VOLUME 11.1 FEBRUARY, 2018
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Artwork (above): Santos “Cherrie” Valenzuela, Delano, CA

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cure them well-being. No more of such vague formudas as
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Peter Kropotkin - The Conquiest of Bread (1907)
Page 2

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Table of Contents

New Prison Groups Obliterating food contamination in
and Programs prisons out of retaliation, TX, p. 38
Positive Actions Create John Wiliams, CA, p. 39

Everything, CA, p.5
Broken in ZPiece Productions, G, p. 6

Prison Group
Updates

Free Virginia Movement, p.&
United Panther Movement,
Red Fist Alliance, CO, p. 10

Direct Action/
Non-Compliance
Alabarma peanut buter jailbreak ends
with capture of final inmate,p. 11
Florida prisoners sot to strike January
15,p.12 Artwork by Zehra Dogan,
g P18 Kurdish political prisoner
Prisoners in Santa Clara County jals win [ SRRU BUNIG SRS EY
§ core demands, CA,p.22 against Turkish Fascism. More
VernonTolbert I p. 24 about Dogan on

The Almighty Penand [ENGELACTIT
Paper: Grievances Revolutionary Rojava (West
and Legal Worlk : e
e Kurdistan), on page 31
Ilinois DOC mental health staffdenil of
inmate weatment, p. 26

Daisy Meadows, ID,p.27

Mentally il inmates sue Brstol Sheriff
over solitary confinement MAP. 28 IDisclaimenr:

Nevada Department of Corrections

stratagem continues
hiding the truth, p. 30 The content o the PAN. nevsetar & inended
Duane Tipton, NV, p. 30 ol fo nformation and educatn. Desrptons

and dams sppearc, i PAN hae nt b
pendenty v and e conec
Sttt Morsove: AN

reflect th parspectie of any indvidual vobed 1

Solidarity: Working
Across the Bars

RobertTabak, MO, p.32 5 content o production Liewise, PAN topics do

o necesarty reflect e i and opiions o sy
Commentary and reciientcr of ry inciidud r group mentoned
Calls to Action PANLTR nwsiter n o vy encoursges or p-

ports any gl beraic, PAN] oy ands

BricB. FL,p.3¢ R e e
Brian Lepley, NV.p. 35 e
Juivonne Litlejohn, M, p. 36 il o e ancle edrs g

Page 1
TET PRISON CROTPS AND PROCRANS

Positive Actions Create Everything - July 2017

e have a new support group at CM.F. so let me tell you about i,
s&/ Iwanted to create a group for the L.G.B.T. population where they not only
support each other but also outside L.G.B.T. centers and inmate publ
tions the C.D.C.R. allows inside. So I put together a proposal for the PACE group:
Positive Actions Create Everything.

And so the PACE group began in January of 2017. 1 facilitae the group
with a staff sponsor. The group meets each week. Half the group’s work is we pick 1
subject such as the word equality. Then each member decides if they want to do an
essay, poem or art about equality. Once the pieces are completed, I then send them
to publications such as Black & Pink, Prison Health News, Hearts on a Wire, Ultra
Violet, the Beat Within, and now also to Prison Action News. The publications have
the option of putting the picces created in their newspapers and zines.

“The PACE group members also put together supportletters to L.G.B.T. cen-
ters throughout the the US and support letters to the publications mentioned as well
as the Transgender Justice Project, Gender Health Center, the Word is Out in Canada,
Flying over Walls, just to name a few.

Our whole purpose i to support the outside L G.B.T. community and others.
‘We ask nothing in return. We just offer support. We receive a lot of mail from the out-
side about the group and from prisoners in the US about how to start support group.

“The group works because everyone in the group pus in the effort to make
the world around them better. As a trans woman I never thought that I would be able
0 create a group inside a men’s prison, that others could be who they say they are,
even ifits only for one hour a week

‘The response from inside has been very supportive, so supportive that we
are waiting for an approval to do our own zine and showcase the work of the LG B.T.
population.

‘We can all be better if we try a litle harder cach day.

“Positive Actions Change Everythi

Lisa Strawn
D01271 V-240
PO Box 2000
Vacaville, CA 95696

Page 5
Broken in 2Piece Productions- December 2017

for the individuals seeking change. My name is Donzell Jones 1139853 and

just like you, I 100 have tears for those in trouble here, and in hell. I am an
inmate in Reidsville, GA at Georgia State Prison, but before I was sent here I was
a resident at Atlanta Transitional Center, located in Atlanta, GA. From there 1 was
afforded an opportunity to transition back into society in a way that set me apart
from just about every state prisoner in Georgia. While at the transitional center, I
ereated Broken in 2Piece Productions. Here's the info. To look at it g0 to youtube
and search Donzell Jones. | have a profile picture of a skull and the channel's name
is Broken in 2Picce Productions. All of that was created while inside the Georgia
Dept. of Corrections, so that makes me a “history maker” aka. 2Piece, they say
the man that changes direction in his life lives twice, and as I read the Prison Action
News articles, thatis all I see, leaders standing up and speaking out. Those who have
decided to take responsibility for their lives. 1,00, have felt the hand of corruption
in the worst way, because of Broken in 2Piece Productions creations, I was said to
have some type of mental psychosis on capitol grounds. I was set up by the warden
at Atlanta Transitional Center to get me away from there, depriving me of what the
state work release program promises. I never have had any mental illness, nor does
it run in my family, but because of hatred, to conceal its own abuses and encroach-
ments, have made a mountain out of & molehill

I've created “Broken.” It started out as a group of individuals waking up to
the drama in our lives, taking the necessary steps, now we're becoming a community
of leaders. I have a platform that makes me a mass communicator. | know how to cre-
ate urban films, and 1 will be heard, as 1 am already known on Twitter, as the eternal
struggle all the way in England. The only difference between then and now. like a
siren of old who sang under the sea, I got something to say. My purpose is to hold
up a mirror to nature and show virtue her own feature, scorn her own image and the
very age and body of the time his form and pressure. | am not up to small deceit, or
any sinful games_ Give me a man that is capable of a devotion to anything, listen to
an exiled son’s appeal, when death comes breaking into the circle of our friends and
family, words fail us. One cannot continually disappoint a continent, bear as witness:
come the world against me, “Broken,” yet shall stand. Carcer criminals, a message
for you. I have come up from the crowds in a moment of silence, broken. It's a soul
of humor, Jezebel heard of it one that feareth God and no other hard as a piece of the
nether millstone. I invite you to bring me men with new cras in their minds. Here's
the great advantage: it s through art that the world must see corruption from afar.
‘The Atlanta Journal Constitution news has been contacted and directed to that you-
tube channel and this egregious act of the DOC. My doors are open to any organiza-
tions and groups, Georgia Department of Corrections doesn't allow correspondence
from prison to prison. No need to worry, however, my release date is Spring 2018

To arevolutionist, justice i the only workshop, crowns and thorns

‘perish dead at the feet of the wrong...broken

5 revolution, or anything that interrupts social order, may afford opportunities

Page b
Here’s how to reach me by mail

Donzell Jones
69N Gay St

Cuthbert, GA 39840

Email: jonesdonzell45@gmail.com

[Repression of Minorities and Political
Activists by Turkish Government

ra Dogan s a painter, journalist, and editor from Turkey. She happens to
Kurdish, an ethnic group whose former homeland was carved up after World
[War 1, now divided between four other countries: Turkey, Syria, Iraq, and|

iran. As many other governments beat down their int

Ltate s actively

overnment has murder

housands of Kurdish and other minorities” villages, a prac

b016. Under the dictatorship of Recep Erdogan, Turkish police and military

1 478 Kurdish activists and even 78 mayors, as well as both co-h

urkish political party that is sympathetic to minority groups in the country
Dogan painted the image, below, of the destruction of the Kurdish town o

[Nusaybin, which she based off of photos the government took of their evil work.

