The air has been charged with tremendously high levels of stress and
uncertainty. There is an electrical charge hanging in the air. A storm
waiting to descend on us. The dragons want to eat, and we are ripe for
plucking. We are always ripe for plucking. We are always apt targets. We
are simply defenseless. It is only a matter of time before the fire
breathing begins in earnest. To make sure we do not go off in sympathy
for what they just did to another prisoner. A major shake down [search]
is imminent.

There is one pod - pod 6 - where 10 misfits are housed. It is right next
door to my pod, which is pod 5. The men in pod 6 are there because they
do not abide by the rules of the control unit. and this is the last
resort for them. Although the cells are the same, there are some harsher
rules for these men, especially when they are taken out of their cells
for any reason. They must strip completely naked and have their clothes
searched before being allowed to dress and be cuffed up to exit their
cells. Obviously these men do not give a damn about the police or their
rules. Yesterday one of these men was out in the exercise area. When he
was told to cuff up and be escorted back into the pod, he refused. The
police noticed this prisoner had a shank [home made knife] in his
possession. It is hard to understand how he could have a shank in his
possession since he was searched upon leaving his cell. Anyway, when he
refused to cuff up, the call went out on the radio that they had a
problem with a prisoner in pod 6 who would not cuff up, and that he was
believed to have a shank. The goon squad was called. Six to eight police
were also walking on the roof to look into the exercise yard. The loud
barking indicated that the German Shepard attack dog was brought along
as well.

When they could not talk this man into complying, the order was given to
gas him. Either mace or an Israeli Fogger was used on him. This is when
I was awakened. I had been asleep. I was not awakened by the noise, but
rather by the residual gas that flows into the vent system and reaches
everyone in the other five pods eventually. I started to gasp and cough.
I realized that someone must be getting gassed. The eyes start to tear
next. The best way to deal with this is to take a towel, wet it down and
place it over your mouth and nose. It does not stop the gas, but reduces
the effects somewhat.

Eventually the prisoner was subdued. For the next hour we continued to
suffer from the gas in the air. When you are locked in a cage, you can
not run away from such intrusions. You are captive prey and suffer
needlessly as well.

As a result, the only privilege we had, which was to come out of our
cells once a week for 30 minutes to clean our cells and the pod area,
was terminated. There is no logic to this action. You may ask, why do
they do this? It is simply retaliation. Everyone pays for the action of
one. So now we do not come out of our cells except for exercise and a
shower three times a week. Now we are also subjected to a full body
search before we can walk the 10 feet or so to the shower stall. Can you
believe that! You have no idea how dehumanizing it is to have to get
naked in front of another every time you have to leave your cell. You
are robbed of your dignity on a daily basis. If you do not comply, you
can not come out of your cell and have a 15 minute shower. It is little
wonder that there are some men who rebel against such practices, even
though the end result is known to be fruitless. It is just the reaction
against the madness. And sooner or later you will go mad yourself.
Welcome to prison ......

........................................................................

Richard Rossi, ASPC - Eyman, G.42, P.O. Box 3400, Florence, AZ. 85232
October 1999