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ROY PIPPIN REPORTS
Feb 14, 2002
****Just when you thought
it was safe to go back into the water! Good
grief! I'm so tired
of speeches I could scream. This time it was
"Regional 1 Division".
Men walking the rec areas (mostly) and asking a
few questions of some prisoners.
I was asleep as 2 came in to talk to
Troy and Alvin. No
problem - After they walked all the pods "Call
Pippin" to Captain's office
for a talk. A Lt. Lawrence and Sgt Parker
came to get me. Did
Polunsky know these directors were coming? Uh -
Yep! The gates in
the halls were staffed with a guard to check IDs as
each staff member went through.
Hmm, never saw that before! Into the
office I go. Two guys
looking pissed off before a word is said.
The first
staement went like this. "We talked to over 30 men today
on all different pods, and
no one is making any complaints like you
are. Why does Pippin
think Pippin gets to be treated differently"? I
just looked at him and let
him continue talking for 5 minutes (speech),
and finally tried to interupt.
Bad idea. Ole Robinson said, "Shut
up". Said that they
would allow me to speak without interruptions. So
when I finally got to speak,
of course they injected comments after each
sentence. Robinson
asked why I write all the grievances and the
internal affairs letters
and no one else does. I said I started writing
letters and I 60s when we
were moved here and nothing worked, so I
finally did a protest and
hunger strike - interruption of - "Oh we know
all about that - It's your
right to protest "all by yourself" all you
want". I stated I
wrote someone on each wing saying I wanted to do it
alone, that I never tried
to incite a prisonwide protest. On and on they
went with their "No one
else complains" statements.
I was
asked about specific complaints. I'm already mad due to the
prolonged speeches by both
men. I tried to think of everything but kept
getting interupted.
I asked Robinson, "Would you lock your dog in a
closet for 17 days -24 hours
a day?". His answer, "Yes"! Then Lewis
said it was because of an
incident (Rudd) where the security of the
prison was breeched.
Score one for me, "Yes - drugs your staff brought
in were found in one man's
property you were killing that day, so al
440+ men get tortured for
17 days"? "It isn't torture", he said. "You
put yourself here in prison".
I said "To be housed until my sentence is
carried out or reversed
- not to be tortured". Same old bullshit
response: "It's for
the sake of security and the safety of the
officers." I continued
politly trying to voice my complaints but was
ridiculed, interrupted,
and they tried to intimidate me on every turn.
Especially Robinson - saying
all kinds of crazy statements about how it
could be a lot worse.
It was one more example of the fox watching over
the other foxes that watch
over the chicken coop. "We aren't here to
hear complaints about conditions!
We go by policy - If you want policy
changed, do it through letters
to board members and the voting public.
The Texas 7 that killed
the policeman, and his wife is suing TDCJ is why
security has been stiffened,
and you might as well get use to it."
You know
they all go to seminars and are taught to say this same
stuff. It's like robots
repeating their message. They don't want to
hear a word about inhumane
treatment. I was called a smartass by
Robinson 4 or 5 times.
I asked
them if I could write down all the issues and send it to
them once I had time to
think clearly instead of being put on the spot
like they were doing me.
Sure, they said. Can I have your names and
addresses written down,
please? Just send it through truckmail to Lewis
and Robinson, I think he
said.
I did
bring up 1. being stripped naked in 35 degree weather 2. Major
Lester retaliating because
I won a grievance - that brought on a 15
minute speech about him
being such a fine commander and "it was the only
way to treat everyone fair".
My question about it being inhumane - some
units allow thermals, some
don't - "You want policy changed, write etc,
etc" 3. the incident
of shooting the gas cannister at RR & their not
decontaminating the area
afterwards, 4. the "boxes"(they call them) food
cages not being cleaned
between soiled items and food, 5. small portions
of cold food, 6. there not
being any way to get rank to listen without
causing a problem to get
them to come to the pod, 7. I even mentioned
they way Lil Jack and MeMe,
as diabetics, were being treated on F pod.
"Well, they shouldn't have
done something to be leveled", they said. 8.
I even made the mistake
of bringing up the "sit and fetch" dehumanizing
tactic - another long speech.
Again,
it was a waste of breath to even try. They wrote down 1/2
page of "legit problems"
I mentioned they said they needed to look
into. Then the trip
back! Boy Oh boy! Both Lt. Lawrence and Srg
Parker acted like I did
something wrong for speaking my mind and not
being intimidated.
So, we get to the turn for F Pod, and they take me
all the way to the end of
the hall. Visions of the multi-purpose room
at Harris County came to
me. Nope - Lawrence did tap his night stick in
his palm for whatever reason,
and then He went into a damn speech. That
I need to quit putting bullshit
down like we're treated worse than
dogs/animals, etc.
