Virginia Prisons Accountability Committee: September 2018

Sunday, September 16, 2018

Cover-Up And Corruption By Prison Guards & Nursing staff Asserted by Julian Mitchell



Vapac received this letter via our email Submission by Mr. Julian Mitchell who is imprisoned at Red Onion State Prison at this time.

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l've been housed in long-term segregation for the last two years. The Administration is doing this as a way to prevent me from timely filing a Civil Lawsuit against them for "The Use Of Excessive Force", because This has happened on camera more than once, which clearly established a consistent pattern of Abuse. On 6/6/2015 I was approached and propositioned at Wallens Ridge State Prison by a VADOC employee who told me to assault my cellmate, because he had filed a complaint on another VADOC employee who planted a Razor in my cellmates property and wrote a False Weapons charge on him.  An investigation and help from the outside resulted in that officer getting exposed and the charge was dismissed.

I was offered an opportunity to be Transferred to a lower level facility to assault my cellmate, when I refused the staff told me they'd have me assaulted by another prisoner and put the Canine on me.
They drugged me and had another prisoner start a fight with me; the guy threw a punch, and I defended myself, there were no weapons involved but the staff still shot me with several IMPACT ROUNDS throughout the short duration of this simple fistfight, and once we were on the floor and 15 ft. apart no longer scuffling, the K-9 officer entered the pod, looked up to the Gun tower and asked which one, the Gunman screamed and pointed at me, then the K-9 officer literally picked up his VADOC assigned Canine by the collar and forced it to engage and attack me, latching onto my Neck, Shoulders, Back and Face tearing through my Lips. They then took me to medical but denied me proper medical treatment and a tetanus shot. I was threatened and taken to segregation for about 45 days, then released me back to the general population. I went through the proper exhaustion of all administrative remedies made available to me by submitting an informal complaint and grievances stating that: VADOC employee did, in fact, Use Unprovoked, Unrestricted, Unnecessary Use of Excessive Force by forcing his VADOC assigned canine to engage and attack me while I was on the floor bellie down with my arms outstretched in full cooperation and compliance which the Pod camera footage clearly confirms, I requested that the camera footage be Preserved for Further Preponderance of the Evidence in Court to establish proof of excessive force claim. I went on to file a civil lawsuit and to prevent that from happening the staff plotted once again to stop this from getting out. I don't take any medicine nor was I at that time, they needed me to take something and open the doors so they can drug me and assault me so, They called me to the dentist who deliberately drilled into my teeth hitting nerves for second time, they prescribed antibiotics and Tylenol which was what I was supposed to have been given; however, I was drugged with illegal psychotropic mind, thought, and mood altering medications that have never been prescribed to me, so unbeknownst to me I had consumed these drugs without my prior knowledge and/or consent and as result I had adverse affects and was fainting and throwing up blood, I attempted to get medical treatment which they refused although several people and our families contacted the Warden and Other Wallens Ridge State Prison Staff and told them I needed to be seen; The Warden came to the pod and had the Sgt. C call medical the same nurse that drugged me S. R. O. said I'm a waste of time she's not gonna do nothing for me they are short staff and she ain't got time to deal with me, and stop having people calling up there.

