DAY 9 ~ HUNGER STRIKE ENDS

"The building itself isn't evil.
It's just a question of who's running it."
~Warden Bassim, Abu Ghraib

Ronald Clark Jr. has ended his hunger strike in an effort to prevent further inmate/staff problems on G-Wing. The issues of excessive heat, unnecessary use of force, abuse of chemical agents, and the lack of filmed documentation remain.

There is now a new and more dangerous problem.

RETALIATION BEGINS

OFFICERS IGNITE DANGEROUS SITUATION
Naming Colonel L. Griffis and Captain Dean Ellis,
For Fanning The Flames

Throughout this strike, Colonel L. Griffis and Captain Dean Ellis have made it a point to raise the tension level on G-Wing. They apparently want revenge on the strikers but, being a bit cowardly as bullies often are, would prefer the inmates do their dirty work for them. The officers have pointed to Ronald Clark Jr. while removing the one fan in the hallway, remarking to all G-Wing grumbling inmates in loud voices, "Thank Mr. Clark." Their actions appear designed to encourage other inmates to help them instill psychological fear in Ronald Clark Jr. The inmates have responded. "July 17th is the anniversary of the Valdes Murder. It could be celebrated by Clark becoming the next Valdes."

Before, during and after the strike, the on again off again fans have been used to incite trouble on G-Wing. So now officers are trying to divide the inmates by pointing at Ronald and the other strikers and saying, "Don't blame us - Blame the hunger strike!"

Ronald is filing an emergency grievance, which we hope the administration will not ignore. If Sec. Crosby and Warden Rathmann will remember, their neglect of complaints and legitimate grievances about unprofessional behavior and less than human conditions is what started the strike in the first place.

"The warden and Colonel Griffis originally took the fans off the wing in retaliation for the hunger strike, causing dissention among the inmates that were on the strike and the ones that weren't.  By doing this they have caused friction among the inmates which in return has possibly put all our lives in greater danger, because by taking the fans, it just got hotter.  Some of these guys are mad as hell.  These idiots in their effort to stop this hunger strike have just endangered the lives of the inmates on the strike. They took the fans in retaliation for the strike and everybody is furiously angry."

"I filed a grievance this morning that's going to Tallahassee as an emergency grievance, over staff putting my life in danger and causing all this friction on the wing."

July 2, 2004, Colonel L. Griffis and Captain Ellis came down the right side of G Wing, where there was a fan in the hall circulating air which helped out in these 100-plus-degree cell temperatures. They had the fan removed.

THE FOLLOWING GRIEVANCE has been sent to Governor Bush and Attorney General Charlie Crist, after no answer and response from Secretary of Florida Dept. of Corrections James Crosby’s office in Tallahassee:

Emergency Grievance

This is a life and death matter. 

This letter involves a life threatening situation that I have been put in by the administration here at Florida State Prison, F.S.P.

On July 1, 2004, FIRST DAY of Strike:  I started a hunger strike over the issue of the 100-plus-degree cell temperatures.  The main issue was fans, but there were other valid issues as well. There were 5 other inmates in this hunger strike who were fighting for fans, filming of guard violence for documentation, etc.

The administration here at F.S.P., in retaliation, ordered the fan in the hall that was providing some minimal circulation to be removed, which caused friction between the inmates that were and were not on the strike.

July 2, 2004, SECOND DAY of Strike: Colonel L. Griffis and Captain Ellis came down the right side of G Wing, where there was a fan in the hall circulating air which helped out in these 100-plus-degree cell temperatures.  They had the fan removed.

Later an officer came down and said, "the only thing this hunger strike has accomplished is getting your fan taken."  There's 17 other Death Row inmates on this wing; when they overheard this, it caused immediate friction between the inmates that were on and the ones not on the strike, putting our lives in danger.  It looked like I will be the only one left on this hunger strike due to the fact that these other inmates are in fear for their lives.

July 9, 2004, 1:44 p.m. LAST DAY of Strike: "The warden and Colonel Griffis took the fans off the wing in retaliation for the hunger strike, causing dissention among the inmates that are the ones on the strike and the ones that aren't.  By doing this they have caused friction among the inmates which in return has possibly put our lives in danger because by taking the fans it has just gotten hotter.  Some of these guys are mad as hell.  So these idiots in order to stop this hunger strike has just endangered the lives of the inmates on this strike.

This could easily turn into a volatile unsafe life-threatening situation for inmates on this hunger strike.  This was the most idiotic move in retaliation that I have ever seen, showing this administration the wardens, colonel, etc, is not capable of looking out for our safety and well being.  This issue needs to be resolved immediately and I am taking this to the national media to demonstrate the life threatening position that this administration has just placed us inmates in.

This was truly the most idiotic form of retaliation the staff could take.

Ronald Clark Jr.

