Da: "coalit" Oggetto: [listacoalit] Peggioramento condizioni Polunsky Unit Data: marted́ 11 dicembre 2001 12.39 Friends, > > The following are personal statements from different Texas death row > inmates....(I have not altered the spelling or grammar, and I have > withheld their names) > > Rick > > --------------------------- > > > A) This was written on November 24th. > > > Hi Rick, > > Hey, I want to tell you about the cruel stuff goin on here. I been on > death row (a long time). I have never seen a Hitler warden like this > punk here. I am fed up and the folks at this unit making me suffer > greater than I am, than we are! We have done nothing to deserve this. > I am fed raisins, a peanut butter sanwich, and balona sanwich 3 times a > day, MOST days. It can vary with prunes, peanut butter sanwiches. The > bad part is that ONLY death row is locked down as a squad of police > search our things. But the kitchen is NOT locked down and still we are > subjected to > this cruel treatment. No recreation, no showers, or hot food, we got > thanksgiving tray's thank God. Then there is the beating and dragging > Rudd down the hall to his execution, the gassing him, and a deliberate > effort to punish us all in part, because he resisted them killing him... > > The main reason we are locked down, the warden wants to violate the > religious freedoms of muslims on death row during Ramadan!! It is > plainly obvious that is the case...all this started ont eh Ramadan!! > What really is shocking and upseting to me is...that Hitler has taken > full advantage of NO monitoring from Judge Justice. We need > you....where are all teh death row supporters, and why the cruel and > unusual treatment of us in being allowed by those organizations that > claim they represent > human rights???? This is beyond cruel. It is evil...I'm a tuff convict > from the old death row school. > > But this here is a evil, cruel and obvious campaign to create a violent > and hostile environment of those men on the row. Nothing is being > done. Nothing is being said. No one seems to care about it. Without > your monitoring and someone saying, why are you doing this warden?? > Without people getting answer's or calling Gary Johnson and lawmakers, > this warden is surely going to try and continue in his personal > Christian crusade to bring pain and injustice to any one under scentence > of death. > > This punk is not the executioner of the Count, he is NOT allowed by > protections of the constitution to trat me, US, like we are animals > because this Nation is at war with some radical muslim's. That is why > this started, he thinks he is some christian Myrtry punishing the evil > doers and muslims here and that is the only reason we are suffering this > campaign of cruelty Rick. Please get after this warden, or put someone > on his gack, and find out why the violation of freedom's or religion, > and protections against cruel and unusual punishment are not, I repeat > NOT being protected??? > > Thank you for your consideration in this matter.... > > > Sincerely, > > ------------------ > > B) This was written on November 25th. > > ...I'm on death row at the polunsky unit. And I'd like to voice my > opinion and concerns about our treatment here. I feel someone needs to > know. > > I'd like to begin by asking a question. What ever happened to the death > row plan? And what happened to the outside supporters that were pushing > for it? Things here have gone from bad to worse. And there appears to > be no end in sight. There also appears to be no help in sight. > > ...Since we've been here, the powers that be have yet to implement > anything remotely resembling the few privileges outlined on the death > row plan. Instead of implementing management programs, they are > instigating and enforcing rules that are antagonistic and inflammatory. > They are very Talibanistic. They keep taking and keep pushing. ANd it > is useless to complain via I-60's or grievancces. No one nomitors them, > so they do what they want with impunity. > > We live in a very Orwellesque climate. Some animals are more equal than > others. As I'm wiring this, we're in lockdown (again). Supposedly for > some disturbance. The only one that I'm aware of was last week, when a > man resisted his execution. If in fact we're locked down for that, I > fail to see what is being gained here. The main who committed the > infraction is now dead. Why punish me? If a population inmate acts > out, He, and he alone gets locked down. The warden here seems to take > perverse pleasure in punishing all on death row for the actions of one. > Is there a policy is TDC that allows such a double standard? At Ellis, > several fought their execution. We were not locked down behind it. > What is so different here? > > I know you're aware of the sensory deprivation that we endure here. So > I won't go into that. But it would be nice to know that some outside > intervention is working to correct that. What I will telly ou is that > during these lockdowns, And there have been numerous ones, we survive on > 3 peanut butter and 2 bologne sandwiches, one container of milk, one > individual packaged serving of cereal, and a couple of handfuls of > either raisins or prunes a day. Try eating peanutbutter and bologne > sandwiches everyday for weeks. Not a pretty picture is it? Not only > that, it's not > enough. Now try swallowing that for an infraction that you had nothing > to do with. What's more,I'm only guessing as to why we're in lockdown. > They will not tell us why. Imagine that if you can. We're being > punished and don't even know why. How can we make the correction, if we > don't know why? And if this is because the man resisted, well, he's > dead. There is no way to further punish or correct him. The punishment > therefore serves no purpose. I know of no man who does not take umbrage > > at being punished for nothing. Yet, they expect us to absorb the abuse > because no one will tell them that it is not OK. No one will stand up > for us. It is useless for us to do so. We have no voice in here. > > They are quick to enforce detrimental policies. But they are not even > able to efficiently run the institution on daily matter. For example, > they took our nailclipper over a year ago. And they have yet to > implement a plan that allows us access to nailclippers in a timely > manner. We have to request them via I-60's that rarely get answered. > Often it takes a