Inmate Fears For His Life at Raiford

By Arlene Johnson, June 19, 2002
Kenneth Caudill, #685494-C1311S fears for his life at the hands of "correctional officer" Michael Kelly Shemer because he witnessed the murder of Frank Valdes in July 1999 at Florida State Prison in Starke, Florida. Now on June 19, 2002, he stated, "the Assistant Warden Mr. Joe Lazanby came to medical along with officer Michael Kelly Shemer who was one of the guards who tried to kill me in 1999. They were trying to jump on me! But there were too many other inmates there. I know that they were trying to kill me and officer Michael Kelly Shemer and officer Clayton P. Griffis brought me back to my wing and they threatened me and said 'you got away only temporarily! We will get [you] in the next few weeks!'

Please help me get away from here before they do kill me OK! I need your help now! My life is in grave danger as long as I'm here at this prison."

Please contact Warden Carter at carter.bradley@mail.dc.state.fl.us and Governor Jeb Bush at fl_governor@myflorida.com and Michael Moore at fcorcom@mail.dc.state.fl.us and demand that they move Kenneth Caudill to another prison to finish serving his sentence which will end in 2006.

Editor's note: This article was submitted to the Florida Times Union reporter named Rich Tucker but that newspaper never published it to my knowledge. Certainly this editor never heard that the newspaper published this article. Mr. Caudill informed me that Officer Mabre was among the officers who accompanied Shemer at the time of the threat.

Prison Brutality in Florida
By Arlene Johnson

Kenneth Caudill is only one example of massive prison brutality in the United States. Mr. Caudill is the victim of grand mal epileptic seizures. No medication has ever been provided to him to bring them under control despite the fact that I demanded it in writing to the Warden.

In 1999, Shemer brutally beat Mr. Caudill to the point that he had to be transported to the hospital where he underwent surgery to insert a metal plate in his head. Fortunately, the surgeons did a remarkable job because in the picture here you wouldn't be able to determine that Mr. Caudill had required this surgery. But he did.

Now, the state of Florida has erased the fact that Kenneth Caudill was ever on Q-wing where he witnessed the brutal murder of Frank Valdes, the death row inmate who prison officials stated committed suicide and for which all the "correctional officers" were either acquitted or not tried in any Florida court room.

Mr. Caudill states categorically that chemical agents are used indiscriminately on prisoners who suffer from asthma and bronchitis. He is deeply concerned about them because he understands that these chemicals can cause loss of the ability to oxygenate the lungs.

There is no reason to spray chemical agents on inmate populations. It's simply done to intimidate and demean.

Other tortures inmates are forced to endure include being jumped on, preventing the use of an inhaler for an asthmatic condition, being forced to endure unbearable heat because the prison guards turn off the exhaust fans.

Every time Mr. Caudill writes a grievance, the Warden orders the guards to "physically assault and abuse" him. Mr. Caudill is just like Frank Valdes was in that he is a seeker of justice. 3We both stood up for justice and we both stood side by side when the guards beat anyone on Q-wing. Frank was a warrior and he fought for justice. But he lost his life for what he believed in.2

3These people here don't do anything to help us when another inmate says he wants to see mental health because he wants to kill himself. The guards say do you want a razor to cut your throat with or they say hang yourself!2

Mr. Caudill requests to be cuffed in front because when he suffers from a grand mal seizure as he does on numerous occasions, he falls backward but the warden never accommodates that request. Mr. Caudill requests that the spit guard be removed because he never spits but that request is never accommodated either. They never remove him from high security. Bear in mind that all this is due to Mr. Caudill's seeking justice. Mr. Caudill states that 3Col. Clark hates me.2 As a result 3Col. Clark has his officers harass and threaten" him 3all the time.2

If he was what the prison calls a 3model inmate" he wouldn't have to endure physical torture, but he seeks justice. That's why he undergoes this kind of action.

Colonel Clark insists that Mr. Caudill spit in his face. He never did. Col. Clark deceived. Moreover, Mr. Caudill states categorically that Major Billy J. Jarvis jumped on him to hurt him.

Prisoners need class action lawsuits to defend their rights. It's my opinion that any officer who violates the rights of these human beings should be prosecuted and incarcerated themselves. Let them have a taste of what's it's like to be on the other side of the bars because they are nothing but criminals themselves with a badge.

