WHO ARE THE BAD GUYS?

Who are the bad guys? Before I came to prison I thought the answer to this question was crystal clear. The bad guys are the ones in prison. Howvever, after spending over 21 years in a Federal Prison I a not sure anymore. I have seen things in here that most would find hard to believe. I have witnessed prison guards laugh at an inmate who fell out of his wheelchair in the rain and forbid anyone to help him get up. I have been instructed to falsify documents at my job to make sure the prison factory would pass an outside audit. I have heard psychologist laugh and joke about an inmate committing suicide and then lie about it when Region came to investigate the situation. I have watched as guards target inmates and plant contraband on them to get them out of the unit because they just did not like the inmate or did not like the crimes he had committed.

When I filed a lawsuit to hold the prison accountable for something that happened to me, during the settlement conference the judged leaned in to me and said: "You know I Googled you and no jury is ever going to give you any money." The funny thing about this judge's unprofessional actions and comments is the fact I was suing the BOP under the Federal Tort Claim Act which specifically states one does not have a right to a jury trial in a FCTA suit. Not only was this judge's comments unprofessional, the comments were based upon his ignorance of the law...and he was the judge! Despite his unprofessional behavior, I did win a settlement because I refused to give up.

I could go on about the things I have experienced and seen over the last two decades but as I have previously said, most would not believe what I am saying. Once you become an inmate you lose all credibility and you become an easy target and scapegoatfor anything the people who are in power want to do to you. All of these events have left me unsure of how to answer a question which at one point in my life seemed so black and white. Who are the bad guys? I really don't know anymore. All I can say for sure is this: Meny times they are not who you think they are.

Joseph Dickey 25345-001
FCI Marianna
PO Box 7007
Marianna, FL 32447