At 3:00 pill pass came and Nurse O. came to pass out medication, afterwards she'd called me out and told me to leave whatever paperwork I had in my hands upstairs because share didn't want to see it, I told her it was the list of medicine that I'm allergic to, she said: I don't give a damn, I'm not doing nothing for you, you are wasting my time I told you we're short staff and you kept having people calling up here, you're not dead yet cause you can walk, if you can walk you can walk faster, you got 10 seconds to get downstairs and across this pod or I'm leaving. I made it to the office as fast as I could. Nurse O. immediately stated: I ain't give you the wrong medicine, I'm not wearing that and I'm not doing nothing for you.
JLM: I had to have taken the wrong medicine, I've been throwing up blood and had blood in my stool, plus I've fainted 3 times already!
I don't care you're not dead yet you're breathing and you can walk; That's it! Officer. A, He can return to his cell, there's nothing I can do for him, he's wasting my time.
Then she stormed out of the office and out the pod headed toward the Warden several other staff members.
As I got up to leave ofc. A put out his arm and told me to wait and sit back down until she's all the way out of the building. I did so. Once she had left the pod I headed up the staircase to cell #643 in bldg. B- pod 6.where I was being housed. Midway up the staircase, other prisoners asked what were they going to do for me; and I told them she said I'm not dead yet cause I'm breathing and I can walk so she's not wasting her time doing nothing for me.
Many prisoners were outraged and concerned, shouting simultaneously where is the paperwork? and, Did you show her the papers of medicine that you can't take?
JLM: I got the paperwork right here. I tried to show her but she refused to look at them she said I ain't give you the wrong medicine, I'm not wearing that! Then she said I'm not yet cause I'm still breathing I'm wasting her time she ain't gonna do nothing for me and told the C-O she's done put me back in my cell and she stormed out of the office and out the pod. I'm gonna put this in the lawsuit too.
Ofc.T.A: What's that in your hands?
JLM: The list of my medication allergies.
T.A: Bring the paperwork down here to the table.
JLM: You can check it out or give it to them to keep I got plenty copies.

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T.A: I don't need to see them. Get down here until they decide what we wanna do to you.
JLM: Look, She's already gone, so if you don't want the papers and she's not gonna do nothing for me then let me go back in my cell because there's no reason for me to be out here.
T.A: No! You're not going to your cell, You gone do what I say, when I say it! Didn't I tell you, I'm the boss, you gon do what I say do?
(At this time Another prisoner named Mr. W. walked up on that statement being made by Ofc.T.A, Winston being aware of T.A having harassed and threatened me using those same words just 2 weeks prior in an attempt to provoke me, reminded me not to let the guy get under my skin.)
W.: Be cool, Bro you know what they tryna do, don't let them trick you up.
JLM:I'm aware! Dude ain't try a let me go back in my cell.
JLM:I'm ready to go back in the cell, you not trying to let that happen so, You need to put the cuffs on me; I'm putting my hands behind my back, cuff me up and take me to the (segregation) hole.
T.A.s: I'm not putting no cuffs on you or taking you to the hole, something else is gonna happen! Didn't I tell you at the table that you got one more time to pissed me off? We gone get you under the stairs.
As he said this he was already double locking his handcuffs like brass knuckles.
He created a Zone of Danger at this point, and I reacted out of fear of being hurt and experiencing serious bodily injury or death, and I throw a punch before he could hit me with the double-locked handcuffs. We started throwing blows, and another C-O named T. came running up screaming we're gonna kill your ass nigger, get his ass under the stairs, he met me with a can of mace and threw  up his offensive guard, so I had to fight him too, I was now fighting both of these officers at the same time;The Lt. came in and told me to get on the floor, I did and they cuffed and shackled me, then maced me again as more came to join in screaming get that nigger under the stairs; they finally got me under the staircase and at least 7 officers started kicking and punching while I was on the floor in full restraints, then as they all screamed stop resisting the K-9 Officer T.S. forced his new VADOC assigned Canine A. to engage and attack me on my left leg while they stabbed me with a knife; they took me out the pod and assaulted me again in the saliport/hallway in front of LT. C who did nothing to avert the attack besides saying hey guys wait until we get him to room 2 in medical then you can fuck him up; they took me outside and choked me in front of the Warden who also did nothing to avert the attack besides saying get him to medical first; Lt. K. (who I'd filed a Prea complaint on) was outside at the A-bldg. fence and said I'm sending somebody to deal with your ass I told you I'd get your ass one day! ;They took me to medical and Sgt. C came in and him and multiple officers assaulted me in the medical doorway he kicked my left leg over and over and broke it they also broke my ankle; they got me into exam room #2 in medical and kicked and punched me even attempted to gouge out my left eye; Nurse R. D (who was named in previous lawsuit) was there and said I hate this fucking guy he refused treatment (which I didn't) everybody heard it right, Yes they all said in unison,good get this nigger out of my face strap him down; they strapped me down after denying me medical treatment until Sgt. D came to Wallens Ridge State Prison to transfer me to Red Onion State Prison.
Once Sgt. D. changed me out into transportation gear and full restraints, he and other staff roughed me up before they got me in the car and told him, he hasn't cried out once, he won't break, the guy is a fucking rock! Sgt. D. said: Don't worry we're gonna break his ass at Red Onion!