JFor her artwork, the Turkish government arrested Dogan on July 21, 2016,
siven two years and 10 months [jail time ause I painted Turkish flags on
buildings. However, they [Turkish government] caused this. I only painte

Page 7
PRISON CROUPS UPDATES

Free Virginia Movement - May 2017

he Political Action Committee of the Free Virginia Movement
‘Capitalism causes crime. Overwhelmingly, the victims of crime are poor and,
Third World people. Street crime is caused and perpetuated by joblessness
and underemployment; by a ruling class that uses people for its own profit and dis-
cards them when it has no more profitable use for them. The capitalist prison and its
bureaucracy is a loathsome parasite on society. Is sole purpose is to administer the
warchousing and repression of human beings for whom capitalism has no use and no
solution."~George Jackson Brigade, in Capitalism Is Organized Crime

‘The Free Virginia Movement (FVM) is proposing the formation of a Politi-
cal Action Committee (PAC) which is a major point in Our Organizing Strategy.

Our PAC, once operational, will be capable of transforming the social, po-
litical, and economic reality for all Virginians-including incarcerated people and
those who feel neglected and marginalized by a Virginia State Government and its
politicians, most of whom serve the interests of the ruling capitalist eltes-by: 1) edu-
cating members and the general public about political candidates for statewide of-
fices at election time via social media, fliers, town hall meetings, assemblies, forums,
workshops, etc ; 2) fund raising, pooling, and contributing funds to the campaigns
of political candidates for statewide offices most likely to advance our interests and
to lobby against those candidates who, once in office, are most likely to act against
the needs, concerns, and interests of incarcerated, Black, Brown, poor, low-income,
working-class, and other marginalized and oppressed people; 3) and organizing and
mobilizing a powerful grassroots voting bloc capable of influencing statewide elec-
tions in OUR favor.

This is needed because Virginia's govemment and criminal injustice sys-
tem-its laws, police departments, circuit courts, and prisons-are all biased against
Black, Brown, poor, low-income, marginalized, disadvantaged. disenfranchised, and
working-class people, including women, Muslims, immigrants, and LGBTQ people.
‘We are all disposable people within a capitalist patriarchal system which places prof-
it over human lives, and which discards us into prisons and jails when it has no more
profitable use for us.

In order 1o change this dynamic and overcome our shared-oppression,
we must UNITE and ORGANIZE, BUILD POWER and MOBILIZE to FORCE
change! It is time that incarcerated people, their families, and other Black, Brown,
poor, low-income, marginalized, disadvantaged, disenfranchised, and working class
people organize themselves under the banner of the Free Virginia Movement and its
PAC into a force that can and will transform who has political power and control in
Virginia and how that power and control affect our lives.

‘There are approximately 38,000 people incarcerated in Virginia’s prisons. If
each incarcerated person and at least three of their family members, friends, or asso-

Page 8
ciates register with the FYM/PAC and donate a miimum of just$5, we can organize
the mobilization of over 150,000 people inside and otside of prison with a war chest
of over a quarter million dollars that we can use to accomplish OUR GOALS.

1t is the late-great Howard Zinn who said that we cannot be neutral on a
‘moving train. Amidst the hat, division, uncertainty. and turmoil that has swept the
country since the “election’” of Donald Trump to the White House, cither we are
zoing 10 allow ourselves o be forced backwards (o a time when people of color,
women, immigrants, and LGBTQ people were considered property and noncitizens
and thus had no control over our lives and no righis to lfe, libert, and the pursuit of
happiness. or we are going to move forward and begin the historical task of UNIT-
ING and BUILDING and ORGANIZING a powerful grassroots poliical base in
Virginia in order to change things ourselves. There is no in between.

People, the days of mere lip service and half-uss organizing are over. Now
i the time for action! The power structure has been duping us for far oo long and so
e must step up and retake control over our ives and the future of our familics and
communitics.

We are curently sceking individuals to 6l the following positions: Direc-
tor, State Coordinator, State Representative, National Representative, Treasurer, Vol-
unrs, Fundsaisers, Donors, and Sponsors.

1f you are serious about building the FVM and our PAC, if you're serious
about achieving REAL change, and if you are abl (o fill one or more of the above
positions, please contact me by email at uhururowe76@yahoo,com, or you can con-
tact me directly by downloading the JPay mobile app (o your smartphone, log on,
and sign up to exchange e-messages with me.

NONE OF US ARE TRULY FREE UNTIL ALL ARE FREE!

Uhuru Rowe #113545
Sussex 2 State Prison

24427 Musselwhite Dr.

Waverly, VA 23891

Blog: hitps:consciousprisoner.wordpress.com
Facebook: hitps:www.facebook com/supportuburu

United Panther Movement, Red Fist Alliance -
November 2017

lhe United Panther Movement, Red Fist Alliance is maintaining an anarcho/

I ocialiststudy group here in solidarity with the Antifa movement, and we are

always looking for material that is current. We are always looking to work

with affinity groups. For more information, contact Robert Thrower #44717, San

Carlos Correctional Facility, PO Box 3, Pueblo CO 81003. Up with the rebels. To
find out more visit our blog at hitp://betweenthebars.org/blogs/1491

Darrell Hann #592792
SWSP
Bridgeton, NJ 08302
July, 2017

DIRECT ATTION/HNON-COMPLIANGCE

Alabama peanut butter jailbreak ends with cap-
ture of final inmate - August 2017

By Amy Held

hitps:Hiwww.nprorg/sections/iherwo-way(2017/08/02/541115659ala-peanut-butter-
Jail-escape-ends-with-capture-of-final-inmate

write themselves. But the jam that Walker County Jail in Jasper, Ala., found
elf in after 12 inmates skipped out using peanut butter Sunday appears to
have ended with the capture of the final escapee on Tuesday.

‘Walker County Sheriff James Underwood said the inmates were able to
trick a new jailer by using peanut butter — scraped from sandwiches — to alter the
‘number over the exit and persuading the guard to open it thinking it was the entrance
toa cell. The 12 men were then able to scale a barbed wire fence, reports WBRC.

“Changing some numbers on the door with peanut butter — that may sound
crazy,” Underwood said at a news conference on Monday according to AL com.
“But these people are crazy like a fox.”

“We slipped up,” Underwood added. As for the duped prison guard, “he
‘made a mistake,” Underwood said. “He’s a young guy, he hasn't been there that long.
This young man was a weak link, and they knew it.

The Sheriff’s Office said six of the inmates were captured shordly after their
escape. Five more were caught within 24 hours of walking free. reports AL com.

By Tuesday, the 12th and final escapee, Brady Kilpatrick, 24, was captured
in Tequesta, Fla. He had been the only one to make it out of Walker County.

‘The inmates, ranging in age from 18 to 30, were facing charges including
drug possession, theft and attempted murder.

Underwood said some people will receive rewards for tipping off police to
the inmates’ whereabouts, but others may face criminal charges for aiding and abet-
ting them. “They had some outside help,” Underwood said, reports AL com.

And in Martin County, Fla., where Kilpatrick is being held, Sheriff William
D. Snyder was asked by reporters whether he is worried the man facing drug charges
will break free from jail once again. Snyder responded. I can tell you this: He won't
be getting peanut butter.”