I was looking at him like "What"? Then he said to
write him and he would look
at any problem I raised and try to get it
corrected "What"?
He said he understood how everything got out of hand,
but I shouldn't be backing
the play of the Level 3 guys! Nancy, I
didn't know if it was a
threat or a promise. Blew my mind! His (almost)
exact words were "Warden
Zeller is the most brilliant man he'd ever met
- up there with Einstein"!!!
No I'm not kidding.
I went
into "Polunsky making those men start doing animalistic
actions". Bad idea,
and waste of good air. That got a 20 minute
speech. I was down
there about 40 minutes in all, nice little chat.
When
I came back everyone wanted to know what went on. Alvin and
Troy told how they woke
up to see guys at their door and were "too
asleep to think of everything
to say". I know the feeling. It really
got me how the meeting went.
It's always a pre set speech to try to
intimidate prisoners.
If a guy on death row gets intimidated by this
crap, it's a sad deal.
Oh, statements were made like, "We need to write
up 5 cases a day".
Why? Like a ticket quota for cops?
Alvin
said it was just "policy questions only". "Are you getting
rec on your days"? "Showers
each day"? "Clean clothes"? Nothing about
the lousy meals. It
was all for show. No doubt in my mind, pictures of
full trays were shown to
them.*****
ROY PIPPIN TDCJ# 999170
Polunsky Unit
3872 FM 350 South
Livingston, Texas 77351
February 22, 2002
Mr. Bill Lewis
Assistant Director Region
“I”
1225 Avenue “G”
Huntsville, Texas 77340
Re: Comments and complaints requested by Mr. Lewis after our meeting of February 14, 2002
Dear Mr. Lewis,
Thank you for calling me
to Major Lester’s office to hear what you and
Mr. Robinson had to say.
I am writing directly and specifically to you
because I feel Mr. Robinson
was overly aggressive and not willing to
listen to reason. Mr. Robinson
would fit in very well with the Polunsky
staff mentality. You however
at least would listen for a minute and take
notes of my complaints.
However, I do wish to point out that the meeting
“I was called to attend”
with the both of you in actuality was little
more than a succession of
pre planned speeches by both of you to attack
anything I “tried to state
as a complaint.” Mr. Robinson immediately
turned “a possible productive
discussion” into “my hearing a speech of
how you insist conditions
and treatment must be.” My attempt to
interject a comment was
considered some type flagrant violation of your
procedures. It became obvious
I was called only to hear a speech when
Mr. Robinson yelled for
me to “Shut up” while his partner was talking. I
thought we were to have
a discussion about my complaints. A discussion
allows interjections when
something being stated is untruthful,
slanderous, misquoted, or
off the subject matter. It was your court Mr.
Lewis – I was to follow
your rules for me to even be allowed attendance.
That, Sir, is why nothing
was accomplished.
Several of your comments
were on target, but several avoided the issues
I’ve grieved and complained
about. I in no way anathematized you during
or after meeting you. You
were doing the job the way the TDCJ instructed
you to do it – I’m sure.
I attempted to show both of you all due respect
during our meeting. The
both of you however directed belittling remarks
at me numerous times (i.e.
only Pippin is complaining; Pippin wants it
his way; etc.) After returning
to my cell several prisoners explained
the type questions you and
your people were asking “the thirty (30) or
more men you claim made
no complaints”, when you talked to them at
random “on several different
pods.” The prisoner near my cell said the
questions asked of them
were only concerning “the basic necessities TDCJ
is forced by law to furnish
prisoners.” Questions like “Have you been
given recreation, showers,
clean clothes?”. There were no questions
about “inhumane conditions
or treatment by staff”; no question if they
witnessed any physical abuses
or abuses of authority; no questions if
ranking officers would show
up when problems with guard’s actions need
to be addressed; no questions
if our meals were hot, cold, or in
adequate portions; not even
a question about unwarranted cases being
written on prisoners to
keep us levelled – without the benefit of our
having due process of substitute
counsel. More or less the questions
asked were window dressing
to allow you to say your people went among
the prisoners and found
no valid complaints. It is plain you were just
building evidence your way
to state propaganda to your superiors that
covered the Polunsky staff’s
ass. It solved nothing. It is the
proverbial “family of foxes
checking up on the foxes watching over the
chicken coop.”
If you think your visit was
a random check up on Polunsky’s normal
operations, you are sadly
mistaken. But then you know this – don’t you!
Guards in the halls checking
identification and locking gates behind you
as you enter further into
Death Row housing? That was a first to see.
