Riverside County Jails hunger strike, and other ongoing US prison issues

Prisoners held in jails in Riverside County will be staging a 17-day hunger strike, starting on April 13th.

To help amplify their action, you can contact the Sheriff’s Department, which runs the jails, by ringing 951 955-2400 (press option 4), or 951 955-4500 (press 1 then 8), or use the online feedback form here, to pass on a message urging them to negotiate a safe end to the strike by meeting the strikers’ demands. If you want to repeat the demands in full, they are:

“1. End: Frivolous and irrelevant policies.

    Solution:
A. Cease and desist enforcing frivolous policies limiting phone access due to state change.
B. Issue and or display random dayroom list in ad-seg.
C. Increase ad-seg dayroom time to one hour.
D. Remove no-see tint from cell windows.

2. End: Placement in solitary confinement when there exists no serious rule violations to merit such placement.
a. Prohibit the use of long-term/indefinite solitary confinement.
b. Prohibit the use of solitary confinement based solely on gang allegations, affiliation, validation, etc.

    Solution:
A. Determine classification of housing based on individual behavior.
B. Allow a genuine opportunity to be down classed and integrated to general population through a modified group and dayroom program.
C. Jail officials read Ashker v Gov of California Settlement Terms.

3. End: Denial of adequate clothing to inmates.

    Solution:
A. Establish policy that promotes proper hygiene.
B. Provide two sets of all clothes.

4. End: Jail profiteering and exploitation of prisoners and our families through commissary and trust accounts.

    Solution:
A. Waive the fee associated with putting money on a prisoner’s account.
B. Set commissary prices equal to or cheaper than those set in CDCR e.g. 97 cents for a top ramen soup is outrageous.

5. Provide opportunities for religious services, self help, and educational programs.

IN ADDITION TO THE ABOVE DEMANDS

1. End: Housing mental health prisoners with regular prisoners.

2. Establish accountability for each grievance to catalog the concern.”

Meanwhile, the IWOC phone zaps list has a number of other ongoing calls for support (I’ve edited a few to add online contacts or fix broken emails):

Move James Shelby Back to WMCC

Call 573-526-6504 and ask for the Central Transfer Authority
Email: InspectorGeneral@doc.mo.gov
And say this: “Please move Missouri prisoner James Shelby #41244 back to WMCC. He has health issues that were being treated there which are not being treated at TCC. He needs to be moved back to WMCC where the doctors know his medical history and can treat him in a competent manner.”

Stop Punishing Jason Robb and Hasan

Call Director Gary Mohr at 614-387-0588 or email him at drc.publicinfo@odrc.state.oh.us as well as Northeast Regional Director Todd Ishee, 330-797-6398, todd.ishee@odrc.state.oh.us, and Warden Ed Sheldon at Ed.Sheldon@odrc.state.oh.us
And say this: “I ask you that the punishments being imposed on Siddique Abdullah Hasan (Carlos Sanders) # R130-559 and Jason Robb #308-919 be reversed, and that OSP authorities be reprimanded for violating their rights to due process and displaying bias toward them.”

For more information on the hunger strike, read: https://shadowproof.com/2017/03/03/ohio-prisoners-begin-hunger-strike-punishment-participation-netflixs-captive/

For more background information on the Lucasville prison uprising prisoners wrongfully sentenced:
lucasvilleamnesty.org and Lucasvillejustice.wordpress.com

Get Medical Attention for Antwon Guest

Please call: Jefferson City Correctional Center in Missouri at 573-751-3224, or use their online contact form at https://jccc.mo.gov/contact-us/

And say this:

If Antwon Guest #1025628 has not received medical attention in the past week, please send him to the infirmary now. He is developing diabetes, has a rash, and is suffering from digestive problems due to poor nutrition.

Give Virginia Prisoners Their Mail

Please call, email, fax these:
VA DOC Director Howard Clarke: 804-674-3000, Director.Clarke@vadoc.virginia.gov, docmail@vadoc.virginia.gov
VA Congressman Bobby Scott of the DOC oversight committee: 202-225-8351 (phone), 202-225-8354 (fax)
Warden at Wallens Ridge State Prison 276-523-3310

And say this:

I am deeply concerned about the impending policy change at Wallens Ridge State Prison concerning people’s incoming mail. I believe that denying people access to the original copies of their personal mail, including letters and other approved content, and restricting the length of correspondence is censorship and an aberration of civil rights. If this policy is implemented on its effective date of 4/17/17, I will continue to oppose it and stand in solidarity with the people incarcerated at Wallens Ridge.