Tnc headlines rife with puns about nutty escapes and sticky situations nearly

Page 11
Florida prisoners set to strike January I5th
against prison slavery - December 2017

hips:Hitsgoingdown orgflrida-prisoners-set-sirike-january-15th-prison-siavery!

nearly two years of uprising and rebellion, launching a statewide strike on
January 15th. We had the opportunity to speak with one of the organizers
from within a Florida facility. The interview s brief but powerful

According to Fight Toxic Prisons:

[Tlhese prisoners plan to initiate a work stoppage or “laydown” beginning Monday,
January 15th, coinciding with MLK Day, in nonviolent protest of conditions in FL
prisons. They are calling it Operation PUSH.

‘Their primary demands are clear and concise: end prison slavery, stop price
‘gouging, and fully returm parole. They believe these issues have directly created the
overcrowding that is responsible for the deplorable conditions in Florida prisons.

‘Their statement also raises other major issues that need to be grappled with,
the death penalty, voting rights and environmental health conditions

From the communication we have received, these prisoners claim to repre-
sent thousands in at least cight facilities already. And say they are prepared to “stay
down indefinitely” until someone addresses their concerns.

Among many grievances, the strike centers on several demands:

1. Payment for our labor,rather than the current slave arrangement
2. Ending outrageous canteen prices
3. Reintroducing parole incentives to lifers and those with Buck Rogers dates

In our engagements with prisoners it is important to remember their sclf
determination and approaches to resistance may not always mirTor our own on the
outside. Our conversation below included a question about previous uprisings in
the Florida prisons and the answer may not reflect our own ideas about what is or is
ot the best approach to resistance. At the end of the day, we're on the outside and
they're on the inside. It is for the people within the prison walls to determine how
best to approach liberation and it is for us to find ways of supporting them, looking
for where our struggles for liberation intersect.

Bloc Party: Start by telling us a litle about the network of peaple organiz-
ing this protest without giving up anonymity. to help us understand who you are and
what experiences you had that lead you here?

Florida Prison Organizer: Operation PUSH, is the network of people
organizing this protest. We are newly founded group who set out to educate all
inmates within the FDOC. Most of us inmates, if not all, are aware that we're being
taken advantage of, but some of us don’t know the extent. You'll do us no injustice
if you address us as veterans who has been in the system for quite awhile and has
experienced all hardships unimaginable.

T s January prisoners in Florida will continue to build on the momentum of

includi

Page 12
Bloc Party: The call out for the upcoming protest on January 15th, calls for
prisoners to lay down on MLK day this year. What do you mean by that? What does
the protest entail?

Florida Prison Organizer: It means to willfully give up our privileges,
like making phone calls, buying canteen, visits, and not attain to work assignments.

Bloc Party: We have heard that you are coordinating this protest among
prisoners at eight prisons in the Florida prison system. What kind of participation are
you expecting?

Florida Prison Organizer: We're expecting all inmates throughout the
state to be in one accord, and act as a unit. Also to be determined to bring changes no.
‘matter the cost by standing around doing nothing.

Bloc Party: Earlicr this year, we saw uprisings across Florida prisons that
resulted in the whole corrections system being put on lack down on Sept 2016. Dur-
ing the national prison strike, prisoners at several Florida facilities participated with
‘media reporting that hundreds at the Holmes facility caused infrastructural damage
to almost every dorm in the facility. How has the repression that has followed these
uprisings impacted your current planning and tactics?

Florida Prison Organizer: Violence and destructions s not the answer so
we're taking a different approach. Our intentions are to have a peaceful demonstration
and simply refuse to work, and buy canteen, visitation, and phones. Use our economi-
cal power. These “privileges” are a facade which help them more than it does inmates
by boosting their revenues. Boycotting them may temporarily seem like creating bur-
dens for ourselves, but that sacrifice now s worth having a better tomorrow. Or future.

Bloc Party: In the call out for the strike, you say, “If we show them vi
lence they will have a legitimate excuse to use brute force against us and explain o
the public that they had to use brute force in order to contain the situations. However,
their weakness is their pocket.” Will you elaborate on this tactical decision?

Florida Prison Organizer: In the past violence and destruction has not
achieved the desired results. It has only afforded the authorities an excuse to use
brute force and portray a negative picture of the inmate population making us ap-
pear to be uneducated, violent, and our issues frivolous redirecting the focus of the
demonstrations to their advantage. Our power lies in economics. if we Boycolt work
and give up our so called privileges, it will have a negative impact on the revenue
inmates generate through Labor and excessive fees and force change.

‘all organized groups as well as religious systems to
come together on the same page.” Are you having any success in convincing prison-
ers to set aside their racial differences, religious differences or affiliation differences?
How divided is the prison population there and what are you doing to build unity?

Florida Prison Organizer: Absolutely! We've seen tremendous suc
on bringing everyone together. Actually, it was easy to convince those organized
‘groups, because anyone who is affiliated has rules to abide by, convince their lead-
ers and the rest will follow. That's why we spend most of our time educating others,
help them see pass their own blindness. After all, the inmates population within the
FDOC are not divided as they portray them to be. all of us knows that we're all we
g0t,its always us against them

Page IS
Bloc Party: What can people on the outside do to help you with the protest?
ida Prison Organi p us reach other prisoners with this plan.

all of us as a whole to create this platform so our voice can be hea

: want us to know?

Florida Prison Organizer: Basically
appreciative of all support,

we are open to helpful suggestions and are very

Florida prisoners announce:
OPERATION PUSH

LAYDOWN STRIKE AGAINST THE
PRISON SYSTEM

MLK DAY
JANUARY 15

g
STAND IN SOLIDARITY !

"We're expecting all inmates
throughout the state to be in one
accord, and act as a unit. Also to
be determined to bring changes
no matter the cost by standing
around doing nothing."

fighttoxicprisonswordpress.com * itsgoingdown.org _
e

Page 14
Updates on Operation PUSH in the Florida
Department of Corrections - January 2018

From hips-/ifighttoxicprisons wordpress com!

eration PUSH launched a statewide prisoner strike in the FL Department of Cor-
rections prison system (FDOC or FIDC) coinciding with Martin Luther King Day.

Information from prisoners s coming i at a much slower pace than peaple
on the outside had antiipated. but reports are slowly and steadily making their way
through the walls. despite many obstacles.

“Thus far, we’ve heard from prisoners tht there has been actve partcipa-
tion or repression of some sort n the following prisons: Santa Rosa, Jackson, Gulf,
Hamilton, Avon Park, Franklin, Holmes, Everglades, Reception and Medical Center
at Luke Butler, Liberty, Lowell, Columbia, Forida State Prison, Suwannce, Calhoun,
and Martin. (The list i growing by the day )

A common theme among report bucks is the attempt by the DOC to sever
communication in order to create the perception of inactivity and break the spirits of
those participating inthestrike. Key contacts inside have reported being threatened by
administration with harsher retaliation if correspondence with advocacy groups such
as Fight Toxic Prisons and Incarcerated Workers Organizing Commitice continues.

According to prisoner reports, some facilites have shut offstate phone ser-
vice as of Tuesday, January 16. A Security Threat Group (STG) investigator em-
Ployed at a prison in the panhandle confirmed that multipl prisons across the state
were placed on lockdown in preparation for the stike. Shakedowns have occurred
where independent means of communication were confiscated and their alleged
wnersfusers were thrown in solitary confinement

‘We've heard reports that widespread investigations are oceurring for any-
one who has received or sent mail to organizations offering support on the outside
and certain individuals are being labelled a “securty threat” for doing so. This can
result in heightened custody levels, which means loss of privleges, and continued
harassment by the STG unit. One prisoner was told, “As long as you communicate
with these people you're always going to be labelled a security threat and you're
always going to be put under investigation.”