Your visit was planned,
and Polunsky officials knew to clean up
everything, cross the “T’s”
and dot the “I’s”. It is this way anytime an
inspection or outside group
has been scheduled in advance to visit. It
is obvious someone is coming
days before their arrival. Floors are
mopped for the first times
in weeks, brass polished, more guards are
posted, etc.
If a prisoner your people
spoke to speaks their mind, are they
retaliated against for doing
so? I don’t believe in coincidences. Both
Alvin Kelly and I wrote
multiple letters and grievances about
conditions, treatment, abuses,
and then spoke to you or your people.
Both of us were “all of
a sudden” on the shake down list three (3) days
in a row. You say it’s policy
– no doubt. It never happened in three (3)
months back here prior to
your visit. I’m quite aware my writing this
letter to you, and posting
it on the internet so TDCJ board members can
see it, will likely result
in retaliatory actions against me. Mr. Lewis
– I don’t care! The existence
I am forced to endure here at Polunsky
needs addressing. If you
choose to punish me for telling the truth – so
be it.
It wasn’t just Alvin Kelly
feeling intimidated if they spoke the truth –
knowing there would be some
form of retaliation. Bobby Hopkins spoke up
also. I’m sure other prisoners
“made complaints to you or your staff.” I
would bet anyone that spoke
their mind was placed on a list here at
Polunsky to keep tabs of
how to treat them in the future. You know how
it works. You said you have
been around prisons 18 years. So, “yes” some
prisoners walk on egg shells
when being questioned by people like you.
At least they missed the
speeches.
The complaints I mentioned
that you did write down did result in a
little action. Property
guard Howell showed up at my cell telling me to
sign a form saying I got
my property inventory sheet. I politely
explained I would not sign
it because the inventory sheet only listed
part of the property taken
from me. She stated “My receiving my property
was not top priority”, even
though Warden Massey instructed her to give
me the items I grieved about.
I asked her why it took prisoners “going
off – forcing rank to come
on the wing” to make her do her job. That was
all that worked back here
on “F” Pod. Using the I-60 request forms and
I-127 grievances is simply
a waste of time. Obviously – three (3) months
after my property was taken,
against policy, she shows up “only after
being forced to.” See Mr.
Lewis – you just swept issues like this under
the rug. The men on Level
Three (3) got there by standing up for their
rights "when nothing else
worked.” It’s wrong, and you have refused to
report these type complaints.
These incidents end up to be the reason
abuses occur, uses of force
on a prisoner who is just trying to get what
is rightfully his to have.
These type problems need addressing.
Your refusal to address issues
I raised of “if” humane treatment was
being given to the prisoners
shows your biased allegiance to TDCJ. Mr.
Robinson’s answer to my
hypothetical question – “Would he lock up his
dog for 24 hours a day for
17 days straight (like Death Row prisoners
are treated)” – says a lot
about the man’s loyalties to TDCJ. He said
“Absolutely” without a moment's
pause. So this is the mentality of the
overseers TDCJ uses to determine
if humane treatment and policy are
being followed. If so –
policy needs to be changed.
You talked about how my complaints,
grievances, letters, and internet
postings were not reaching
the people who could make policy changes to
improve conditions at Polunsky.
Mr. Lewis – it’s people like you – in
your position of authority
that could help steer policy makers toward
positive, humane treatment
of prisoners here. Instead, it appears you
plan to cover up any problems
and to say what TDCJ management wants to
hear. You need to look into
your heart and see if these inhumane
conditions and treatment
are how you would want a loved one to be
treated, or even yourself!
You should also consider that a percentage of
the men on Death Row don’t
deserve the sentence of death. Treating even
that group the way they
are being treated should give you great pause.
You might pass it off that
you don’t make the rules so it’s not your
problem. It is your problem,
Mr. Lewis. You will answer for your refusal
to step in and condemn these
abuses and this treatment going on at
Polunsky. If not in man’s
court of law, then when you meet your maker.
Your lack of compassion
and unwillingness to help – coupled with your
decisions to hide the truth
will be judged some day. I will be praying
for you to see the error
of your ways and that you stop covering up for
the people at TDCJ who are
continuing these abuses. It is the 21st
century, a modern society
can not continue to allow these inhumane
conditions and treatment
to continue. Do what is right, Mr. Lewis.
In hopes it will reach someone
willing to fight for our humane
treatment, I will now list
some of the more egregious violations of
policy, procedure, and most
importantly – the violations of human
decency a modern society
should never allow to continue. You said to not
be specific with dates,
names, and times of incidents, so I will list my
personal experiences and
what I’ve seen since being here at the Polunsky
Unit and most recently being
on Level two (2) on the infamous “F” Pod.
