Virginia Prisons Accountability Committee: Is Secretary Brian Moran Refusing To Investigate This Incident?

Monday, March 4, 2019

Is Secretary Brian Moran Refusing To Investigate This Incident?

Similar Transport Van

The fact the Virginia Department of Corrections [VADOC] is continuing a practice that kills people and precipitated one of the worst riots in U.S.  history       the Baltimore Riots of 2015; after a police transport van killed Freddie Grey is troubling, criminal and indicative of the immoral, unethical and ahumanisitic attitude of prison officials who confuse crass barbarity with supposed justice.

But what utterly unconscionable is the fact, the existence of this VADOC practice has been brought to the attention of Brian Moran, Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security. See accompanying email, And Brian Moran is per virtue of his silence and unresponsiveness to the 1/23/19; transport incident declaring to Virginia that he doesn't care and Freddie Grey's death was in vain.

VAPAC

*NOTE*  The accompanying email was sent to Brian Moran seeking an investigation into the unsafe practice of VADOC's transport of prisoners in Virginia. 


Subject: Virginia Department of Corrections [VADOC] Tansportation of Prisoners

We have received complaints from prisoners concerning a transportation issue that we find extremely troubling and we want an explanation.

It has come to our attention that on 1/23/19; a van comparable to the type used by Baltimore Law officials, a steel box contained in a van similar to vans used by dog catchers that resulted in death of Freddie Gray and the subsequent Baltimore Riots, was used to transport 4 prisoners from Sussex 1 State Prison to Red Onion State Prison. Specifically William Thorpe #1033929, Emmitt G.Roscoe #1422079, Steven Ray Delk #1097269 and an unidentified prisoner, a distance of relatively 400 miles.

More unconscionable is the revelation that Delk, a transgender prisoner was caged in a coffin-like cage apart from the main body of the van, with boxed property stacked in another cage in front of her, dramatically reducing the likelihood of survival were the transport van involved in a wreck. Notwithstanding that the other 3 prisoners wouldn't have survived either furthermore all 4 prisoners were given small plastic bottles to urinate in, instead of the usual stop at other prisons for bathroom breaks considering the distance of the transit. Despite its incredulity, considering the prisoners were chained, & hands immobilized.

Then they were given bag lunches, meaning were they to try to eat during the 400-mile journey while urinating in plastic bottles, it would be done with urine splashed hands, already immobilized and we find this extremely appalling that lawfully convicted and imprisoned prisoners in the name of the Commonwealth were subjected such barbaric treatment.

Lately, despite VADOC being subject to the PREA ACT [Prison Rape Elimination] a transgender prisoner should not be compelled to perform bathroom functions in the presence of male prisoners, which was VADOC's intent when its prison guards transporting, gave the 4 prisoners plastic bottles to urinate in.

VAPAC ask for an investigation into this incident and secondly an explanation of.
  • VADOC Policy on using the type of van for transporting prisoners that have been proven to kill or injure people.
  • Clarification on VADOC Policy allowing prisoners being transferred bathroom breaks or access to practical alternatives.
Sincerely, 
vapac

*NOTE*  It was also sent to the following:
The staff of Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security

Nicky.Zamostny**,
Danielle.Crowley**,
Asif.Bhavnagr**,


Other Recipients

Gay Gardner**,
Patrick Wilson**,
Dr. Alison Reed **,
Amy Poulte Pilot Media**,
Harvey Yoder**,
Henry Gass**,
George Copeland**,
M Williams**,
Christina Caron New York Times**,
smccloskey**

Other Recipients 

*Note* More letters forth coming pertaining to this incident being published soon. 

Reference

Trans-Gender Translates Into: Unsanitary Conditions, Discrimination, Sexual Harassment and Sexual Abuse (Incident of transport van shared in this post)

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