Given the past two years of prisoner organizing in Florida, its understand-
able that there s an expectation to hear of something distinct on the inside marking
the start of the strike

‘The movement on the inside of Florida's prison system has become known
forts moments of upheaval and crackdown, such as the unexpected uprising at Hol-
mes Cl on Sept 7, 2016, two days prior to the national wave of prisoner-led actions
commemorating the Attca anniversary. .. followed by uprisings at 10 other facilities
which had litte-to-no known previous connection to outside support.

In most of those cases, the publicity about September 2016 surrounded a
violent state repression that turned entire prison dorm units into battle zones. But

Page IS

In been a hard slence for the past five days since prisoners calling themselves Op-

what was gathered in prisoner correspondence months later was that most of the
resistance began as quit acts of non-cooperation among small groups.

‘The following year, surrounding a prisoner rights march in DC on Aug 19,
the state extremely overreacted by placing all of its 97.000 prisoners on simultancous
lockdown, putting FL on the map once again.

‘Thus far, Operation PUSH has been something different. It's shown lessons
learned on both sides of this war. (Yes, a war, sill being fought ultimately between
the people who want to continue slavery and the ones who wan to end it

Operation PUSH did not call for rebellions i the prisons, which are rela-
tively frequent occurrences in Florida. Though they are bold and courageous acts,
those events have not been as effective in the communication of clear, specific de-
mands such as PUSH has presented.

‘Operation PUSH repeatedly called for the slow and steady processofeconom-
ic impact through non-participation. In response to this, the DOC appears to be using
a different approach of low-intensity. psychological warfare rather than blunt force.

In the absence of news reports about brutal repression and destructive re-
sponses, and as a result of reduced communication access, we are left 1o wonder
about details of what's actually going on inside. Much of this may have to wait for
firsthand accounts to surface via postal mail

It should come as no surprise tht the DOC can't be trusted to report strikes
occurring in Florida state prisons, just as they have been lying, or to borrow from a
PUSH prisoner, “using wordplay,” around the rip-off of their canteen prices. They

have been working for weeks to eliminate the chance of the strike’s success. Claim.
ing that it never existed is another tactic for trying to stop it. Never trust the oppres-
sors to adequately report the facts.

Beyond this, organizers on the outside have conducted public records re-

quests indicating that the DOC has been monitoring dozens of organizations for
months in an effort to undermine inside/outside alliances. Clearly the DOC views
our organizing as more than a minor inconvenience.

One drawback of having the build-up of public support grow for weeks
on the outside is that it provided ample notification and time for the DOC to bribe,
threaten and gather scab labor. Prisoners who aren't engaged with the movement are
able to replace participants in Operation PUSH and conduct the major operations
needed to keep the slave camps running (food, cleaning, etc.)

This repression has made it hard (o quantify participation, and word of
the widespread support and solidarity actions are only now beginning to trickle in
through news reports and letter writing events oceurring all over the country.

Because Florida’s DOC practices such harsh retaliation against the people in
are and control, groups on the outside decided to deliver the prisoners’ demands,

Starting as carly as New Year's Eve, Operation PUSH solidarity protests
across Florida have included demonstrations at the Gainesville Work Camp prison,
a Miami parole office and The Lake Butler Reception/Medical Center prison, with
hundreds of participants being seen and heard direetly by thousands of prisoners and
DOC employees at these facilities

On Tuesday, January 16, 5-hour takeover of the DOC lobby in Ta

Page 16

lahassee

occurred. demanding a meeting with DOC Secretary Julie Jones, which resulted in
protestors being forcefully evicted from the building and an arrest in which a protes.
tor is facing a bogus felony charge related to small amount of damaged property
‘The response to this protest by FDOC was similar to what we have come to expect:
repression and deception. Afer attacking protestors in their lobby, they released a
statement saying they were “battered” by PUSH supporters.

Despite the repression and lies, support for Operation PUSH is massively
intensifying the public pressure on the DOC and that is an undeniable early victory
of the movement five days into it. At the time of this writing, there are almost 150
organizations who have expressed explicit endorsement nationwide, contributing so-

1 media support, solidarity actions, letter-writing events and fundraising. There
have already been over 40 stories in the news, including major national and interna:
tional outlets.

‘What’s next?

Over the coming weeks, organizers on the outside with IWOC and FTP will b
ering correspondence from the inside and releasing periodical updates, coupled with
individualized support campaigns, as we have been doing over the past 2 years.
Several hundred strike support yard signs were printed for statewide distribution and
a new phone zap campaign will be released shortly

‘The DOC is pretending to ignore Operation PUSH by issuing meaningless
statements and attempting to confuse people over canteen prices (citing the cost of a
single soup, when prisoners’ statement referred to cost for a case.) Make no mistake.
They are far from ignoring the strikers, and it is far from over.

January 15 in Florida was a major step in building up the movement to end
prison slavery that is brewing on a national scale. It has sown seeds for the months
ahead. Prisoners in Texas have already called for renewing the celebration of the
Juneteenth abolitionist holiday and spreading it into prisons worldwide. We are con-
sidering Operation PUSH as important and necessary groundwork for making that
successful.

In the meantime, keep in touch via SPARC, IWOC, and FTP.

‘Additional Notes:

* Florida’s Dept. of Corrections had gone by FDOC unil last year. In attempt 1o
dodge the negative association of the DOC, they began re-branding themselves ai
FDC.

* PUSH is not an acronym, as far as anyone on the outside has been told. It appears
10 be capitalized as an emphasis on action it implies, perhaps akin 1o the MOVE
Organization.

*Please send any news, photos, or videos o FightToxicPrisons@gmail.com

If you would like to subscribe to Fight Toxic Prisons.

please contact them at
Fight Toxic Prisons,
43 South Main Street. Gainesville FL 32601

Incarcerated Florida organizer and Minister of Defense
of the New Afrikan Black Panther Party (Prison Chapter)
Kevin “Rashid” Johnson is facing political repression in thel

form of an “inciting a riot” charge for reporting on
Operation PUSH.
Image from hitps://fighttoxicprisons.wordpress.com/

Page 18
Carrabelle, FL - September 2017

pirit. Although my name is Jose, I go by the name of Go-Get-Her. I'm a

Trans locked up in FL DOC. At the moment I'm confined in confinement.
I'm doing 60 days D.C. plus I'm on PM. status. At this camp I'm being targeted and
discriminated against due to my sexuality. This institution is about 80% gang popu-
lated. The people here are anti-gay and homophobic. I'm in confinement because
when I got released on this pound, I was housed in G-dorm. G-dormis the only dorm
that my custody and housing level allows me to be housed in. G-dorm s also about
80% gang populated. 1 was the only gay individual in the whole dorm. And although
tried to mind my own business and be myself, I was still discriminated against and
targeted. I was told that I was not allowed to shower until everyone else in the dorm
showered. When I spoke my mind and stated that I was not going to wait o be last, |
was threatened to be jumped-raped-and-stabbed. So I went to the officer station and
declared a psychological emergency out of fear of being jumped.-raped-and-stabbed.
T was taken 10 the infirmary over the weekend. I barely slept, I refused most of my
trays. While I was in SHOS cell most of my property was stolen and my ID card was
used 0 purchase canteen. $§5 44 was stolen. All due to the C.0’s failure (o retrieve
my property once I was placed in cuffs. On Monday I was seen by mental health
and although I have a history of mental health problems and have taken medication
off and on throughout the years since 1997, and told her that [ was not feeling well,
that 1 was hearing voices, hallucinating, and feeling suicidal. She still discharged me
back to open population and refused to provide me with mental health. I was placed
in confinement for refusing to get dressed and return to G-dorm. Out of desperation
while in confinement I busted the fire sprinkler so that I would get transferred to
another prison. I'm also on PM. trying to get transferred, and that’s how I'm doing
60-DC and am on PM.

