Virginia Prisons Accountability Committee: May 2017

Thursday, May 11, 2017

Solitary Confinement At Red Onion State Prison: They Want To Silence You, While Warehousing You


On 5/1/17; @ 10:37 a.m. Red Onion State Prison [ROSP] Counselor J.M. Gibson violated Virginia Department of Corrections [VADOC] Operating Procedure 830.1 "provisions governing Solitary Confinement Release Review and a prisoners right to speak at a hearing."

I have been in Solitary Confinement, continuously since August 9, 1996, and every 90 days VADOC procedure requires a formal Solitary Confinement review for either continuation or release from the detention. The Prisoner is to make a statement during the hearing.

During the 5/1/17; Solitary Confinement release hearing at ROSP, Counselor J.M. Gibson REFUSED to take a statement and he quipped "I asked for a statement, not a book." Here in its entirety is the "Book" Gibson didn't want.

"I want a security level decrease and transfer. The 1/11/16 ICA [institutional classification authority]  that changed the security level to 6 used erroneous and contrived grounds in violation of O.P. 830.2 and it was deliberate. My continued detention in Administrative Segregation or Solitary Confinement since 1996 is being done in violation of O. P. 863.3 specifically @ IX (A) ALL OF IT. This ongoing continued Solitary Confinement makes a mockery at least and at worst, the pronouncements of VADOC AND ROSP on reform and practice of Solitary Confinement a lie.

My 5/1/17; experience is just another example of prison officials at ROSP violating VADOC policies while using it, misusing it, when it suits their idealistic intent of warehousing Prisoners in Solitary Conefinement. In essence, they want to silence you while they warehouse you.

The public is blatantly manipulated by VADOC strategically placed propaganda in the media, touting Solitary Confinement Reform at ROSP.  But the reality is , the practice of Solitary Confinement at ROSP IS MAXIMUM.

By William Thorpe

(William Thorpe is detained at ROSP, Solitary Confinement)