they could request to see the doctor, but then they were told that was changed and that they would only be seeing prisoners every seven days. They were told “We might do Monday, 7/22.” He also reported receiving a 115 through their slot and being told that they would not be assigned an investigative officer or have a chance to respond. He notes the 115 have language on them that he suspects will be used for further validation as it says that “..ordered by STG1 [Security Threat Group 1] members housed in PBSP and Corcoran,” “Gang related activity,” etc. The administration also wants to confiscate televisions as retaliation for the hunger strike and single cell protests. The staff are constantly repeating the rumor that the “Director” and “Sacramento” are not going to “negotiate.” “Every time we go to medical the Commanding officers are putting this in our ears.” --------------------------------------------------------------------------- [from Corcoran SHU prisoner 7/15/13] “Hello, very tired and very weak on the 7th day. Today a bus full of inmates were taken from their cells and sent to Sacramento (Folsom). I can only assume the bus was full of inmates Corcoran believes instigated and are probably switching them with inmates in Sacramento. What CDCR does not understand is that this is not a gang issue. This is a human rights issue and we are a collective of all races who will not rest, will not stop, until we have put an end to long term isolation and false validation procedures.” They transferred the prisoners without their property, which usually is shipped to the new institution within 14 or 15 days, but often some property gets broken or goes missing in the process. The first time he was offered to be weighed was July 15. Update - July 16. They took another bus of inmates today and offered to weigh us again. “We appreciate all the help and concern. I’m very tired and extremely dizzy. I’m not sure how long my body can go, but I will not eat. I know some have stopped. We will go until they find us unresponsive. Just so future inmates don’t have to suffer a never ending isolated torture…. (that is against the law to being with.” To date: staff/C.O.’s have 1) thrown away personal property 2) denied showers, yard 3) shipped inmates to other prisoner without their personal property 4) taken pain medications: so that inmates with chronic pain have no reprieve. This is equivalent to beating inmates—deliberately putting inmates in pain. 5) Shut down property: I have been waiting for a book for almost three months. 6) Write ups threatening the hunger strike as gang activity.
Posted on: Mon, 29 Jul 2013 18:46:32 +0000
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