We at  The Canadian Coalition Against the Death Penalty  recieved the following report from Illinois death row inmate Darrin Shatner, who has recieved abuse and threats from gaurds due
to his religious beliefs.   He is a victim of religious persecution at Menard prison. He has not
been allowed to phone his family in over two years, as well as having his legal mail illegally
intercepted and tampered with when he attempted to bring his attorneys attention to this abuse.
He is afraid for his life at the hands of guards and others and asks that all who read this letter
do what they can to encourage a full scale investigation and wants to be moved, saying that
he may be tortured even worse after this letter, but that the abuse is so bad he wants
immediate public attention placed on it!

To whom it may concern this complaint is based on the actions of correctional officers on the Death Row unit at Menard Prison in Menard Illinois. These officers are violating both state and federal law by opening inmates legal mail, violating inmates religious rights, and behaving in a way that otherwise constitutes torture.

The two main conspiritors in the aforementioned acts are one Lt. Westerman, and C/O Dobbs. On 12/18/98 Lt. Westerman came to my cell (2-35) and asked me for my ring, which is a religious symbol. It is a pentacle (a star,  star enclosed in a circle) To Rosicrucians this represents Universal life, and Unity of all things.

I tried to explain this to Lt. Westerman when he told me that he was taking my ring, he said "I don't care what you say,  it's Devil Worship and I want it now".
I then asked to see Captain Pierce, at this time Lt. Westerman got visibaly upset and stated "you don't need a Captain,  I Can handle a Devil Worshipper".
I began yelling for the Captain until he came, he told me at this time that I would have to give up  the ring "because it's Devil Worship".

I gave the ring to the Captain and told him that this is wrong and that I am not a Devil Worshipper I ama Rosicrucian. Lt. Westerman then said to the Captain "Oh they're Devil Worshippers too", and the Captain said "okay" and walked away. Shortly after this Lt. Westerman brought me a shake down slip stating that he had taken "one up-side star"  from me, meaning  that it was a relic off Satanism. A Pentacle can be seen as an up-side star if you are ignorant of it's meaning or what religion it represents, a Rosicrucian is in no way associated with Satanism. That very same day, Father Hayes made rounds of the unit, I spoke to him about what had taken place earlier in the day.

He told me that they were not supposed to have taken my ring since it is a religious symbol. He also told me that he would see what he could do to try and get it back for me. I have as yet to hear any thing about my ring,as far as I know it is confiscated. I feel that this is a direct attack upon myself and my religion, other inmates and denominations are allowed to have symbols that represent their faiths. Christians, Muslims, Buddhists, and so forth are allowed to have religious symbols, Lt. Westerman has denied me mine, and I would like it back as soon as possible.  Two days later, on 12 / 20/98 Lt.  Westerman and Officer
Dobbs escorted me to the shower (cell 2-27), this shower has a steel door on it, and a chuck hole that the officers must unhandcuff you from. Officer Dobbs then ordered me to back up to the bars and uncuff. Lt. Westerman told him to "hurry up" and laughed, upon taking of f the cuffs Officer Dobbs pulled the handcuffs very hard hurting my arm. I yelled at them and asked them what they were doing, since he kept on pulling my arms I yanked my arms back I could not allow him to just hurt me.

At this time Lt. Westerman told me to put my arms back out now I told him that I wasn't going to put them back out if he was going to continue to hurt me, he (Lt. Westerman) told me "put your fucking arms back out here now". I put my arms back out, and he again pulled the handcuffs very hard, when he had gotten them off I asked him what the problem was and Lt. Westerman said "Fuck YOU, Mrs. Shatner, you cryin ass bitch", Officer Dobbs then kicked the chuckhole shut banging it on my hand. Officer Dobbs wrote me a ticket for assault, saying in part that I pulled my hand back causing him to hit his hand on the chuckhole. t was I that was injured, I showed the Medical Technician  Mr Herron the injury to my arm as well as Sgt. Flowers. I was given 6 months segregation which means that I cannot use the telephone to call my family, I will only receive one shower every week, I will not be able to have any contact visits with my son, among other things for the duration of the time that I am in segregation.
On 12.24.98, I went to the hearing on the false ticket that Officer Dobbs wrote me for the assault while in the hearing room, Lt. Westerman  observed by Anthony Ehlers (B-60794, cell 2-34), entered my cell carrying a large manila envelope. Upon my return to my cell Mr. Ehlers notified me that Lt. Westerman had been in my cell and that he had entered with a manila envelope, but had not left with it. I made a search of my cell and found to my amazement that Lt. Westerman had left an envelope with the words on it "Merry Hole". He was in effect saying"you are a woman, wear this skirt bitch". How can a Lieutenant get away with such unprofessional actions? How is such harassment be legal or even ethical?
I decided to send the skirt  and envelope to my attorney.. Terry Maraquin at Capital Litigation Division, 60 w. Jackson blvd., Suite 600, Chicago llinois, 60661. I also wrote her a letter asking her to take care of it or I would take care of it the convict way. On 12.28.98 I recieved a ticket written by Lt. Westerman, for Intimidation and Threats, Abuse of privliges, and Unauthorized Property. He opened my mail to my attorney read the contents, and upon seeing that I was sending the skirt that he placed in my cell to my attorney decided to try and cover himself by writing me up for Unauthorized Property. He admits that he opened my confidential legal mail because he quoted the letter that I wrote to my attorney. Legal mail is private, no one, not even Lt. Westerman has the right to open and read my legal mail, it is against the law. There are other legal letters that I have sent out that have not reached their destination. in light of what Lt. Westerman has dono. I am sure that he is the reason that my other legal mail has disappeared. This type of illegal behavior is typical of Lt. Westerman, and Officer Dobbs, they do these things with no fear of reprisals or reprecussions for their actions.   So I ask, how is a person in my position  supposed to get any justice, I was sent to punishment, not to be punished, harassed, and dehumanized. If these correctional personnel can get away with something so outright illegal as opening inmates legal mail, how soon will it be before they beat me, or sneak into my cell and kill me?

