Washington prison covers windows and gasses prisoners

ITAL Below are two grievances submitted by prisoners to prison administration in Washington after the prison guards covered the cell windows and then sprayed gas (presumably at some prisoners in a pre-meditated attack) in the hallway. END

I am claustrophobic and was hyperventilating with chest pains due to the exposure to C.O. gas and the emotional stress of 3rd shift staff covering up my cell door window and every inmates in the c-pod unit. On 7/23/02 at approx 5:30pm and on 7/26/02 at 7:30 with a magnetic cover so that we could not see out our cell doors to be witnesses to staff procedures at that time.

[Stafford Creek Corrections Center Intensive Management Unit] F-unit staff are violating their own WAC policy (1) not being able to view in a cell at all times (2) not to cover or place any items on windows. This practice is in direct violation of DOC policy and inmates due process to have or be on sight witnesses other than staff who are present to a medical, criminal, or infraction incident that needs to be documented. This practice is an obstruction of justice and a noted practice of staff as a green light to do any criminal act to inmate or non-staff, violating civil rights without any inmates witnesses that could dispute their reports and be credible. Suggested remedy: that this practice and procedure be stopped immediately, staff can not have visual observation into any inmates cell with windows covered.

-- a prisoner in Washington, July 2002

The cops were gassing an inmate who had his window covered. On 7-26-02 at about 8:05 pm I had a medical emergency. I was coughing up blood from the C.O. gas that the F-unit IMU cert team was discharging into an inmates cell F-N-C-1. I pushed my emergency call button numerous times without getting any response from the booth offices. My cell door window had been covered. Inmates on the tier had to yell "man down in cell #C-10, medical emergency" for over five minutes still staff did not respond. I was choking and suffocating and f-unit staff neglected my emergency medical needs.

-- another prisoner in Washington, July 2002

The prisoners at this institution ask for support on this issue from people MIM Notes readers. You can write letters protesting this practice and asking why it is used in the first place to:

Deputy of Corrections Eldon Vail
PO Box 411118
Olympia WA 98584-1118

OCO officer of correctional operations, regional admin
Thomas Mackintyre
Southwest region
4317 6th Ave
S.E. Olympia 98504-1120

Superintendent Douglas Waddington
SCCC Stafford Creek Corr. Center
191 Constantine Way
Aberdeen WA 98502


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