H, 1 hope this submission finds you all in the best of mind, body, health, and

Well, if anyone can help me and/or have any suggestions don't hesitate to write me.
and put me up on game. A shout out to my L.G.B.Q.T. community. love you alll

My info:
Jose Santiago #538452
Franklin C.L.

1760 Hwy 67 North
Carrabelle, FL. 32322

Page 19
“During the Flood” is a piece inspired by Hurricane Harvey and its
impact on the prisoners in the prisons that were flooded out by the
storm. The photojournalism that was done failed in actually telling
the story of this human distress. The photojournalism that was done

on the storm’s impact on assisted living facilities was quite impactful.
as the cameras had access to their living conditions, but no photojour-

nalistic access was given to record the actual conditions the prisoners

found themselves in. Images only existed post rescue. While Harvey

was a tragedy, the impact of prisons affected by flooding first came to
light during Hurricane Katrina

he Flood™
Donald “C-Note™ Hooker
K94063 (B5-136)
PO Box 4490

The role of the artist is not to tell the story, but make their readers,
13, or listeners to feel the story. The title, “During the Flood.” was
specifically chosen over naming the piece specific to Hurricane Har-
vey. There will be other floods in other parts of the country. “During
the Flood.” in conjunction with the prison publication community,
is to hopefully inspire the dialogue between state officials respon-
sible for housing these prisoners, and the local first responders who
also will be involved in some sort of evacuation of distressed human
beings within their local jurisdiction. It is my hope that the state’s
sponse to such a crisis is more in line with being humane, rather than
the clinical response seen in “During the Flood.

win Five core demands & sacrifice Three days of
custody meals for the hungry - October 2017

https:/iprisonerhungerstrikesolidarity.wordpress.com/2017/10/31 /prisoners-
united-in-santa-clara-county-jails-win-S-core-demands-sacrifice-3-days-of-cus-
tody-mea

for-the-hungry/

lhough a hunger strike in Santa Clara County jails could have been avoided

after jail administrators agreed to meet the core demands during the week of

October 16,2017 — Prisoners United on every floor of the Main Jail and M-5
and M-8 lockdown units in Elmwood D.O.C. refused custody meals in protest of
Sheriff Smith’s insulting comment in the media. On October 19th, when asked bout
the possible hunger strike and jail conditions, Sheriff Smith told San Jose Inside,
“We do not allow gangs to run the jails —and some of them could stand to lose alittle
weight, We will give their fresh food to the Salvation Army again. There are hus
people who committed no crimes and deserve a dinner.”

On October 22, 2017, Prisoners United reverted to the hunger srike to de-
mand accountability from Sheriff Smith of Santa Clara County to do as she claimed
and donate refused meals to the hungry and homeless community at the Salvation
Ammy who are in fact largely gang impacted, overcoming drug and alcohol depen-
dency and formerly incarcerated. In addition, Prisoners United demanded account-
ability from Sheriff Smith to courageously make public the efforts between jail
administrators, community organizations and the jail population to come to an agree-
ment to meet the core demands. Unfortunately, Sheriff Smith's comment carried a
tone 10 rogue deputies and sergeants who responded with lockdowns, shakedowns,
and canceled family visits

Prisoners United sacrificed 3 days of custody meals tosee toit that all custody
meals, including their prepared cooked meals willin fact be donated. Although Sher-

iff Smith tweeted donating non-perishable lunch box custody meals to the Emmanuel
House Salvation Army earlier on Monday October 23, 2017; prepared custody meals
have been confirmed to have been thrown away or given as an incentive to non-par-

ticipants. There are still remains challenges of any public mention of the fforts be-
tween jail administrators, community organizations and the ail population to come to
an agreement to meet the core demands, nor 1 written document to of said agreement.
Prisoners United protest of Sheriff Smith’s comments ended on
the evening of October 24, 2017 and is slowly trickling down to every floor in the
Main Jail as days pass. The M-8 lockdown unit in Elmwood D.0.C.’s first meal afier
a three day strike was their prepared cooked dinner meal at 4:00 PM on October 25,
2017. The 6C Sureno unit in the Main Jail will still continue their hunger strike until
an agreement is made with jail administrators to end their protective custody status
i their classification file

Silicon Valley De-Bug thanks Prisoners United on every floor in the Main

Page 22

Jail and housing units M-S and M-8 in Elmwood D.0.C. for courageously sacrific-
ing all their custody meals to be donated to the homeless and hungry at Emmanuel
House Salvation Army. We also appreciate all efforts made between jail adminis-
trators, community organizations and the jail population to come to an agreement
to meet the five core demands to end meaningless classification reviews. indefinite
solitary confinement, group punishment, cruel and unusual punishment during out of
cell time, and rigid visitation policies.

FACTS THAT REFUTE SHERIFF SMITH'S COMMENT:
“Over T0% of the Santa Clara County jail population i pretrial - meaning they have
not been convicted of a crime.

Being in jil does not automatically mean someone is a gang member, according
o the JFA Institue Jail Classification System Evaluation audit prepared by James
Austnin 2016, ther i only 21 verifed prison gang membersin Santa Clara County.
-Prisoners United of Silicon Valley is the collective voice of the entire Santa Clara
County jail population including all clasifcation/security lovels, color tops, racal
sroups (Black, White, Asian, Latino, Pacific slander etc) and creeds and s not lead
by one man alone.

-Salvation Army is a tremendous community resource fo those in need, including
programs for those who have been convicted of a crime.

FURTHER DETAILS/CLARIFICATIONS:

Santa Clara County jail administrators came (o an agreement to meet the
five core demands to end meaningless classification reviews, indefinite solitary con-
finement, aroup punishment, cruel and unusual punishmen during out of cell time,
and rigid visiation policies. However, the administration stated it will take three
weeks for the new classification system to kick in.

‘According o the agreement,the lassification system will have face-to-face
hearings, opportunity for prisoners o call witnesses to speak n their defense, the use

lon certificates o have influence on their

of things such as education and rehabil
hearings, and the opportunity to contest anything. The administration also agreed to

suspend all in-custody inputs until the new system s in place. Prisoners in the jails
should also be able to see what is in their file. Captains Grumbos and Taylor final-
ized agreements with some of the prisoners inside. The challenge of only having 35
classification officers s still a question.

Menard, IL - October 2017

Greetings comrades,
I'm writing you this scribe from the pit here inside Menard Correctional Center to
inform you on our resistance. Last year I took North 2 General Population yard hos-
tage and refused all orders from the warden on down to come off the yard peacefully.

Believe it or not, none of the prisoners from 7 gallery North 2 in Menard who was on
the yard stood firm with me. Al of them left the yard as soon as the oppressors’” cor-
rectional officers ordered them off the yard. Believe it or not, I didn't expect none of
them dudes 1o ride with me and didn’ ask them to either. Although correctional of-
ficers swear 1 did, they are mistakenly wrong. After about two hours of resistance and
showing nothing but ultimate disrespect to these pigs like they do us every chance
they get, they sent in the tactical team 1o get me off the yard, about § or 9 big white
pigs who attacked me called me & nigger numerous times as they pepper sprayed me.
and beat me up while yelling “stop resisting,” smashing my face into the ground,
kicking and punching me all over my body. Then they took me 1o the health care unit,
‘pushed on me again, and refused to give me any medical treatment for my injuries. I
was then placed in a van with three pigs and driven to Pontiac Correctional Center to
serve 9 months in the hole. While at Pontiac. word came to me that the comrades in
the west house in the pit at Menard Correctionsl Center made a similar stand. They
refused to come off the yard, about 50 or so prisoners resisting ll orders from these
pigs for hours, then the warden convinced them the administration would meet their
demands if they came off the yard. So they came off the yard and were escoried back
to their assigned cells. The warden then sent the tactical team to each of their cells,
put their asses on a bus, and shipped them off to other prisons all over the state of
linois. Some got segregation time, and some got Administrative Detention (A.D.)