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While transporting me to Red Onion State Prison, Sgt. D. told me: You know we're going to fuck you up right?
JLM: How long is this ride gonna be?
D: You heard what I said? You understand we're going to kick your ass again as soon as we get to Red Onion, you know that right?
JLM: Are they as racist at Red Onion as they are at Wallens Ridge, can I get visits from people of another race or is it pretty much the same everywhere in these mountains, just wanna make sure before I have my biracial family try to come all the way to Virginia to visit me and get shut down and turned around again.
D: You think I'm kidding about us kicking your ass when we get to Red Onion, you're worried about the wrong things, you should be terrified about the shit we're about to do to you, you'd be begging right now if you only knew!
JLM:You've already made it clear that you guys are gonna round your gang up and jump me upon arrival, I'll have to endure it when that time comes, I can accept that there's no way to stop what's inevitable, I will not beg nor cry, your gonna do what you're doing regardless, it is what it is and what will be, will be!
Sgt. D told his partner to call Red Onion and he began to slap the dashboard and window yelling out stop kicking, this guy's being a real asshole we're gonna need a lot of backup!
When we arrived at Red Onion Sgt.B.B. (who was the investigator at Wallens Ridge and was also named in the previous lawsuit) was there at Red Onion waiting on me with several other staff members; they took me to intake and filmed me change out in full compliance noting my leg was severely injured and refused to get a wheelchair instead they forced me to walk in full restraints knowing I wouldn't physically be able to walk fast; they pushed me and told me to walk faster then out of somewhere insidiously sadistic without warning they Picked me up and slammed me on my face bruising my face busting my lips giving me a concussion and fractured my shoulders while they pulled on the cuffs to yet cause me as much pain as possible while screaming "stop resisting, stop resisting" although the camera footage clearly shows that I was never resisting nor became combatant; They took me to the medical intake door but didn't take me in to get treatment; they got a wheelchair instead and took me to the B-bldg. 3-4-5 side and put me on my knees to face a wall in full restraints still with my hands behind my back; and in another attempt to make me cry and beg they grabbed my hands and broke several of my fingers on camera, when I didn't cry out beg or shed even a solitary tear; Sgt. B said: He can't break, we gotta strap him down; they put me in a filthy cell with fecal matter smeared all over and strapped me to the bed so tight that it cut off my blood circulation and (which caused permanent nerve damage) denied me proper medical treatment and left me there to bleed out for over sixteen hours;the next day I was taken to medical but even with multiple 3 inch deep stab wounds I wasn't taken to the hospital, given stitches properly treated at Red Onion.
Once they did pill call a few times I noticed I was feeling a very strange agitation and paranoia I demanded to know what I was taking, that's how I found out that I was still getting medication that I wasn't supposed to take and that it was psychotropic medication never legally ordered by the Mental Health Doctor, Dr. E ..McD, which clearly shows that the medical staff were using prisoner's medical insurance to purchase medications and medical supplies that we know nothing about nor need in order to receive kickbacks.

The staff stacked charges and threw away my personal property to put me in a position where they could cover up what I already started to expose about the VADOC creating false institutional, personal and legal profiles and identities on prisoners, and also take all my money (which I never received) from Wallens Ridge and to block my phone privileges so I couldn't call anyone and expose what happened to me, they tampered with and outright threw away my incoming and outgoing personal and professional/Legal mail (and have still been doing so).