1. Scheduled Lockdowns “for security purposes” is stated.
A) There
is no need to lockdown all six (6) pods during the week of
scheduled searches. The
pods are divided and there is no security risk
to only search one pod at
a time – allowing normal operation on the
other pods.
1) Lockdown is worse punishment than levelling. You are confined
to your cell 24 hours a
day for weeks at a time.
2) Two guards are on the pod – by regulations – anyway. No need
to not allow recreation,
showers, regular meals, and commissary
purchases.
B) Lockdown
of Death Row was done while just population is being
searched, due to work stoppage
of prisoners in population. No reason
Death Row is punished during
this time. Lockdown is worse punishment
than levelling. Levelled
prisoners get restricted recreation days,
shower each day, regular
meals, and restricted commissary purchases.
2. Use of unnecessary “use of force” on prisoners
A) Shooting
gas canisters at prisoners only 20 or 30 feet away –
Ricky Rhoades incident.
B) Multiple
gassings of prisoners in their cells where air is
displaced – then 5 man run
in team come in slamming the prisoner who is
incapacitated.
C) Video
taping not being used properly. Turned off when
instructions given to abuse
prisoners.
D) Staff
conflict with prisoner allowing abuses when run-in is used
coupled with gassing and
then slamming prisoners. Sergeant Griggs
suiting up to run in and
beat on Richard Cartwright. – many other
instances of this abusive
procedure.
3. Extremes in punishment
for minor infractions of rules for certain
offences done by first time
offenders.
A) Multiple
15 day increments of cell restriction being stacked
where prisoners only gets
one day a week out for months – as in Derrick
Jackson’s treatment.
B) Loss
of commissary (foods) privileges with inadequate portions of
food being served.
1) 99 % of levelled prisoners immediately lose weight due to
small food servings without
being able to get supplemental food, child
portions often served.
2) Diabetic prisoners don’t have commissary to stop insulin
shock.
C) Loss
of radio, hotpot (water), and even typewriters we fight for
our lives with by filing
legal work with the courts.
D) Loss of visitation privileges – less visits a month
E) Hygiene
restrictions? For Level three prisoners, in a modern
society – no toothpaste,
deodorant, lotion for dry skin, chapstick, etc.
Levelling a prisoner for
not shaving or not cutting their hair short
enough or soon enough can
result in being treated this way. Passing a
book, newspaper, magazine,
legal work to a less fortunate prisoner can
result in these extreme
punishments being inflicted. A first time
offender with finger nail
clippers; a tiny razor to sharpen a pencil,
too much property in your
cell; some female guard saying you masturbated
where you were seen; talking
too loud or trying to force rank on the
wing to resolve a problem;
cursing a guard that just cursed you or tore
up property you had for
no just reason. Any and all of these things
alone or together can result
in being levelled and treated so harshly.
4. Abuses of authority by staff
A) Warden
Chance punished Level 2 and 3 for one man’s actions. (an
internal affairs letter)
B) Major
Lester – admits grievance is correct and than retaliates by
confiscating thermals. (a
grievance + an internal affairs letter).
C) Captain
Bacon – refused to allow me to attend hearing on my
disciplinary case (internal
affairs letter).
D) Enforcement
of procedures not used before to punish, degrade,
dehumanize prisoners
1) strip searches outside in 30 to 40 degree weather
2) “sit and fetch” routine for food trays
3) punishment by taking thermals during cold months only done
after I won grievance.
5. Medical issues of diabetics
being forced to get only 2 shots a day
instead of 3 “for
staff’s convenience”. Shots given outside cell in
filthy environment.
6. Food cages being used
on Level three prisoners without any procedure
scheduled to clean the cages.
Dirty clothes, shoes, sheets, underwear
and supplies passed through
the box without cleaning it before the next
meal.
7. Cold food being served
in small childlike portions. No substitute for
calories lost when dessert
taken from Level 2 and 3 prisoners. The food
is often handled by guards
that do not wash their hands right after
searching men’s clothes,
underwear and holding their sweaty arm.
8. Recently enacted procedure
to give underwear to guards to check with
metal detector. The guard
touches filthy clothes and then can transmit
filth to next prisoner because
they don’t wash their hands between
prisoners.
I could list more complaints
but realize the odds on anything being
changed. Texas allows TDCJ
to treat prisoners anyway they wish. These
abuses were never used until
the move to Polunsky. Promises of a work
program, televisions, group
religious services and recreation, advanced
craft items, have all been
lies. You want to stop the abuses? Let
prisoners live out their
time with some dignity. The problem prisoners
would be few and far between.
Do what is right Mr. Lewis,
make a plea on our behalf for humane
treatment.
Respectfully submitted
Roy Pippin
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