grievance in order to get them. Pathetic, isn't it? I > have to write to you during the day becaus ethe light in my cell is > out. It has been for almost a month now. Instead of worrying about our > property fitting into 2 bags, I say they should worry about their > responsibilities first. They cannot meet my needs. But they are in a > hurry to take more from me....They keep taking, but not giving. Even if > it's a basic need. > > Conditions hav enot gotten better since our arival here. They have in > fact gotten worse. And I'm appealing to you for any and all assistance > that you can provide. > > Thanking you in advance, > > --------------- > > C) This was written on November 26th. > > As many people here on Texas death row, has written you about the > inhumane conditions in which we are under and has written you about I > wanted to add my thoughts as well. > > As for myself, I am doing well under the circumstances and I give all > the thanks to the good Lord, who is watching over each and everyone of > us, So I look to God, for strength each day. > > Well Sir, as you may have heard the Warden of this unit Zeller, has > taken up the roll of Judge, Jury, and Excutioner of the inmates on death > row. It's clear that he has the right to run his unit in any manor that > he like but when he start to show favoritism and treat inmates > differently well I think that takes things to another level of thinking. > > We here on death row have been on lock down since the 15th of this month > the reason to search each inmates property to make sure we don't have > over the 2 bags allow the rules changed which everyone understand but to > lock in down and take our privileges away and to feed of bag lunches, > and Shower, us 3 times week, While the inmates of general population is > not on lock down and has all of their privileges, clearly is showing > favoritism from warden Zeller. We have heard the reason that he is using > > for the lock down is that there was a problem. The only thing that has > happen here, They had to go in and get an inmate who was to be > killed---excuted E. Rudd, and from the understanding that I have he made > it clear to the Capt. Bacon, Major, and the warden that he was not going > easy and that it was nothing against them they knew that and for him to > use that as an excuse is wrong if in fact he is using that to lock us > down. Plus there has been other who did the same thing. > > Warden Zeller, is acting more like a dictator than a warden, All because > the courts are not overseeing the prison system anymore therefore the > State, feel as thou it can do whatever it wants and how it want without > anything happening so where do this leave the inmates? I am sure that > each person here on death row under their circumstances and most obey > the rules and don't give any problems and to be treated in this manor is > not right. > > ...Sure I understanding this is death row and we have to be treated in > different ways but the treatment we are notgeting is not right and we > sir need your help to try and over come some of these problems that we > face each day. > > Again thank you for your time in this matter may God, bless you and hold > you in his loving arms. > > Sincerely Yours........ > > > > ***My Note: Other letters, too numerous to reprint here, have been > received, all complaining of poor treatment, neglect, sleep deprivation, > harassment, confiscation of property, etc. > > Rick I have just left death row. I spoke for two hours with an inmate on > death > row. He ask that I not reveal his name. As retaliation would surely > follow. His most startling request was for me to get out the word that, > no matter what you might have read in the papers about Rudd not > willingly going to his death and after lunch the guards had to use > pepper spray..He ask that I get the truth out..To start with, what man > would willingly go to his death? Rudd did begin to put up a fight. > With his hands and legs cuffed, I'm sure it was quite a fight. The > guards, at the first inkling of trouble.. Left...Went and geared > up..About 15-20 of them..Rudd was gassed > repeatedly...Drug through the hallways by his arms or feet..His face > dragging the floor...He was kicked and beaten beyond words..Enough so > that the inmates watching were sickened..What they witnessed was a man > being beaten. Dragged. And kicked..Gassed..While in cuffs..And at least > 15 guards participated in this. Hummmm. Seems to me that a man was just > sentenced to die for dragging another human being to his death.. > > Secondly, there are Muslims on death row that practice fasting during > this Holy Time..They (only the death row inmates) were put on lock down > the day before fasting was to begin and told they could not go to the > store... Because they were on lockdown...therefore the ones that had > planned on fasting were left without a way to get food stored up in > their cells so they could eat after sun down. And as the custom requires > only Muslims are suppose to prepare their food..Well, population is not > on lockdown.. Therefore there should be no reason they cannot do this > like they always have..The Muslims are being brought a peanut butter and > jelly sandwich before sundown..And since they are not being allowed to > get commissary, that is all they get..The ones that are wanting to fast > and keep with their belief will not be able to go this long without > food. My friend cried because he feels his religion is being taken away > from him..This is his strength..Of course, I am sure that is why it's > being done.... > > Thirdly, he ask that I reach out and tell anyone that will > listen..."What has happened to all the people that say they care" and > that things will get better..That they are on top of everything..He > begged me to tell you all that it is bad and getting worse. Every since > the Sept. 11 tragedy..Executions have picked up and things are beyond > all things he has seen in there. It can't get much worse...He > desperately ask me to tell > everyone that it is as bad as he has ever seen it and steadily getting > worse. With tears running down his face, he begged me.." Please tell > people we need help".."Please"....He said that he doesn't know how > people can go on sleeping at nights and know what is going on in there. > I have been this man's friend for 2 years..This is the first time this > man has ever really complained to me about anything... > > B.C. >