A-Infos (en) Appeal for Support-Talib Becktemba

[Graeme Bacque <gbacque@arcos.org>]

________________________________________________
     A - I N F O S  N E W S  S E R V I C E
           http://www.ainfos.ca/
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---------forwarded message--------- 
An Appeal for Support
 
 Revolutionary Greetings,
 
         My name is Talib Becktemba and I am a politically conscious and
 active New Afrikan prisoner being held on lock-up in the Indiana Prison
 System.  Currently I am thirty one years old and I have been imprisoned
 for the last thirteen years.  Since 1989, I have been politically
 conscious, active and instrumental in organizing and participating in a
 host of political activities designed to raise awareness, to challenge
the
 racist, dehumanizing and vicious practices of the Indiana Prison System
 and to work to create a new reality for Us All.. This work has
ultimately
 led to my placement on Administrative Segregation.
         The accompanying piece by Shaka Shakur details the dehumanizing
 conditions that exist here on G-cell house at Pendleton and urges you
to
 write to protest.  As stated in that piece, administrative segregation
is
 a long term segregation unit allegedly used to house those prisoners
who
 are considered to be a high risk: there is no need for the prisoner to
 have committed any offense -- only a need to be labeled a security
risk.
 It is frequently used to isolate and immobilize prisoners who are
 politically conscious and active in challenging their repressive prison
 policies.
         IN April of 1996 I was transferred to Pendleton from a medium
 security prison and placed directly on administrative segregation. 
They
 have never shown any proof as to why they can label me a threat.  I
have
 not violated one of their written policies.  In fact I have over two
years
 clear time, i.e. I have not been charged with ANY offense, and that
 includes the 20 months they have held me on A/S.  I am rated for a
level 2
 institution (minimum security) yet they continue to hold me on lock-up,
 kept in my cell for 23 hours a day with no chance for educational,
 vocational or counseling opportunities.
         They have continuously violated my rights and their own written
 policies when it comes to my 90 day status hearings.  According to IDOC
 Administrative Procedure No. 01-04-101, every prisoner held on A/S is
 entitled to a classification hearing every 90 days.  The policy states
the
 prisoners shall be present unless the security is jeopardized, the
 committee shall discuss with the prisoner the information on which the
 recommendation to stay or be let off A/S is based, allow the prisoner
to
 challenge and present information, consider all the information, render
a
 recommendation and notify the prisoner.
         The classification committee continuously violates this policy.
 First, I am not allowed to come to the hearing.  No one ever asks if I
 want to be present; they just bring me the denied decision once the
 committee has met.  Second, I am not allowed to present any information
at
 the hearing.  Third, all the information they use against me is a
 "confidential file" whi8ch I never have access to the contents of, so I
 don't even know what they are basing their decision on.  I am never
able
 to challenge this information they have gathered from other sources or
 present my own case.  I am tried without my presence and convicted on
 information I never get to see!
         Currently I have two years clear conduct, I'm in credit class
one,
 and my security level is two (which is minimum security) yet I am still
 held in a maximum security prison on administrative segregation.  I
want
 to be able to participate in job training programs and continue my
college
 classes but I can't get off this unit and I need outside support.
         I am requesting that you write letters to Pendleton's
 Superintendent and the Commissioner of the Indiana Department of
 Corrections protesting my continued segregation and demanding that I be
 released to population and transferred to a level two facility.  Please
 send all letters to:
 
 John Deuth, Superintendent              Ed Cohn, Commissioner
 Pendleton Correctional Facility         Indiana Department of
Corrections
 P.O. Box 30                                     334 Indiana Government
 Center S.
 Pendleton, IN 46064                             320 W  Washington St.
 (765) 778-2107                          Indianapolis, IN 46204
                                                 (317) 232-5715
 
 For more information concerning my status or this unit, contact me at:
 Talib Becktemba #852597, P.O. Box 30, Pendleton, IN 46064
 
 Sample letter:
 
 Dear Commisioner Cohn:
 
 I am writing out of concern for Talib Becktemba (doc#852597).  He has
been
 held on administrative segregation at Pendleton Correctional Facility
for
 more than 20 months with no clear reason as to why he is kept on this
 unit.  While on A/S he has not received a single write-up, in fact he
over
 two years clear time and is rated for a minimum security prison.  This
has
 shown Becktemba's sincere desire to productively use his time and
energy.
 
 Indiana DOC policy states that every 90 days he is entitled to a
hearing
 to review his A/S status.  This hearing is to allow him to hear the
 reasons why he is kept on A/S as well as to allow him to present
 information on his behalf.  He has consistently been denied his right
to
 the hearing and is only told "confidential information" is keeping him
on
 A/S status.  He is not able to ever challenge the validity of this
 information or to argue for placement in general population.
 
 He wants to be able to continue his college classes and participate in
 vocational training and counseling opportunities -- all of which are
 denied to him while on A/S.  Please consider this case and review the
IDOC
 policy that is being violated.  Keeping Becktemba on A/S. status is not
 productive for him and it is not justified.
 
 Thank you for your time.
 