They gave me Counselor K as a staff advisor for these institutional charges who was also on the longterm segregation board, even though I stated I'd been drugged and denied medical treatment and the camera footage clearly shows that I'm not at fault. I was given a guilty verdict at the hearing.
I completed the sentence imposed, but since I wrote up the incident and tried to file a lawsuit for "Use of Excessive Force" the Administration decided they weren't going to let me out of segregation nor let my legal mail and lawsuit out of this prison and they've done everything they can to prevent that even sending me all the way to Sussex 1 State Prison all the way in Waverly, VA without any of my personal property and/or legal paperwork each time for months at a time. When I made it here in 2016, Another prisoner Mr.J.S. and I were both starved at Red Onion and had Racist Officers spit chewing tobacco in our food or put sleeping meds in our food and juice and refused to let us go to recreation or shower, I couldn't for a full month.

I believe proof exists the Administration of the VADOC even in Richmond and the local courts are trying to do more than stop these lawsuits, they know there's enough evidence to Establish grounds to bring forth Federal charges under THE FEDERAL RICO ACT if a proper investigation is conducted.
What these Racist people are being allowed to do and get away with is morally wrong and unacceptable! We as a people have moral responsibility to "STAND UP, SPEAK OUT, AND EXPOSE " what the sadistic and insidious Virginia Department of Corruption and its employees are doing!

By Julian Mitchell

Monday, September 10, 2018

A Story Of Professional Irresponsibility and Ethical Indifference By A Virginia Sussex l State Prison [SXISP] Mental Health Official By William Thorpe


On 8/30/18; a prisoner soon to be released was removed from Sussex l State Prison [SXISP] General Population [GP] and placed in Solitary Confinement Unit because he was allegedly cursing and acting out because SXISP guards wouldn't allow him use of a phone to set up an alternate home release plan because his mother was refusing to let him live with her once he was released.

On 8/31/18; a SXISP Mental Health official came to the prisoner's cell door, identified herself and said she was here to talk to him because he'd got locked up last night. To which the prisoner responded, and I paraphrase, he goes home in a week and his release plan fell through because his mom wouldn't let him live with her, so he had to use the phone to figure out alternatives and the officers wouldn't allow him its use. The prisoner was cogent and clear in expressing what his issue was. To which the Mental Health official responded and I am paraphrasing, the counselor for the Solitary Confinement unit didn't show up for work and Monday is Labor Day so she'd email the counselor about his situation after the Labor Day holiday.

Professional Duty and Ethical Responsibility 

Virginia Law provides a generalized requirement for a Mental Health official's contact with a prisoner initially placed in Solitary Confinement and Virginia Department of Corrections Operating Procedure [VADOCOP] 730.4, 730.5, 841.1 861.3 all specifically detail and define a VADOC Mental Health Officials Responsibility. This "Story" about a SXISP Mental Health officials contact with a prisoner initially placed in the prisons Solitary Confinement unit reveals, the legal obligations, professional duty and ethical responsibilities of a Virginia prison Mental Health official. But what it also seriously exposes is official misconduct and the culture of professional irresponsibility and ethical indifference that grows unchecked when prison officials accountability to the citizens of the Commonwealth of Virginia, which particularly includes its prisoners are allowed to be demagogued away by political reaction.

This Story: A Second Aspect  

The prisoner then told the SXISP Mental Health official that he had spent the entire night in the cell without a blanket and sheets and he was cold to which the Mental Health official responded: and this is a direct quote, you look pretty warm to me, your face is red", then she turned around and left the prisoners door. The Mental Health official never bothered to look through the glass window to verify the prisoner's claim of being without a blanket and sheets. Which the U.S. Supreme Court has long since settled the question: that prison officials have the legal obligation to provide prisoners with adequate clothing and not to do so violates the U.S. Constitution 8th Amendment dicta against the cruel and unusual punishment of prisoner. Also the Virginia Constitution and formulations of Virginia Statutorial Law also prohibits cruel and unusual punishment of prisoner.

