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If it had just happened to me there
would be no need for this story. If
there wasn't wide-spread malicious
intent on the part of prison officials
across America to silence the voices
of some of the most talented imprisoned
writers - you wouldn't be reading this.
Last month, a publisher released my
first book of prison poems, titled,
Leaving Death Row, which is (to me),
only a personal testimonial and reflection
about prisons, Death Row,
injustice, jazz, love-lust and old
flames, dreams deterred - the fanciful
escape from death of the imagination.
So what did I write that was so disturbing? And to whom? I wonder.
In the mailroom at SCI-Greene, or somewhere
- I'd made an enemy. My
confidential legal mail is no longer
confidential - because someone began
opening the sealed envelopes - though
legal mail is to be opened in the
inmate's presence. Several publications
were - and continue to be, withheld
and rejected by the "Publications Review
Committee." Almost all of them
were merely literary magazines that
either wanted me to submit a piece or
review L.D.R. The mailroom even
seized as "contraband" multiple copies of
my updated publications list and Xeroxed
copies of my photograph that are
part of the promotional packet for
my book - even though the DC-ADM 803,
"Inmate Mail and Incoming Publications,"
policy, Sections P, Q, allows
multiple copies and a reasonable quantity
- the Mailroom Supervisor at
SCI-Greene says, I'm not. All
this because I wrote a book of poems?
The grievance process is a joke.
Each time I attempt to file one the
Grievance Coordinator only sends it
back to me, citing some nonexistent
defect as reasons for rejections.
If Pennsylvania D.O.C. Secretary Horn
claim that he'd restored the confidence
and the integrity of the grievance
process - then why is it being abused
with impunity at SCI-Greene? And if
Sec. Horn has publicly stated that
he will not tolerate insubordination from
his employees statewide - then why
is it that the Mailroom Supervisor and
staff regard his DC-ADM 803 Policy
with such contempt?
"This policy does not create rights
in any person nor should it be
interpreted or applied in such a manner
as to abridge the rights of any
individual," it concludes.
If any part of this is true - then why
is the First Amendment Right
protections wholly inapplicable to
me? If an imprisoned writer pens
something beautiful and of artistic
literary merit - shouldn't he or she be
heard? Why are their works obstructed
and demonized - rather than applauded
and embraced? If it had just
happened to me there would be no need for this
story. But it also happened to
Mumia Abu Jamal, author of the
internationally acclaimed Live from
Death Row, among other works. He sued
them - and won. Haven't they
learned anything?
Copyright 2000
R.S. Lewis
Leaving Death Row, a collection of poems,
is available from:
http://www.1stbooks.com
or 800-839-8640.
Also at Borders, Barnes & Noble,
Amazon.com
I am calling on people to write, fax
and e-mail the PA D.O.C. and demand
that an investigation be conducted
about the grievance procedure and that
the Mailroom Supervisor and staff be
replaced.
Martin F. Horn, Secretary, Commissioner,
Pa. Dept of Corrections,
Department of Corrections
2520 Lisburn Road
P.O. Box 598
Camp Hill, PA 17001-0598
TEL: (717) 975-4859
FAX: (717) 787-1758
http://www.cor.state.pa.us/overview.htm
E-mail to State of Pennsylvania: webmaster@state.pa.us
SCI GREENE
Conner Blaine, Superintendent
175 Progress Drive
Waynesburg, PA 15370
TEL: (724) 852-2902
FAX: (724) 852-2909
Also, support Jere Krakoff, Esquire
Pennsylvania Institutional Law Project
1705 Allegheny Building
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15219
TEL: (412) 232-0276
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