I'm telling you this story cause in resistance there s no such thing as surrender or
retreat, and the next fime we resist the only thing we should be saying in a loud voice
is no surrender, no retreat, no surrender, no retreat, no surrender, no retreat. I’s us
‘against them by any and all means necessary. The key advance we got on them, they.
come to work expecting to retum home, 50 it's only so much they are willing to do,
especially if our hands and legs are free of shackles. A lot of us are expected to dic
here in prison and a lot of us have already died in prison, may their souls RIP. With
this being said. we have nothing to lose. and everything to gain. “Give me liberty or
give me death.” Whether innocent or guilty we are all reated the same and have the
same common enemy. I say unite and fight until the end.

Indeed your brother,
Vernon Tolbert #B45914

PO Box 1000
Menard, IL. 62259

Page 24
ALMIOETT PER AND PAPER:
CRIETANICES AND LRTARL FORK

Richmond, TX - December 2017

Sincerely.

Randy (Shabbazz) Bowden
#1827604

Jester 3 Unit

3 Jester Rd.

Richmond, TX 77406

Page 25
nois Department of Corrections mental
health staff denial of inmate treatment at

Pontiac Corr Center - September 2017

o e F st med et K. She i v e S St
el i o o The e f s o . i 070 129

Darrell Drummond R-19802
Pontiac Corr. Center

700 W. Lincoln St.

PO Box 99

Pontiac, IL 61769

Page 26
Boise, ID - September 2017

my transfer | have begun receiving the much needed medical treatment that I've

been longing for: Estrogen and testosterone blocker. Overall the system is a lot
better for me here as a transgender woman. However, there are still lot o struggles
and issues that transgenders face in the prison system. I will continue to advocate
and fight for change.

1 still have an active case in the US Dist. Court in Nev. U.S. Dist Trost .
Cox 3:14-CU-00611 MMD WGC regarding transgender issues. I also filed an ap-
peal to my name change to that of Daisy Meadows and will now reapply for a legal
change of name here in Idaho. In addition to that, I'm also going to file a new civil
rights complaint here in Idaho to fight for the trans community.

Most trans feel hopeless and defenseless, subjected to threats, retaliation,
beatings, repressive or conversion therapy, mind control, and worse.

Girls, please be strong and stick together. We all might not get along but
don’t divide on the issues we all relate to and the issues that really matter to us as
a whole. 1 love you all, be proud, and keep your heads up. Keep fighting, unite and
stand tall. Stand up for yourselves and your ssters and your rights. Help and change
is coming. We have to hold onto hope and our injustices will be brought to light and
everyone will see just how corrupt and eruel the DOC is and see clearly just how
‘much they hate and are disgusted by Trans women that have done nothing to deserve
the horrible treatment and abuse we receive,

Girls, you are not alone. There are people out there who care and who are
fighting. 1 will never give up.

I.. June, the Nevada Department of Corrections transferred me to Idaho. Since

In Solidarity,

Miss R. Trost ak.a. Daisy Meadows
#124194

ISCI Unit 16

PO Box 14

Boise, ID 83707

Page 27
Mentally ill inmates sue Bristol sheriff over
solitary confinement - January 2018

By Maria Cramer

Itps:/lwww bostonglobe comimetrol2018/01/09/mentally-ill-inmates-sue-bristol-

county-sheriff-hodgson-over-solitary-confinement/MMmiSyaPeUnnatBEasOmeM/
story himl

Bristol County Jail Tuesday, alleging they were placed in solitary confinement
for at least 22 hours a day while receiving lttle treatment for their conditions.

“It should be obvious 10 defendants and to any reasonable person that the
conditions imposed [on the inmates] cause tremendous mental anguish, suffering
‘and pain 1o such individuals,” asserts the lawsuit, filed against Sheriff Thomas M
Hodgson and other jail offiials in Plymouth Superior Court. “Defendants are delib-
erately indifferent to the substantial sk of serious harm suffered by plainiffs.”

‘The allegations are based on complaints by the inmates and interviews with
dozens of former inmates at the Bristol County House of Correction and Jail in North
Dartmouth and the Ash Street Jail in New Bedford.

Afier receiving repeated complaints about the facilities, lawyers from two
advocacy groups, Prisoners’ Legal Services of Massachusetts and the Mental Health
Legal Advisors Committee, interviewed 100 inmates who cither had mental health
isues or had been put in solitary confinement, also known as segregation. They also
reviewed their medical records.

“We had been hearing horror stories for many years from prisoners in Bris-
tol,” said Bonnie Tenneriello, a staff attomney at Prisoners’ Legal Services.

‘The lawsuit accuses the Bristol County Sheriff’s Office of failing to assess
inmates” mental health history before placing them in segregation or providing effec-
tive treatment

Hodgson sharply denied the allegations in the complaint and said the law-
‘yers had been manipulated by the inmate:

“This lawsuit s riddled with inaccuracies, misconceptions, and out-and-out
lies." he said. “Surprise, surprise, we might have people in our facilities who are not
telling the truth.”

Hodgson said state agencies and national accreditation organizations regu-
larly visit the jails and review their policies and procedures toward inmates.

‘The Jails have consistently been found to be in compliance with national
standards, Hodgson said. Mental health services are provided by Correctional Psy-
chiatric Services in Braintree, which has decades of experience treating inmates with
mental illness.

“I'm going to rely on the experts when I'm deciding how policy is going to
work here and how we need o improve our system,” Hodgson said. “I don't go and
ask inmates in & kind of polling situation whether or not they think they 're getting
enough food or this or that and rely solely on what they say.”

Page 28

Thmc inmates with serious mental llness filed a lawsuit against officials a the

Hodgson accused Prisoners’ Legal Services of using the inmates to further
their “political agends’” of regulating solitary confinement more closely. The Legisla-
ture has passedacriminal justice bill thatcalls for more oversightof inmate segregation.

“Shame on Prisoners’ Legal Services for trying to use this tactic in such an
underhanded way,” he said. “We're going to fight [this lawsuit], and when the facts
come out I think they re going to be embarrassed that they tried this route.”

The lawsuit states that the suicide rate at Bristol County jails is twice as
high asin other county jails in Massachusetts and three times higher than the national
rate in jails. In 2016, there were four suicides at the Bristol County Jail, two of them
by inmates who were held in segregation, according to the lawsuit

‘The New England Center for Investigative Reporting documented suicides
at county jail, including those in Bristol, in a report published last May in the Globe.
Inmates are placed in segregation f jail officials believe they pose a security threa,
need protection from other inmates, or are found guilty of a disciplinary infraction.

‘The inmates want a judge to prevent jail offcials from placing inmates with
serious mental illness in segregation, develop alternative disciplinary measures for
‘mentally ill inmates, and evaluate inmates for mental health conditions when they
arrive at the jail.

Prisoners can spend weeks or even years in segregation, inmates alleged.

The lawsuit was filed by two men and one woman who were placed in seg-
regation despite well-documented mental illness

‘Danyel Battle, 27, has a long history of bipolar disorder and depression and
has been held at the jail since March 2016. He was placed in segregation for fighting
‘and disobeying orders, impulsive behavior connected to his mental health problems,
according to the lawsui,

Megan Downey, 31, had been hospitalized repeatedly for depression and
anxiety. She was sent to solitary for minor infractions. such as receiving a book from
another inmate and refusing to share a cell with a woman who had fought with her,
according to the suit,

“Andy Welch, 43, who was abused as a boy, had a history of suicide attempts
and diagnoses of post-traumtic stress disorder and bipolar disorder when he was
sentenced to Bristol County Jail in November 2014,

“Nevertheless, he has repeatedly been housed in segregation for prolonged
periods, where at times he has become delusional as his mental health deteriorates,”
the lawsuit states. Welch has been in segregation for nearly two years

Medical professionals recommend that jails and prisons identify inmates
with serious mental illness and avoid puting them in segregation. But medical re-
cords at the Jail show there is often no clinical review of inmates before they are
segregated, the lawsuit claims

“When such a clini
10 be cursory.” it read.