 Talib Becktemba, Pendleton Correctional Facility
 
 The Creation of the G-Cellhouse
 Administrative Segregation Unit
 and its conditions
 
         My name is Shaka Shakur and on 8/28/97 I was transferred from
the
 Super-Max control facility formerly known as M.C.C.  I served one year
 there for protesting the death penalty at the Indiana State Prison. 
That
 case became known as the Indiana Six case as several others were also
 convicted and remain in special housing units (SHUs) and control units.
 When I arrived at the Indiana Reformatory I was placed in the G-A/S
unit
 supposedly for "past conduct history and confidential information." 
This
 in spite of the fact I have not had a conduct report in over 13
months.  I
 am in Time Class 1 and I have scored a level 2 security rating.
         G-A/S was created after a race riot in January 1986.  In
November,
 possibly October, two large groups of black and white prisoners engaged
in
 armed combat inside J-Cellhouse (J-CH).  There were several injuries
and
 stabbings on both sides.  Several of these prisoners were placed on
 disciplinary segregation (D/S) where the combat continued.
         In early January, both of these groups were suddenly given
 releases from segregation and sent (mixed) to two cellhouses.  That
very
 night or the night thereafter both of these cellhouses were for the
first
 time allowed to go to recreation together.  As expected, a riot
erupted,
 that left one young white prisoner dead, several prisoners stabbed and
 some staff injured and taken hostage.  The riot spilled into some of
the
 cellhouses as prisoners under a hail of bullets fled the gym and tried
to
 make it back to their housing units.
         G-CH was briefly taken over and staff taken hostage.  As
prisoners
 attempted to negotiate, the D.O.C. stormed the cellhouse and freed the
 hostages.  The institution was placed on a lengthy lockdown.  It was
 during this lockdown that G-A/S was created.  Holes were cut in the
cell
 doors to place food trays through, and a complete back wall of G-CH was
 walled/screened off from the rest of the cellhouse, isolating
 approximately 73 cells.  These 73 cells spread out on a total of three
 tiers.
         The D.O.C. then began to sweep anyone out of population that
they
 didn't want out there and place them on A?S status.  Initially G-A/S
meant
 you were also on strip cell status.  The rest of the G-CH has been
 transformed into a sub unit of these sections that are isolated from
one
 another.  Small group isolation of three tiers to a section with
varying
 levels of privileges and rights.
 
 Present Conditions on G-A/S
 
         According to the D.O.C. you're only supposed to be placed on
A/S
 status if you're a threat to the security of the institution, for your
own
 safety or the safety of others.  You're supposed to receive a
 classification hearing prior to being placed on A/S and every 90 days
 thereafter.  But there is no hearing and you're not allowed to present
 evidence on your behalf nor challenge any evidence against you. 
Instead a
 counselor brings you a paper to sign every 90 days telling you that you
 have been denied release to general population.
        It is customary to be on this unit 3 to 5 years and often times
 new arrivals are left indefinitely on this unit even though they have
 violated no rules at this prison.
         We are allowed one hour of daily recreation, inside one day,
 outside the next.  If it's too cold outside you either go out or you
don't
 have recreation that day.  There are approximately 12 to 15 prisoners
to a
 rec. group.  Inside rec. consists of being released into a screened-in
 area with 2 picnic tables and a basketball hoop.  What can we do
outside
 in 30 to 40 degree weather?
         The cells are steel boxes.  Boxes that become ovens in the
summer
 and refrigerators in the winter.  The walls and ceilings are made out
of
 sheets of steel and the floor is concrete with bars for a front.  The
 cells face 3 to 4 stories of large non-insulated windows that allow the
 wind to blow directly into the cells.
         Visits are contact but you're handcuffed in the front during
the
 visit.  To go on a visit is an ordeal in itself.  We are forced to wear
 total restraints, i.e. handcuffs with a black box covering the cuffs to
 immobilize your hands and wrist.  These cuffs are then connected to a
 waist chain and a padlock.  Shackles are then placed on your feet and
 you're escorted totally defenseless for a block and a half across the
 compound to the visiting room.  Prisoners have been ambushed while
being
 escorted and the guard usually runs at the first sign of trouble,
leaving
 you to face the drama.  We are not allowed to wear our coats in the
 winter.  Instead we can only have them draped over our shoulders.
         The unit is rodent and insect infested with a roof full of
 asbestos.  No programs are allowed on this unit and access to the law
 library consists of one prisoner coming to the unit from the law
library
 once a week and you must tell him what you want.  On paper it says that
we
 are allowed access to the education department or that the tutors
should
 be on the unit.  Both are non-existent.
         The staff that work the unit are very arbitrary and
disrespectful.
 It is common for the Sergeant to tell prisoners to "shut up" because he
 doesn't like the topic of conversation or doesn't like your
personality.
 Daily searches and shakedowns of cells, a lot of bogus court reports
are
 written.  At least 3 petitions have been sent to the Warden J.
Duckworth
 and Commissioner Cohn about these conditions, only to receive no
response.

 If you're interested in demanding that these conditions be changed and
 that the D.O.C. comply with its own policies, you can write to:
 
 John Deuth, Warden              Ed Cohn, Commissioner
 Pendleton Correctional Facility Indiana Dept. of Corrections
 P.O. Box 30                             334 Indidan Government Center
 South
 Pendleton, IN 46064                     320 West Washington St.
 (765) 778-2107                  Indianapolis, IN 46204
                                         (317) 232-5715
---------end forwarded message---------

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