The Washington Department of Corrections is literally involved in a cover-up. Its Intensive Management Units (IMU) are using a statewide practice of obstructing justice by covering IMU inmates cell windows with magnetic covers, so that inmates can not see out of their cells during incidents that happen within the IMU pods. This type of practice obstructs and eliminates inmates to view what's going on outside their cell door as well as what correction officers can see inside the cell at the time. It also is eliminating any witnesses other than DOC staff on the scene.
The following is a narrative of a grievance filed and the response given to the complaint by regional administrator Mr. Thomas D. McIntyre, on 10/21/02:
The Stafford Creek Correctional Center F-Unit staff is using a procedure of placing magnetic covers over inmates cell windows during emergencies, or otherwise. This is in violation of their own Washington Administrative Code policy, and an obstruction of view into all inmates cell. On numerous occasions magnetic covers have been placed on windows for hours.
On July 23, 2002 for 4 hours, July 26, 2002 10 hours, August 17, 2002 8 hours, August 19, 2002 5 hours and August 29, 2002 for 7 hours without any staff looking in to cells for visual observation. This violates their own DOC 320.255 policy directive section VIII (8): staff assigned to an IMU/seg unit shall conduct cell checks on a regular schedule that is no longer than 30 minutes apart to personally observe inmates/offenders.
Action requested by grievant: That this active practice be stopped immediately, staff can not have visual observation or sight into cells with this procedure. An inmate at the scene of an incident has a right to be a witness, and be able to report the incident.
Mr. Thomas McIntyre Department of Corrections, office of correctional operations response to complaint:
There is nothing to support your allegation that covering cell windows during an incident violates any Washington administrative code or policy. Your argument that staff can not cover the windows because offenders/inmates are not allowed to do the same is also not supported. The use of magnetic covers during incidents in the IMUs is a statewide practice and is a prudent practice in regards to safety and security.
USW prisoner adds: This policy is hypocritical; it is to be noted that when inmates cover their cell windows in protest or otherwise, they are infracted in violation of 320.255 sec. VIII (8) and other policies. That can justify a cell extraction and use of force supposedly to make sure an inmate is safe. This practice gives the DOC IMU staff an open invitation for excessive force, false reporting and abuse of power. It eliminates opposing statements from witnesses.
In 2002 Walla Walla police detective Mike Boettches investigated an officer shooting an inmate at Washington State Prison. When a WSP lieutenant conveniently "forgot" to hit the record button for the camera monitoring the yard, however there was no video tape of the shooting. Therefore Boettcher was relegated to investigating via interviews. Numerous prisoners witnesses said the fight was but a mere wrestling match, even so Jim Nagle the Walla Walla, county prosecutor, refused to prosecute. Nagle claimed that prisoner witnesses would not be credible enough to get a manslaughter conviction. Oddly Nagle's office has been suing prisoners witnesses to convict other prisoners of crimes committed at WSP.(1)
On May 28, 2002 John Anthony Brown, 31, hanged himself in IMU at Washington Correction center in Shelton. Brown allegedly tied a sheet around the TV stand in his cell and died of suffocation; two other prisoners at WCC IMU attempted suicide the same ay that month.(2)
The covering of cell windows practice is also a torture tactic which enhances sensory deprivation creating symptoms of claustrophobia, anxiety attacks and disillusionment. If you already suffer from mental illness, these symptoms are even more exacerbated. More than 95% of those who take their own lives in correctional facilities have a diagnosed treatable psychiatric illness. According to federal surveys 16% of those in prison or jail are classified as mentally ill.(3)
It is ironic that this same tactic is used on animals, especially birds. When you want to put a caged bird to sleep you just cover up their cages, and leave them in the dark.
I seek advice, and help with litigation in this matter to stop this practice, because without such efforts this obstructive policy will continue. Please send letters of protest to:
Deputy Secretary of DOC Eldon Vail
PO Box 41118
Olympia, WA 98584-1118
Thomas D. McIntyre
Southwest Region Administrator
OCO 4317 6th Ave S.E.
Olympia, WA 98504-1120
Fax: 360-407-0069
Superintendent Doug Waddinton
Stafford Creek Corr. Center
191 Constantine Way
Aberdeen, WA 98520
Fax: 360-537-1807
Notes: 1. Prison Legal News, July 2003, Washington Guards shoot now ask questions later.2. PLN, August 2003.3. Vol 4, No3. The Plages of Prison, Western Prison Project, Winter 2002
-- a Washington state prisoner, October 2003