I review is documented in the records, it often appears

Page 29
Nevada Department of Corrections stratagem

continues hiding the truth - September 2017

e e i
e e e e o

e GRS Yt ot

e e

il ki par sy o e g At o

BT i e N

RS

Keith A. Warren 23562
Lovelock CC

1200 Prison Rd.
Lovelock, NV 89419

Lovelock, NV- December 2017

s is Tippy here to give you an update on my status. I'm sill at Lovelock
Corr. Ctr. and still getting retaliated against. Administration and the Inspector
General's office believes that the officer was in the right, and I was wrong in

all aspects.

I do know Amber is still in the hole here at LCC and she is getting a lot of
sexual harassment from LCC c/o's. To write to Amber you should write to Justin
Mendoza #1079266 the same addsess as myself. I want to shout out to Amber and let
her know I love her and will always be there for her anywhere she goes. | also want
to shout out to Daisy and to let her know I am always here for her. Daisy, I will be
sending out a letter.

1 want everyone to know that my civil case number is Tipton vs. Guice
3:17-CU-00032RCJ-UPC and still waiting on the court. I do plan on doing another
lawsuit on LCC. Peace out Tippy!

Page 50

Duane Tipton #69967
Lovelock Correctional Center
1200 Prison Rd.

Lovelock, NV 89419

urkish state, allies, invade Afrin, Rojava
- January 2018

threatened invasion of Rojava, or “Western Kurdistan,” in the autonomous and
revolutionary north of Syria. Turkey had previously attacked the isolated Ro.

javan canton of Afrin, pounding it with artillery and aircraft, before launching of
ound invasion. Brave men and women of the Syrian Democratic Force

tand b the Turkish army and the revolutonary territory of th

“onfederation of Northern S

In January of 2018, the Turkish army and their Syrian proxies launched a long

Militia woman
from the
‘Women'
Defense Units
(YPJ). Art by
Janet Biehl

Page 31
SOLIDARITT: TORKING
ATROSS THE BARS

Charleston, MO - December 2017

here is a great organization that helps prisoners that I want you to tell every-
one abou:

Dennis Sobin, Director
Safe Streets Art Foundation

2514 Virginia Ave., NW #58043

‘Washington, DC 20037

wivw SafeStreetsArts.org.

wew PrisonsFoundation.org.

‘The Foundation exhibits art by imprisoned artist, publishes books by pris-
oners, and presents prisoner-written plays at the Kennedy Center. Is director, Dennis
Sobin, spent 10 years in prison after being falsely accused of a non-existent crime.
Upon his release, he wrote several books, and received many awards for his fight
against injustice. and over-incarceration in America.

20% of the population in this country has serious mental health problems
33.5% of the homeless population in this country has serious mental health prob-
lems. $4% of the prisoners in this country have serious mental health problems. 80%
of the children that go into foster care end up in prison.

This is a direct effect of the closings of state mental hospitals in the 1980's
All four groups get litle or no counseling or rehabilitation programs to help us!!!
Why is this?

For more information about this problem, contact:

National Alliance on Mental Illness

Development Office:

3808 N Fairfax Dr., Suite 100

Aslington, VA 22203-1700

(703) 5247600 or 1-800-944-6264 ext 794

Email: development@nami.org / Web: www.nami.org
NAMI helpline: 1-§00-950-6264

Page 52
Prisoners have sent me letters asking me to send them the address and more informa-
tion about the Job Accommodation Network. Contact them at:

Kim Cordingly, Ph.D.- Lead Consultant/Self-Employment
Job Accommodation Network

‘West Virginia University

PO Box 6080

Morgantown, WV 265006080

800-526-7232 (v) 877-718-9403 (TTY)

hitp:/ASKIAN org

‘The Job Accommodation Network (JAN) is a program of the US Department of La-
bor's Office of

seling, and referral service providing resourey
Act (ADA) and other relevant laws, workplace accommodations for people with
disubilites, and assistance with self-employment, and small business development
options.

“Once a government is committed to the principle of silencing the voice of oppos
tion, it has only one way 10 go, and that is down the path of increasingly repressive
‘measures, until it becomes a source of terror to all ts citizens and creates a country
where everyone lives in fear

~Harry . Truman, August 8, 1950

NEVER AGAIN!I!

Robert S. Tabak.
COMMENTART AND CALLS 70 ACTION

FL - December 2017

JPay’s tablet program, with all those awesome features, s great. And, if you

invested any money in Access Correction Song Credits for their MP3/MP4
digital music player, so is the loss. File for reimbursal! This is loss of property (per.
Chapter 33), deprivation of property (under the 14 Const. Amend) and once adrminis-
trative remedies are exhausted, cause for a tort claim or civil complaint for injury and
monetary damages incurred. It is also like taking candy from a baby. if you let it. “I
know FL DOC inmates ain't laying down like dat!” Pick up that pen, those informal
rievances,ete. Have your families get involved, email Tallahassee and all. I'm “bout
my money! Are you?

TM transition from Access Correction’s MP3/MP4 digital music player to

100%
Eric B

Ps. Don't contribute to FDOC's pockets by inaction. Outside help welcomed too.

Page 51
Ely, NV- October 2017

ear ND.OC. readers,
A new lawicase passed and wow, rather yall should be aware. Mitchell v.

Lopez 2011 US Dist. Nev. Lexis 16524 3:08-CV-D38Z-ECR (RAM) dated
11912011

‘The failure to respond to & grievance within the time allotted by AR. 740
(45 days) means that there is no available remedy to you, and you may either proceed
10 the next level or you have completed the grievance process.

Miller v. Norris, 247 F.3d 736, 740 (8th Cir 2001) (holding that “a remedy
that prison officials prevent a prisoner utilizing is not an available remedy” under §
1997 (@)

Sapp v. Kimbrell, 623 F:3d B13 B22 (9th Cir 2010) (citing Nunez v. Dun-
can, 591 F3d 1217, 122b (9th Cir 2010))

Brown v. Croak, 312 E3d 109, 111-112 (3rd Cir 2002). In Brown the Third
Cireuit considered whether an inmate could rely on instructions by prison officials
that he had to await the outcome of a pending investigation when this ultimately
rendered the grievance procedure unavailable to him. Brown, 312 F3d at 112

‘The Prison Litigation Reform Act (PLRA) requires that an inmate exhaust
only those administrative remedies “as are available.” 42 U.S.C. § 1997 ¢ (a).

‘The Ninth Circuit has recognized that PLRA “does not require exhaustion
when circumstances render administrative remedies effectively unavailable.”

1t the law,

Sincerely and appreciatively,

Brian Eugene Lepley
#58197

Ely State Prison

PO Box 1989

Ely, NV 89301-1989
Baraga, MI - December 2017

IV e v e o s vt

*Awareness®
Despite what we do to cause what they did to us in response to what we did to become
their prisoners (slaves), we must face reality and place the blame on ourselves for our
actions. Once you'll reach that true state of mind, then it's ime to focus further on
ourselves while in their slave ships (modern prisons) and utilize all that is available
10 us by them which is: Access to all the educational materials we can get our hands
on to develop ourselves. You must recognize all of the truths sbout yourself and face
all adversities before you as a man.