"That doesn't sound like any "simple" mistake.  It sounds like malicious destruction.  Have you contacted the State of Florida's attorney general? Just because someone works for the state does not make them above the law." ~

Wednesday, July 14, 2004

"First, I've called Chaplain's office 10 times or so, no answer at Chaplain's office. I've been on the phone for almost an hour trying to get info on this grievance Ronnie filed and his current situation.

FDOC Tallahassee main number said to talk to Grievance Unit.

Kathy at the Grievance unit said they received on the 7th a grievance from Ronnic about the hunger strike, that it had been processed and she thought the response was going out today. I stressed urgency and danger and wanted to know what the response was, of course they would not tell me.

AS A SIDE NOTE: When the Grievance unit was trying to find the Emergency Grievance, Kathy said, "Ma'am, this is going to take a while. Do you realize that he's filed 187 grievances?" I quickly grabbed my calculator, and told her, given the length of time Ronald has been incarcerated, that averages 1 grievance per month for 14 1/2 years. "Well," I told her, "I'd say there's something terribly flawed with that grievance system; it obviously doesn't work because nothing has been resolved!"

Referred me to Correspondence Control. No help, then to Citizen's Complaint.

Citizen's complaint referred me to Public Affairs. Said I needed to talk to Sterling Ivey or Deborah Buchanan, neither of which was available. Referred me to Inspector General's office, Mr. Wassey.

IG's office referred me to the IG Supervisor over FSP, Mr. Falk. Gave me a phone number that went into outer space.

Back to square one.

And it's only 8:30 a.m.!!

I JUST talked to a Sargeant Lingiss in the control room where Ronnie is.  He said Ronnie is fine.  I told him there was an emergency grievance that there was a life or death situation on the wing because of the hunger strike fan situation.  It was an extremely volatile situation.  He said I shouldn't believe everything I hear, as "these inmates say this kind of thing all the time."  He was very nonchalant.  I told him this grievance was so urgent and life threatening it had gone to the IG's office and Bush's office.  He said "he's back there, he's fine, that's all I can tell you."

What more do we need???!!!!  They're going to keep poo-pooing this until someone's hurt or dead!! ~JO

July 14: Shirley Clark, Ronald's mother, just spoke with Assistant Warden Dixon, who has promised to go down and check on G-Wing. He says he will ask Ronald Clark Jr. if he feels he is in danger. If the answer is affirmative, he will resolve the situation. He believes the trouble could only come during Rec. Ms. Clark asked if that meant Ronald would have to be punished by being kept from the rec yard when it is officers causing the trouble. Mr. Dixon said there were other arrangements that could be made.

He did add that Ronald, as one person, could not make the changes happen. To which we reply Ronald is no longer one person: He represents hundreds, maybe thousands of people out here who are increasingly concerned about the behavior of the officers in charge of prisoners, particularly in confinement and death row areas. The time will come when changes must be made because Ronald Clark Jr. is not the only person who wants a better system.

During this strike, the members of the Florida Department of "Corrections" have shown themselves to be unconcerned with health issues of inmates and safety issues of their officers.  They may believe they have found an effective method of silencing a prisoner's last peaceful means of protest, and perhaps they have.  But their determination to cover up their problems puts everyone working or living in FSP at great risk.  Summer is only half over, and then there's next summer and the one after that.  If they are pleased with the way they've handled this matter, their pride is sadly misplaced.  It would be much more honorable to find solutions to the heat and much more productive to do something about their prison workers who think chemical agents are toys, and physical and mental abuse of inmates is their right. 

It is our sincere suggestion that Colonel L. Griffis and Captain Dean Ellis immediately be removed from their posts and either retrained, put in a tower where they can't get anyone hurt, or fired. People like this have nearly destroyed the sense of respect the public has for the department of corrections. Kay Lee

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The Hopelessness Syndrome

The 'Hopelessness' syndrome. Ingredients: Rules that do not enforce the safety of prisoners; Officers who break the rules that exist; conditions that do not measure up to minimum standards of care, and inmates who have no viable options for grieving. In this case add the heat as a mitigating factor. When officers begin to feel untouchable their behavior results are mounting frustration, growing fear, greater risks, the "What have I got left to lose?" attitude in the inmates. Hopelessness is a dangerous feeling to foster. The projection of this syndrome, the retaliation of prison workers, plus the private lobbying of relatives to effect intervention when strikers become sick or go into a coma, proves to be a serious threat to the continuation of any hunger strike. We feel that it is of paramount importance that the political revelations, lessons and consequences of hunger strikes are recognized as the last resort of desperate people.  The implications should be impressed in the minds, the hearts and demeanor of the department, its administrators, its employees and the public.  Kay Lee

 

All along, for the entire 9 days this prisoner went without food, the prison and its administrators have claimed there was no hunger strike because it was "Not Official".  When we asked how a hunger strike becomes 'official' with the DoC other than when a prisoner stops eating, they would give no further information.