**URGENT** CALL NOW, CALL CONSTANTLY FOR KINETIK

Call Limestone Prison Warden Christopher Gordy 256-233-4600
Call Commissioner Jeff Dunn & Ass Comm Grant Culliver 334-353-3883 webmaster@doc.alabama.gov
Call Gov Robert Bentley 334-242-7100
Call Department of Justice 205-244-2001 or email USA-ALN-WEBMASTER@usdoj.gov, Lyndon.Laster@usdoj.gov
Say this, “I am calling to demand that you release Robert Earl Council #181418 from solitary confinement and move him out of Limestone Correctional Facility immediately. He was brutally beaten on December 2nd and continues to fear for his life.”

Read about Kinetik’s work here http://freealabamamovement.com/

Support Compassionate Clemency for Walter Hunter

Call Governor Jay Nixon at (573) 751-3222 or email https://governor.mo.gov/get-involved/contact-the-governors-office
Call Missouri Department of Probation and Parole at (573) 751-8488 or email probation.parole@doc.mo.gov
Say this, “I am calling to request compassionate clemency for Mr. Walter Hunter, Missouri prisoner number #46747. He is terminally ill, yet was denied medical parole due to statutory requirements. His application for compassionate release is still pending.”

More info: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B13-UJjehXaISFduX29qanpVdTA

Get Showers and Cleaning Supplies for SC Prisoners

Call Lee Correctional in South Carolina at (803) 896-2400 or (803) 428-2800
Call/email DOC headquarters in Columbia at 803-896-8500 corrections.info@doc.state.sc.us

Say this, “I am calling to demand that you let the people in your prison take showers and clean their cells. Why are they not being allowed to do this? Please read me the directive that you rely on to guide this inhumane and unsanitary treatment”.

Support Executive Clemency for Eric Clemmons

Call Governor Jay Nixon at (573) 751-3222 or email https://governor.mo.gov/get-involved/contact-the-governors-office
Say this, “I am calling to request executive clemency for Mr. Eric Clemmons, Missouri prisoner number #99956. He was wrongfully convicted for a crime he did not commit. He has spent 34 years in prison.”

More info: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B13-UJjehXaITkdXNkNDV0NBSTA

Call In to Stop Medical Torture of Jose Latigo

Call/Email TDCJ Ombudsman in Huntsville (936) 437-4927 ombudsman@tdcj.texas.gov
Clemens Unit Front Office (979) 798-2188

Say this “Jose Latigo #1922794 has been being denied his medication by psychiatrists and been provoked by three officers to commit suicide. This is unacceptable an we demand that you give him his medication and
treat him with dignity.”

Additional information: Jose suffers from emotional disturbance, ptsd, and bipolar disorder for which he was previously receiving medication. He has attempted to file grievances to get back on medication, but the psychiatrist, E. Harris, is
wrongfully denying him his meds, and three officers, Neeribe, Owude, and Oladeji, have been provoking him to commit suicide.

Call to Support Prisoner Organizer Cesar DeLeon

Call and email here: Wisconsin Department of Corrections central office- 608-240-5000, docweb@wi.gov

Wapun Correctional Institution Warden Brian Foster- (920) 324-5571, brian.foster@wisconsin.gov

Sample script: “I am calling in support of Cesar DeLeon #322800, an incarcerated worker at Waupun Correctional. I am hearing reports of physical torture and psychological abuse happening to Cesar at the hands of Waupun’s staff, this is intolerable and needs to stop.”

Background info https://www.facebook.com/events/335295163503576/

Call in to Stop Torture of Robert Gamez

Call Arizona Dept of Corrections at 1 623.386.6160, email media@azcorrections.gov

Say this, “I am calling to demand that you release Robert Gamez #131401 from solitary confinement immediately. Due to nearly 15 years of torture in solitary confinement in Buckeye State Prison, Robert now suffers from mental health problems. He has depression, anxiety, and thoughts of suicide and depression. He needs mental health care, not solitary confinement torture.”

Read more here https://stopprisontorture.wordpress.com/2016/09/22/final-draft-by-mr-robert-c-gamez/

About nothingiseverlost

"The impulse to fight against work and management is immediately collective. As we fight against the conditions of our own lives, we see that other people are doing the same. To get anywhere we have to fight side by side. We begin to break down the divisions between us and prejudices, hierarchies, and nationalisms begin to be undermined. As we build trust and solidarity, we grow more daring and combative. More becomes possible. We get more organized, more confident, more disruptive and more powerful."
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