The Frank Valdes Murder- Eyewitness Report

Kenneth Caudill witnessed the brutal homicide of Death Row Prisoner Frank Valdes and reports this exclusive information in a letter to me as Editor-In-Chief of True Democracy (La verdad sobre la democracia) dated June 25, 2002:

"Frank was kicked and beaten with night sticks and even the captain kicked open Frank's legs and kicked him in his testicles or nuts. I heard Sergeant Jason P. Griffis say this to Frank every time he hit Frank with the club 'This is for my cousin; this is for my cousin!' When they were in Frank's cell on Q-wing they were kicking him so badly I heard Frank moaning with pain and he was in full restraints when they were kicking and beating him! Tell Wanda I'm so sorry I could not help Frank! I even saw them load his body on a cart too!"

This is almost the way they had beaten me! I heard they hit me in the face with a steel bar that was behind the sergeant's desk! I just want protection from these prison guards and prison officials.

Corruption at Florida State Prison

Kenneth Caudill's record as to his being incarcerated on Q-wing was eradicated by the Inspector General's office in an attempt to prevent him from providing an affidavit on what he personally observed and heard regarding the Frank Valdes murder.

Request from Kenneth Caudill

"Please tell the Secretary of the Department of Corrections about how the Warden and the Assistant Warden and the Head of Security Colonel A. W. Clark have their officers doing all their taunting, threatening, harassing, and physically assaulting me and writing false disciplinary reports on me which are lies. Tell them the Warden and Assistant Warden for operations are both down [complicit] in this activity."

Furthermore, Kenneth Caudill states unequivocally that "Warden Carter will find a way to cover it up" in terms of anything that anyone would share with him.

General Affidavit STATE OF FLORIDA COUNTY OF Bradford

I, Ken Caudill, do hereby swear that the following statement is true and correct and made of my own free will, from my own personal knowledge. On Feb. 13th 1999 at approximately 10:00 or 10:30 pm I was brought to B-wing by Captain Jarvis and Sergeant Ruby. Captain Jarvis and Ruby placed me in the shower cell while I was fully restrained handcuffs-waist chain-black box-and leg-Irons. Sergeant Davison began harassing me and all of the sudden began hitting me with his fists and started kicking me too. Then Jarvis, Ruby and officer Shemer joined in on beating me in my head until I was knocked out. Another officer was there. His name is Beechaim. He was not involved in this beating. The officers who beat me slammed my head into the shower door by what an eyewitness said! I have his affidavit too! Jarvis, Ruby, Davison, and Shemer dragged me out of the shower to the quarter deck. I was laying on the floor bleeding, shivering, and having a seizure too! When the medical staff entered the wing nurse Padget started to laugh and make fun of me! I was taken to medical via stretcher. After I got to medical 9ll was called. After that EMS came and took me to Bradford Shand's Hospital via EMS trauma one ambulance and they sent me to Memorial Hospital via EMS trauma one ambulance again. I arrived at Memorial Hospital and I was admitted to Memorial Hospital for several head and facial fractures, to which surgery was done to repair my facial fractures and the surgeon put in a y-shaped steel plate along with 5 screws across my facial fracture. I have all my medical records from Memorial Hospital too! The officers who beat me are by rank Captain Billy J. Jarvis, Sergeant Joseph T. Ruby, Sergeant Keith Davison and officer Michael Kelly Shemer. All these officers got away with beating me half to death! The ex Warden Mr. James V. Crosby, Jr. and the Inspector General's office covered this up to protect these guards from being prosecuted for either battery or attempted murder for their beating me the way they did. I have another eyewitness that saw what these guards did to me. His name is Alexander Bloodworth DC#045059. He is in the T.C.U. at Union C.I. OK!

Please help me with a lawsuit again. The Florida Department of Corrections and against those guards that beat me too! Sergeant Joseph T. Ruby no longer is employed with Florida Department of Corrections ok! Mr. Rubin Sir! please help me sir! I will appreciate any assistance you can provide me with in this matter! Mr. Rubin

sir! I need your help with my lawsuit again. The Florida Department of Corrections and against those guards too sir! Please let me know something sir! Thank you! Please answer this letter ASAP! Please Mr. Rubin

sir! Thanks again Respectfully submitted by Ken Caudill 685494-C1311S
Florida State Prison
7819 N.W. 228th Street Raiford, FL 32026-1120

Under Penalties of Perjury, I declare that I have read the foregoing affidavit and the facts stated in it are true and correct in accordance with section 92.525 Florida Statutes (2000).

