Blog4HR

Ronald W. Clark Jr
November 20, 2012

"Human Rights Violations"

I know all about human rights violations here in America's prisons. I know about being placed in strip cells with no mattress, blanket or clothing. And having the air conditioning turned up, to freeze you into submission, to try to stop you from speaking out about a tyrannical low life unethical warden who's abusing inmates and committing human rights violations. I know what it's like to be restrained in handcuffs, and shackles, to have criminal correctional officers, criminal henchmen of an unethical dishonorable warden, standing before you, stating "Blog about this!" before they beat you to the ground, for exercising your so called constitutional right to freedom of speech. Yes - I know... because it happened to me!

I've witnessed numerous other human rights violations. Prisoners being placed in strip cells in the middle of the winter, no mattress, no blanket, inadequate clothing, and the cell windows deliberately opened in 30 and 40 degree temperatures to inflict further suffering on the prisoners. I've witnessed these cowardly unethical acts of what must be human rights violations!

I've witnessed inmates being beat down, and assaulted by correctional officers. Inmates - some of whom are mentally ill. And then the officer turns around and brags about the fact that he assaulted a helpless, and defenseless prisoner, who was restrained and unable to defend himself.

On June 27, 2012 I, Ronald Wayne Clark Jr., filed a sworn notarized affidavit (which you can view on my blog) where I notified the secretary of the Florida Dept of Corrections (FDOC) Inspector General (IG) office, F.B.I, ACLU and numerous other organizations of the assaults, strip cells and other criminal activity that was taking place inside these walls. My cries for assistance went unheard. Three months later, in September 2012, a 44 year old prisoner, serving a 16 year sentence, here at Union Correctional Institution (UCI) was murdered by correctional staff. Murdered... because individuals failed to take appropriate action, on my reports, of the human rights violations that we were enduring. And because they failed to take action, some family is suffering the loss of their son, father, husband, and it is still eating at me, that no one took action to protect us. No, they turned a blind eye and deaf ear until it was too late and a life was lost.

In May 2012 I seen an inmate get sprayed with chemical agents, because the Lt. and captain didn't like him. I was on the wing when it happened. I then research the rules knowing staff didn't follow procedure. And sure enough - they violated their own procedure. The inmate didn't pursue it through grievances, although I tried to get him to do so.

That wasn't the first time that I witnessed staff abusing prisoners, misusing chemical agents. I seen it done time and time again at Florida State Prison (FSP) back in 2000-2004. And it was mostly done to inmates who have no family or friends. Staff knows who has support and who doesn't. They pass out mail, they know who gets visits and who doesn't. There's far too much abuse and human rights violations taking place inside of America's prisons. And we need it stopped. And we have the technology to stop it. By requiring correctional staff to wear personalized audio and video recording devices, we can bring these human rights violations under control. We can save the lives of our prisoners and stop these senseless murders like the one that took place in September 2012, or the one you can read about in Valdez v. Crosby 450 F.3d 1231 at 1237-1243 (11th Cir 2006) where nine correctional officers at F.S.P., on July 17, 1999 beat, stomped, kicked and murdered a helpless and defenseless death row inmate.

Yes, America has a serious issue of human rights violations taking place inside our prisons by tyrants, who stand above and beyond the laws of the state and federal government. Who thumb their nose at the U.S. Constitution and human rights. We need change, and we need it now.

In peace + love
Ronald W. Clark Jr
The Death Row Poet

Ronald W. Clark Jr #812974
Union Correctional Institution
7819 N.W. 228th Street P-6115
Raiford, Florida, 32026-4460