| Return To Roy Pippin's Homepage |
Friends,
I visited Roy Tuesday. We had
a great visit. He ate and drank A LOT.
Consequently, our visit ended just
a little early. He appeared gaunt
to me (if you can call 215 pounds gaunt).
He has a rash. He continues
to lose weight because of the food
portions. His stomach is gradually
adjusting to food.
Although one part of him is very anxious
to get back to Level 1, he told
me he is glad he is able to see what
is going on on Level 2 and
particularly on F Pod. He plans
to keep me updated on things we should
know to bring attention to problems
that need to be corrected.
Food continues to be a day in day out
problem. The improvement
previously noted was transitory, suggested
there might have been a tour
or tours. Roy feels strongly
that inmates on Level 2 and 3 should be
allowed to purchase food from commissary
to supplement the meager
meals. I understand his point.
They are starving. However, I do not
agree with his solution. I believe
the state of Texas is obligated to
feed prisoners adequate amounts. Withholding
food is inappropriate
punishment for disciplinary problems.
Some prisoners don't have $10 to
spend every 2 weeks to supplement their
meals even if it were allowed.
We need to get a commitment from food
service to correct this
intolerable problem immediately and
to check with our friends and
relatives regularly to prevent backsliding.
Heavy handed behavior with overuse of
pepper spray by trigger happy
guards continues to be a problem.
Nancy
Letter excerpts:
Jan 4
Well, Just another day full of gassing
and beatings. I'm sitting here
with wet toilet paper in my nostrils
and a wet rag in my mouth. They
just sprayed the 4th can in Number
12's cell. This makes 3 "jacked
slots" today. Why? They
are starving us, that's why. Today's lunch
shows up after 9:30 or 10 (Nancy note:
Remember breakfast is served at
3 AM.) Main dish: a concoction
of carrots broccoli stems, tomato and
some tiny pieces of cheese. 2
pieces of bread. 3 teaspoons of purple
cabbage, 4 teaspoons of corn, 3 teaspoons
of beans. It was so cold the
beans had a skin over them. It
was dried out. The cabbage juice had
thoroughly soaked the bread.*****
*****One gassing down, 2 more slots
to go to get by gassing.left, this
meal. The gas is extremely heavy.
Alvin and Serf are choking big
time. My sheet is over my door,
and I've got toilet paper to breathe
through. Paul is immune to it.
I just snapped, this rash could be from
all the gas. It stays all over
the bars in the day room and in the
sheets, blankets, and clothes we wear.******
*****Last night was a bad one.
Guess my body is still pissed off at
me. The rash gets worse for no
reason I can see. I slept from 8 PM
until 2 AM - got up to get mail and
went back out. Woke up covered with
the rash all over my legs, arms, stomach
and chest.*****
*****Porters last night said KPFT had
my hunger strike and protest on
the air.*****
****I'm hungrier after eating the complete
try of what they call chow.
A thin piece of pastrami, 2 slices
of bread, 4 teaspoons of cabbage, 5
teaspoons of peas, 9 pieces of carrot
(little circles), tea. Remember -
that's all you get for 9 or 10 hours
now. They need to allow food to be
bought to supplement these "snacks"
they call meals. Guys lie Lil Jack
suffer. His blood sugar goes
crazy each time a messed up meal like this
hits. He's afraid to take his shot
due to the small portions of food.
Like I said, they use to do 3 shots
- one before each meal, and now they
just do 2 bigger ones, and if he doesn't
have enough to eat or if meals
are extremely late like here of late,
then his system goes crazy. You
can see it in his mood swings.
*****Decent lunch for a change.
Cold, but a lot to eat. Chicken patty,
5 teaspoons of macaroni, 2 pieces of
bread 5 teaspoons of beans, 5
spoons of carrots, tea. Luckily
we got ours before ____ jacked the slot
and had to be run in on. The
gas reached over here, but not too bad.
They ran in and then gassed him after
they slammed him down. That is
not procedure. No "Submit to
strip search orders" prior to running.
Then gassing him in the face after
he is on the ground. Messed up
stuff. I figure tomorrow will
be wild.
****Meals are now being served at 3
AM, noon or later, and then 5 PM or
so. It's 6 PM, and no dinner.
| Return To Roy Pippin's Homepage |