Yet this is not all, due to being a Rosicrucian I cannot eat meat and have asked for a vegetarian diet numerous times, the head chaplain "Father Haze" has approved this Religious diet  2 or 3 months ago, I have even spoken to the superintendant and the asst warden as well as Capt Pierce to no avail !
The death row counselor Larry Whittenburg told me that the unit
superintendant informed him that "it's not going to happen".

I have become a TARGET for such abuse and mental and emotional tortures as I have even been barred from going to any church at all witness to this is one Rev Banks as I have heard it officers tell him I am a devil worshipper, and too my lawyer Mrs Marraquin at phone # 312 814-5100 when here on  visitation she asked officers why I could not go to church, c/o's then said "Shatner,  0 that FUCKING devil worshipper!" etc. I have recieved this kind of torture too much now and the prejudice against me has spread through out the officers ranks too deeply for any kind of fairness in my treatment here at Menard! It is so many things I can in no way write them all one is my property however my family spent over $500.00 on a guitar for me and I can't even play,  yet Lr. Westerman has told me how nice it sounds and other officers have said the same. I have not been able to call my family in over 2 years and will not be able to call them for another 4 years as it stands now, I am on death row and that time for me is gone. There are Laws against this (Rights of prisoners second edition §11.06 legal mail. and §13,07 telephone access). With all of this said it is quite clear that LT. Westerman and CIO Dobbs as well as other officers have made me a target and are harassing me and are intent on injuring me, I can't even leave my cell to shower in fear that they will plant something in my cell or beat me, it is also that the  the grievance committee is in cahoots with CO Dobbs and LT.Westerrnan as they support all they do to punish me for not I have done, I have never harmed any staff nor been violent in any way and yet the facts are I am in a steel door cell and can't shower or breath, I will never be able to use the telephone again and talk to my family, nor to have a contact visit with my son, and to top it all off I can't even write my lawyer out of fear these officers will use it against me in court in this too I can't even visit with my lawyer unless it is behind glass meaning that the officer can listen to all that is said to my lawyer through their intercom system, I SAY IF AN OFFICER WILL BREAK THE LAW and sneak in a woman's skirt to a male prison to plant in a inmates cell and then open and read a inmates LEGAL mail and then'write that inmate a ticket Quoting a letter to his lawyer and then the adjustment committee support it and give me more punishment then how far will they go in other things?

Are we foolish enough to accept that this is the only unjust they have done?

I pray and ask that who ever reads this place a full scale investigation on these matters, and if can be done to move me a place where I will be safe from these Correctional Officers and others here at Menard.
as after this letter, I will be tortured 10 times worse !

Thank you for your time.   - - Darrin Shatner

                                             Write directly to:

                                      Mr Darrin Shatner
                            Box 711  #B 42950
                              Menard Illinois
                             62259 0711 USA

 I am a 31 year old male Astrologer who is kind, honest, loving, caring and sincere. SEEKING FRIENDSHIP. Desiring correspondence with others who are past the games, lies, and other bull, but looking for real friendship and healthy ways to better themselves and life, have fun, likes to laught and smile, and Loves writing !
And be supportive to a down and out man.

Interests are ("Gasp") ASTROLOGY, Travel, sailing and motor boating, nature, Goddess, (pagans, Wiccans are very welcome) Reiki healing, magic, and other esoteric philosophy, Native American SHANANISM, Aviation, India, Greek myth, Egyptian spirituality, seeking the higher spiritual realms through new old and or unique ways, open for new interests and desires have any you may like to share ?
I also need help in obtaining books for growth.

I ask that you write to me (the old timey way) snail mail at the address below, as it just works better that way, please send your address along with it so I can write you back, Date, Time & Place of birth will be helpful too. Photo is of me and my son "Dustin".

                                                  
                                                      Blessed Be,

                                     Darrin Shatner # B-42950
                                              P.O. Box 711