*After the becoming®
Once you have recognized yourself, and have developed, it’s time for you to stop
the erying and stand up for your rights. The cost of being a man can cause others
to bring adverse actions against you by the individuals who are a despisers of your
affirmation.

*The commencement*
‘The commencement forward is the plan to ensure your rights are not subjected to
afflictions by others, and this does not exclude prison officials who are the ones that
every prisoner in every state claim are the abusers of them.

I this is true in the prisons you are at then it’s time you all (we) develop
a coalition with each other in your unit, wing, rock, who is being subjected to this
form of abuse, come together, develop a unified plan to deal with these malfeasance
employees. As a group you have more power than individually, so you must band
together and as a group deal with that employee by whatever the best means neces-
sary to prevent further wrongdoings to any of you

As you know you will have repercussions for the actions you all take, but
it wil ereate a change because disruption causes people at the 10p to want to know
why the actions by all of the prisoners against the wrongdoer. In doing this you have
ereated unity that you must continue on all matters. Don't change the approach. Deal
with all employees all the same. It lets them know if they bring shit, they get shit
Stand your ground. Don’t bow down until you've accomplished what you set out
to accomplish. They'Il reach a determination and if it’s in your favor then you've
accomplished the goal which i to let that particular officer know that his behavior
towards you and others is over. The other officers and administration must be told
what will no longer be tolerated and that it was because of their failure to protect you
all form these abusers. you all have formed a group unified and will sacrifice all of
‘your privileges and if necessary future to stop these employees” acts against you.

98% of prison staff are not abusive. We don’t tolerate abuse and when we

Page 56

find it we stand as one regardless of their attempts to abuse us further. If they want to
support their cause, then it's “altemative sacrifices” to be made as the solution which
could result in a very serious act, necessary acts.

You build unity and the public groups will be there to support you. We
inmates in every state wil support you. We all endure the same things from these
racist, prejudice, sadistic, malicious abusers.

Al of you must put together a team of prisoners to present to the admin-
itration of the wrongs an employee is doing to give them a chance to respond ap-
propriately. If they choose to allow that complaint by you all to go unanswered, you
then must commence to the next decided phase of your protest. Peace and account-
ability is the goal, but if that don’t work you must decide as group what the next
ourse of action will be. It can only be one result: change for the betterment.

9-10-16 we the prisoners sent a message to the Michigan Department of
Corrections that we will not tolerate being abused. We seck opportunities to be re-
sponsible men and they sought to attack us and it cost them 23 million dollars as
K.C.F.was setafire by a group that decided that they needed a real message. and got .

Now they have opened up their ears. Wonder why? Wake up, stand up, fight

There are many organizations in society that support us and each of you
should contact them, plug yourself in, let us know what is going on so we can all be
ners in Michigan are growing stronger from facility to facility.

i read about the K.C F., g0 to Paul Egan DetroitFrecPress.com or
Twitter Pegan.4 or you can call the reporter and seek a copy of all of his reports on
Michigan prisons.

We are building a relationship with all inmates of all races, sexualities,
religions. We Are One is our platform.

‘We seck the opportunities we deserve. They say we are slaves because we
are convicted felons, 13th amendment so they pay us minimum wage for jobs at 87
cents a day up 1o $3.10 a day. This is going to change soon or ?

So you all need to get together and list all of the things that you need to
become better: wages increase, parole board reviews, etc., vocational, educational,
medical, legal access programs, etc. Make a list of what you seek as a group and
push that 1o the administration. Spread the message to all uts, all prisoners meet
up with all groups, find out what they think and bring your attention together and act
onit

Itcan only get brighter as it's dark now. We are the future, change is gonna.
come if you rise up as one.

Juivonne Littlejohn 141899
Baraga Correctional Facil
13924 Wadaga Rd.
Baraga, M1 49908

Page 57
Obliterating food contamination in prisons out

of retaliation - October 2017

evolutionary greetings,
My name is Lucky. A blahk power fist salute to comrade Melody Simp-

son that was severely abused in the following was: sexually assaulied, mail
damaging, and her food was infested with bodily fluids at the Lane Murray Unit in
Gatesville, TX. Your defiant spirit is recognized and admirable, and I stand in the
same spirit with you compassionately. Comrade Melody Simpson, if you're reading
this article, contact me ASAP for further support and action. I've been under attack
for many years fighting oppressors on all levels. My food has been contaminated
with bodily fluids out of retaliation and in attempt to break my defiant spirit. They
will never break it, and I will never fake it, because I have what it takes to make it
I'm uh blahk uncompromising revolutionary brother. Most inmates here hae been
broken by the oppressors” slave mentality tactics. The bought-out Uncle Toms are
the main pawns in the white racist chess game against strong defiant blahk brothers,
divide and oppress. Most of the blahks here at the Clements Unit have been bought
‘We must work through this platform to collect the mind of those who are victors
of fecal/bodily fluids infested food. Notice, I said victors, not victims. They are in
the wrong, we are in the right, victory is ours when we move collectively, unity is
our path to victory. The law of justice always rules. Fighting and tearing apart thi
demon of contaminating food with bodily fluids, fecal matter, glass or psychotropic
medication is defeatable, but this victorious fight isn't for wimps or the fainthearted,
it’s for the passionate. Only those that have the I can, I will attitude need to respond.
Because we can, we will, we dare, we do! We can and we will obliterate the con-
tamination of prisoners’ food with bodily fuids, fecal matter, glass, psychotropic
medications out of retaliation for exposing prison abuses. Victory is ours, but we
must as uh collective fight with definiteness of purpose, persistence and a burning
desire to obliterate these evils which have no power, but the power we give them.
‘We will infuse this action plan in every prison nationally, If you're part of the free-
world readership or within prison walls and want to participate in the defeat of thi
‘giant demon of food contamination, contact me now, for further strategy o fortify
our revolutionary brothers and sisters who are facing this injustice o who have
faced this problem before. If you have family members who have suffered in this
way, contact me now and join us in the defeat of this injustice. No matter what your
nationalistic identity is, you're welcome to join this victorious fight

Comrade Lucky, stiff resistance!

Mr. Patrick O"Neal Mozee 144-8936
Clements Unit

9601 Spur 591

Amarillo, TX 79107

Page 58
Corcoran, CA - November 2017

‘quish power for the illusion of being accepted by those hired to maintain our

captivity. All of a sudden, lifelong criminals and gang members fancy the
idea of being *cool’ with officials, some even believing they're friends. The officials
use prisoners’ influence, status, and of course their ignorance to do everything, from
inciting ongoing incidents of violence to hustling contraband. In exchange, perks
like a false sense of freedom from being out of the cell all day everyday, or some
advanced notice of a search to come i offered in return, feeding that illusion of
self-importance and belonging. They actually believe because of some relationship.
in which a dirty cop relies on them o be just as foul, they are special and somehow
better than neighboring prisoners, even going so far as to compete maliciously for
officials” acceptance.

While what 1 describe may have been going on for sometime now, cur-
rently it has reached a point where it’s some kind of fad, more apparent and open at
many of the level 4 yards I've been on since 2004. As a reminder, resistance can be
s simple as refusing to be or become what they once called house negro, jig-a-boo,
or porch monkey.

Personally, my resistance comes from not being a follower, or open 10 be-
ing used by anyone just so I may feel better about self or the outcome of my life
Resistance is informing those who fit the bill that when you run out of use, your
official friends, partner, or handlers will throw you away as so many before you.
Resistance is loving yourself more than that!

Tnc evolution of most California Prisons disgust me because prisoners relin-

John Bleep Williams #V34099
Corcoran State Prison
3L05-126

PO Box 3471

Corcoran, CA 93212

Page 39
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