May 11, 2023
The Twenty-First Letter…
This is part two of yesterday’s letter. I went to visit Redacted last night and literally got into my car and started taking notes on his condition and what he told me. I now have the second part of the Friday, two weeks ago, beating that he took from two inmates who were allowed to walk into his cell during 2nd shift because the door was opened by someone.
When I first saw Redacted last night, I noticed his right eye, which is healing from the punch that he took. There is still a small scar and some of the black and blue coloration beneath his eye. He reports having a black spot that he sees in that eye. He looks beaten, no pun intended, and worn down, literally. When is the medical doctor going to have him see an ophthalmologist?
As he reported…
When he woke up, with his head sticking to the floor in the pool of blood, his cell door was locked. His tablet and headphones were gone. When the third shift officer came around, Redacted told me that he told him that he was going to kill himself. That was because he was almost killed and needed to find a way to get out of the area without “snitching” to the officer about what had happened to him because everyone near him would be able to hear. And of course, the officer would also then be aware, which Redacted was scared for him to know. There should be no repercussions for this as his life was in danger.
In order to get the officer to get him out of there to medical, Redacted told me that he started cutting himself with something sharp, up and down his arm from wrist to elbow. I saw all the scars last night. There are many and all around his arm. The officer sprayed mace at him to get him to stop and then brought him to the clinic. He was then washed down, which increased the burning of the mace when the water hit. It was while in constant watch that Redacted told the clinician about what had happened. I ask again, did she report the incident to SID, like Redacted reported that she said?
Why does any inmate have to go to these lengths to get help? There should be a way to get help when you are beaten and almost killed that doesn’t involve risking your life in another way, by snitching. The ramifications of that are two-fold because not only do the inmates hold that against you, but the CO’s also then target you as well. Why are the correction officers allowed, and I say allowed because no one has changed the behavior of CO’s and they feel emboldened, to do things that are corrupt and dangerous in the prison system like open cell doors to allow inmates to hurt other inmates as well as bringing in contraband etc. This is in addition to not giving out toilet paper and cleaning supplies. Why is this happening? Who is running these prisons like this?
Then today, it got worse…
I received a phone call from Redacted about an hour ago. He told me that an officer named M. Ferrante came over to his cell and asked him if he was going to “snitch?” The officer did not elaborate as to what the snitching would be about. Redacted didn’t answer. It is obvious to me that Redacted is in a very dangerous position right now. Redacted is also very scared that SID is going to come to his cell and then everyone will know that there is something going on. I certainly hope that doesn’t happen. I would hope that SID would meet up with Redacted in an area where no one has access to hearing what he is saying, and no one knows he is saying anything.
Who is going to protect my son from harm and possible death?
Ms. Kuhn: I include you in every email. You are in charge. What are you going to do to protect Redacted? Is there even any place in the DOC that is safe for him? At this point, I think not. Word travels from one place to another. I repeat, what are you going to do about this?
Redacted is 30 years old. He is doing the time that he was allotted. The time in prison isn’t supposed to translate into being punished in all these other ways, including but not limited to inhumane medical care, loss of all of his property, (everything has been taken from him and he has literally nothing at this point, including his clothing), and certainly not being threatened and beaten up.
None of his property was sent from South Woods when Redacted was transferred to the New Jersey State Prison. Every time he has been taken and moved, whether to the medical clinic or another cell, his property has been stolen. He put in loss of property slips and nothing happened. Once again, I reiterate, Redacted doesn’t pack up his cell. The CO’s come and bring “runners,” as Redacted calls them, who are fellow inmates, and they clean out the property. The only way that his possessions can disappear is if the CO’s allow it and turn their back to the outright stealing that goes on. These are your employees, not following the rules and certainly no moral code.
Another issue that Redacted mentioned is that the roach infestation is overwhelming where he is currently housed. That is a sanitary hygiene issue. He has requested, multiple times, to get cleaning supplies and no one brings them. Unfortunately, those cleaning supplies will not take care of the roaches.
Ms Kuhn: Have you ever walked through this area, 2C, where I believe Redacted is housed? Perhaps it might be worth a stroll through to see the conditions that you are housing human beings in since it seems to be inhumane that anyone should have to live this way. Redacted told me that it is absolutely filthy.
I hope to hear from someone about how you are going to protect Redacted.
Susan Guardia
An addendum to the last letter…
During my phone call today with Redacted he also told me that someone was stabbed last night in the area where he stays. He found this out from his neighbors in the unit. So I don’t know for sure about this.
Last night, while visiting Redacted, we both heard the code for his unit and he told me most likely something bad had happened.
Living under these conditions is torture.
The lack of safety within the confines of the prison, especially for someone like my son who suffers from major depression, anxiety and PTSD makes him even more vulnerable.
Torture was outlawed so why is it allowed to exist in the New Jersey prisons?
Solitary confinement, which is how Redacted is living, was abolished. But it still continues under a different set of names and circumstances. He has to stay in his cell for many days at a time without any outside time. There is always an excuse like a medication time or a code and then no one gets out. This happens on almost a daily basis. This is solitary confinement.
I think the prison needs federal oversight.
Susan Guardia
Susanguardia.com