By: Ken Caudill! 685494-C1311S
7/7/02 Affiant Signature Date

Editor's note: On July 22, 2002 I received the following letter from Mr. Caudill which clearly indicates that the letter I sent to him which was dated July 11, 2002 had not been received.

His letter was dated July 17, 2002 and reads as follows: "Dear Arlene, I just wanted to let you know that since I haven't heard from [you] in a while you don't have to worry about me anymore ok! I can take care of myself ok! I asked you for a picture of you and Kay Lee and Wanda and Phillip Ofume and even Derricc you all can keep your pictures! If that made you mad with me! You can keep mine ok?! Also you and the rest of you all really don't care what happens to us! I could bring suit against all of you for fraud but I'm not going to do that ok! Also this is a waste of time ok Arlene! But you are a good person and you all let me down Arlene! I'm saying goodbye in this letter to all of you ok! You can tell Wanda don't worry about talking to Mr. Rubin ok! You and the rest of yall take care and if you still want to write me I will still let you know what goes on here and if I don't hear from you Arlene then goodbye! God bless you all ok Arlene! Please don't hate me because I've done nothing wrong at all Arlene! I've been very truthful with you all along and I have not lied to you at all Arlene! So please let me know something ok! You take care Arlene and be as truthful with me as I have been with you ok Arlene! Goodbye my friend. Thanks. Write back soon ok! Please answer this letter A-S-A-P! Please! Thanks again. If you want to send my photo back you can but I want you to lay it to rest-ok! I'm DEAD. Sincerely yours, Kenneth Caudill! 685494!C1311S! 7819 N.W. 228th Street Raiford, Florida 32026-1120

P. S. Also you don't have to do a story on me at all. I appreciate it! But you all let me down! You all really don't care at all period! You lied to me Arlene! Arlene I'm gong to commit sui[cide] when I get out of prison! Tell my Aunt Vivian Tucker I said this ok. Goodbye Arlene!"

Clearly, the prison officials withheld my letter dated July 11, 2002 from this inmate in order to destabilize him.

Here is the letter that I wrote to Wanda Valdes in an effort to make Kenneth Caudill aware that I did write to him but that the prison just didn't deliver the letter and pictures of Wanda Valdes as well as Derricc Frazier with explanations as to why I didn't include the other pictures so he would see that every time he wrote to me, I wrote back immediately:

P. O. Box 882 Lakebay, WA 98349-0882 July 22, 2002

Mrs. Wanda Valdes 425 Banyan Drive Lake Worth, FL 33461

Dear Wanda, Kenneth Caudill believes that we don't care about him because the prison guards have not delivered my latest letter that I wrote him after he sent me a letter dated 7/7/02. Here is a copy of what he sent to me. He thinks that I lied to him when the truth of the matter is that I have been as honest with him as he has been with me. In other words, 100% honest.

Yesterday, I wrote the story that will be in the next edition of True Democracy (La verdad sobre la democracia). Notice the dates on all these items I'm sending you because they are proof that I do care just as much as all of you do.

Someone needs to go to Raiford and see him and give him my letter that's dated July 11, 2002 because he needs to know that we do care. It shouldn't be necessary for me to buy a proof of mailing because that costs money too. This prison needs to get the mail to the prisoners in a timely manner. I personally feel that they are censoring his mail because they want him to feel the way he does. You'll see what he plans on doing when he is freed in 2006. We have to prevent that.

I wanted to send this to you in the snail mail because if affords privacy. Email doesn't. The National Security Agency reads all Emails internationally and would make Jeb Bush aware so they can cover this up as they do everything else.

Please make Mr. Rubin aware of this nonsense that Raiford is putting Kenneth through so he will go to see him and take his affidavit for Frank's brutal murder because Kenneth saw and heard the whole thing.

Kenneth's true story will be right after Frank's true story in my next edition.

Love, peace, and hugs,

NEWS SOURCE, INC.

Arlene Johnson Publisher

Enclosures: 3