February 8, 2013
To: Assembly Member Tom Ammiano
Legislative Hearing February 25, 2013
From:
Prisoner Paul Redd B-72683
PBSP
– SHU
Dear
Committee Members,
Thank you for this brief opportunity to
speak via Letter. I understand we only have a couple of minutes in having our
letters read which is impossible on PBSP SHU Inhumane Torture Conditions. So
I’ll just go to the Main Issues.
1.
My name is Paul Redd, I am
a New Afrikan Prisoner serving a Seven years to Life Sentence W. Possibility
of Parole on a 1976 Senseless Murder Conviction of a Drug Local Dealer.
2.
I’ve been held here at PBSP
– SHU since September 5 1990 To Present except for a brief
60 Days period when I won my SHU Release on December 29, 2000. Only to be
Fraudulently placed back into a SHU on March 12, 2001 without Due Process.
3.
I have been held in
California Prisons for the last 36 Years. I have spent 33 of
those years in a SHU.
4.
Again, it’s impossible for
me to give a Brief Description of what my Experiences of Solitary Confinement
have been like here in Two Minutes.
Let me tell like this: The Architectural SHU Design at PBSP was intentionally designed to inflict physical and psychological torture on our bodies and minds. I have seen some Prisoners
lose Their Minds in a Short Period of time, while others it took more
years.
I have had some prisoners from all races, whom debriefed, tell me
they made up information on some prisoners or / and went along with what Gang
Investigators wanted them to say on Specific Individuals. They told me they
couldn’t take living in this SHU anymore. I have seen some Prisoners harm
themselves to Get Out of this SHU or get on Psyche Medications just to get
moved out of this SHU. I have seen prisoners Health Deteriorate, - Died etc.
What effect this Long Term Solitary Confinement has done on me:
Escalating Health Problems such as:
Taking Several Pills to Treat High Blood
Pressure,
Enlarged Thyroid Gland and Partial Removal of the Right Thyroid
Gland.
Two (2) Right Knee Surgery.
Short Term Memory Loss more frequently.
Distorted Hearing.
Lack of
Sleep Due to the Loud Noises of Cell Doors /Pod Doors Opening / Closing.
Loud
Noise From Toilet Flushing.
Bad Vision, Double Right Eye Vision.
Last Year I was Diagnosed with Right Eye Double
Vision and Given Special Lenses called Prism, which I blame these perforated
Cell Doors (small holes) For Messing Up Our Visions.
5. This Security Threat Group
(STG) and Step Down Program (SDP) do not serve any legitimate purpose.
It’s Racist inside and outside and Ridiculous on its Face. It Completely
Suppresses what little First Amendment Rights we supposed to have.
It does not afford any meaningful due process safeguards before any impartial Fair Review / Hearing Panel.
It Allows for more Arbitrary and Discriminatory Decisions cloaked under the Erroneous Pretext
Confidential Informant Information Or / And Current Gang Activity. Most importantly it allows for more new abuse of power by those administering this racist profiling policy that changes nothing nor improves nothing.
This STG / SDP is manipulative and designed to mislead
the Legislative Members to approve more wasted unnecessary fundings.
This STG /
SDP should be rejected and not funded. The SDP is not voluntary. But – to be forced on us Prisoners.
WHY? Because CDCR Officials / IGI / OSC know:
NO PRISONERS WOULD VOLUNTARILY PARTICIPATE
IN THIS SDP.
We Prisoners have real valid reasons backed with undisputed evidence to justify our concerns why it must be shut down.
Let us have some Legislative Hearings under Oath
that will review / examine our Evidence given to us for Indeterminate
Placement, CDC 1030 Disclosure Forms, that are vague and NOT satisfying Due
Process Requirements, IGI Validations Packages. Six Years Inactive Reviews.
Hear live Testimony from both
Prisoners and CDR Prison Officials, Captains, LT’s, Sgt’s and IGI Staff Behind these already existing Programs causing years of long-term Solitary Confinement.
Ask the Hard Questions that have been covered up for decades. Most of you think the Hunger Strikes exposed shocking inhumane conditions, discriminatory practices and abuse to follow Court Rulings. CDC
Policies.
It was shocking to learn Many of us Prisoners have
spent 30 to 40 plus years in the SHU with No Acts of Violence against Prisoners
Nor CDCR Staff. I hit a Prisoner one time with my Fist in 1984 on a SHU
Yard. I Received a CDC-115, I Pled Guilty and Accepted Responsibility For My
Actions. That’s the only Assault I Have On a Prisoner and None On Any Staff.
That Was Almost 30 Years Ago.
It’s funny CDCR Officials / Gang Officials tell the
Media and Legislatures, we use other Prisoners to commit our violence. Yet they
failed to produce any Evidence to connect you to the incidents.
They also fail to Tell the Media and
Legislatures that the Prison’s own investigations into certain incidents has cleared our names of any involvement. So, instead of releasing us from the SHU, they use group punishment with validation membership to warehouse you for decades in the SHU.
6.
Since this New CDCR
Regulations Staff have, in the last 3 to 6 Months, issued more ridiculous CDC-128 Chronos, CDC-115 and stating the information should be considered during the prisoner’s Six Years Inactive SHU
Review.
A Final Note, CDCR
Budget has been cut in some areas. Now they are attempting to implement this
STG / SDP to seek funding for it and going to turn it into more funding, because the reality is it will be a failure.
Our proposed MCUProposal is based on already existing Programs within CDCR and reduces spending
and Not ask for more funding etc. Yet CDCR Officials rejected our proposal.
Thank You For Your Time.
Paul
Redd Jr B – 72683
PBSP
– SHU