Prisoner Official Accountability: It's Lack

For the reader and the Virginia public, I ask:
  • Is the behavior of the SXISP Mental Health official reflective of the professional duty and ethical responsibilities anticipated by the Virginia taxpayer?
  • The Virginia Department of Corrections is a sprawling $1.5 billion a year behemoth of taxpayer money and if it's function is so integral to Virginia society, are the watchdogs: Governmental and non-governmental up to it?                                                                                                                                                    
The callousness displayed cavalierly by the SXISP Mental Health official on 8/31/18; besides those specific violations of VADOC OP's i.e not even a pro forma inquiry into the state of the prisoner's mind, or a follow up on the inadequacy of the prisoners clothing. Instructs of and illustrates what endemic, systemic indifference looks like. We are constantly lectured by Senior Virginia Governmental officials and VADOC executives that Virginia penology is on the just side of history because for one, "low" recidivism says so [this work isn't dealing with recidivist claims by Virginia's Government] yet the actual behavior of Virginia prison officials in its prisons are anything but. From acts, which if were committed by a regular taxpaying citizen would be seen as felonies and prosecuted as such. To administrative malfeasance of the like existing at the U.S. Department for Veterans Affairs of which the Virginia mainstream media presumes its disclosures satisfies and completes its duty to educate the taxpaying citizen, while serious acts of governmental misconduct and unaccountability play out as nauseam behind the concertina wire and storm fences of its prisons, without a squeak from its mastheads.

Re-Entry Into Society

The release of a prisoner back into society is serious business and those responsible for its process should see it as such. When a prisoner within days of release informs the only prison official with administrative authority, he had contact with, within hours of his placement in Solitary Confinement, due to an issue with his home release plan because it has fallen through and he virtually has nowhere to go upon release and that prison official only sees the issue as an emailing one, for another prison official, a counselor who wouldn't be back to work till after the holidays, then the question has to be asked to what extent is this SXISP Mental Health official cognizant of her professional duty and ethical responsibilities and what exactly are the taxpayers of Virginia paying for?

Furthermore what has become of Brian Moran's Virginia Secretary for Public Safety and Homeland Security much vaunted "Re-Entry Program" and the assertion, no prisoner is released from Virginia prisons without Re-Entry Programming? Because had this prisoner been in the SXISP "Re-Entry Program" this wouldn't have been an issue necessitating critique.

By William Thorpe who is in Solitary Confinement currently at Sussex l State Prison

Sunday, September 9, 2018

Virginia's Sussex l State Prison and The Serial Violator Prison Guard N.Iwuamadi By William Thorpe

The Virginia Department of Corrections [VADOC] at its Sussex l State Prison [SXISP] is employing Nigerians who are crooked, corrupt and who blatantly violate U.S. and Virginia law and VADOC Operating Procedure.

On 8/19/18; SXISP guard N. Iwuamadi denied me and 2 other prisoners on long-term solitary confinement the mandatory outside exercise. Claiming the building Sergeant Dunleavy had told him to do so. On 8/20/18; Sgt. Dunleavy told me and the other 2 prisoners, he never told the Nigerian N. Iwuamadi to deny us anything.

This prison guard N.Iwumadi is a serial violator of U. S. Virginia law and VADOC Operating Procedures:
  • From, capriciously denying prisoners in Solitary Confinement outside exercise.
  • Serving meals ice cold in violation of Virginia Department of Health Regulations and Law, VADOC Food Service Manual Directive, SXISP-3D Post Orders.
  • Tampering with prisoners outgoing mail
  • Arbitrarily cutting off water to all 44 cells in 3D because of actions of 1or 2 prisoners., 
  • Denying prisoners showers
  • Threatening & attempting to assault prisoners. Recently, around 8/10/18; the prison guard N Iwuamadi tried to break a prisoners arm in the tray box by repeatedly closing the tray box on the prisoner.
  • He refuses to provide complaint forms and emergency and regular grievance forms when prisoners ask for them.
  • He denies prisoner access to PREA calls to report sexual harassment and misconduct
  • He is reluctant and unwilling to notify his superiors when prisoners are in need of emergency medical care.
  • He talks to prisoners abusively and belligerently in violation of VADOC professional conduct code.   
The above bullet-pointed examples are some of the prison guard N Iwuamadi's offensive behavior and moral turpitude and VADOC must be held to account for the presence of a prison guard in an environment that is naturally challenged with complying with its own procedures, policies and practices.

William Thorpe in Long-Term Solitary Confinement at Red Onion State Prison but is currently temporarily held in Long-Term Solitary Confinement at Sussex l State Prison'

By William Thorpe