"Following is a list of men who have all been the subject of macing and or being chained down:" There follows a list of fourteen men. Of one of them he says "[He] has been chained down a number of times[;] the travesty of his case is that he is greatly mentally disturbed." And of another, "[He is] deceased as a result of being forced to cuff while having a Severe asthma attack~ died November 3, 1997. His death is being covered up. ... [ln April] 1997, a lot of men were chained down as a result of protests over the death of a prisoner .. who died due to lack of medical care."

KJM, Northern prison, Somers, Connecticut, 11/24/99

"Connecticut DOC uses restraints as a means of corporal punishment, e.g., if one is sent back to segregation for any non violent act they will chain [him] up behind the back, between the feet and tethered in between every time [he] leave[s his] cell."

MT, S.C.I. Greene, Waynesburg, Pennsylvania

"I ... and two other inmates ... were taken to this hall wing and stripped and searched. The COs [Correctional Officers - guards] took my 'boxers,' T Shirt and socks and told us to put on jumpsuits with no undercloth[ing]. I was [then] handcuffed and shackled and taken to a cell that wasn't my original. [T]his cell didn't have nothing in there but a sink, toilet and bed forms with no mattress. I was [there] for 24 hours with tight handcuffs along with tight shackles, they had some kind of tape wrapp[ing] the belt I was wearing so if I tried to lay down it would be impossible ... to get some sleep. ... I asked all day could they please get a ranking officer so I can use the toilet. I didn't get no assistance until ... after dinner. They made me wait all that time just to go to the bathroom."

IGM, James V. Allred Unit, Texas

"I was chained to a bed ... sitting up ... for about 21 days, fed one sandwich three times a day and one cup of water. I had refused to go in lock-up. Guards jumped on me, grabbed me by the balls and [in a] choke hold."

JDE, McNeil Island Correction Center, Steilacoom, Washington (describes conditions in Clallam Bay Corrections Center Intensive Management Unit)

"[The prisoner], young [and] confused, ... had a cast on one arm [and] both wrists handcuffed behind him as two guards were escorting him ... as they reached the cell, [they] suddenly violently pushed and shoved [him] inside. [The guards taunted him verbally incessantly for several hours commanding him to do things he could never complete to their satisfaction.] The guards left and returned with more as a goon squad dressed in full riot gear -- they rushed, 'pepper sprayed,' and then placed [him] in a strip cell (i.e., no clothing, blankets, hygiene items, working toilet or even toilet paper)."

ES, Ohio State Penitentiary

This was written to Warden Johnson of the OSP on an "Informal Complaint Resolution" form. The warden's response follows the prisoner's statement

"[In May of 1999 I] was taken out of [my cell] by officers Jackson, Thompson, and Marshall. At that time I was placed in a locked room in B block hallway where C/O [Custodial Officer] Jackson, C/O Thompson and C/O Marshall chained me to the wall, while I already had leg shackles on, and handcuffed me behind my back But I was still chained to the wall locked inside a room out in B block hallway for about an hour. I was heard by the [investigating] Committee while I was chained to the wall. I informed the institution investigators that I was in pain from being chained to the wall for so long. The investigator's name is Mr. Moore. He [saw] me like that. Mr. Johnson, as an African American man I felt mental torture, degraded, raped of any dignity as a human being. I felt like a Hebrew slave chained to that wall. That type of treatment of prisoners is wrong. Can you have it stopped? Thank you for your time, sir!!!"

ln the section "Action taken by staff members to informally resolve the complaint" the following appears:

"The procedure [being] used to provide an area for confidential meetings is not at this time being changed."

T, Ohio State Penitentiary

This was also written to Warden Johnson of the OSP on an "Informal Complaint Resolution" form. The warden's response follows the prisoner's statement.

"Sir, Visiting ... encourages a prisoner by allowing him to see people of positive influence in his life. Visiting here, however, is a punishment [because] of [the prisoner's] being chained to spine-stressing immobility, with arms locked in unnatural angles and being forced to sit on a steel stool with no back support for the entire visit. It is actually painful, and for that reason I have asked family to stop visiting. We are made to sit on a stool without even the ability to gesture with our hands in our conversations, due to our hands being twisted ... Obviously you want us secured and unable to do anything dangerous, but will you please consider this: There are equally securing methods used that will allow a bit more relaxation." The prisoner included several diagrams.

In the section "Action taken by staff members to informally resolve the complaint" the following appears:

"Your issue with the type of immobilizing restraints used is so noted. Your concerns will be and should be addressed to Mr. Wood, Deputy Warden of Operations. Your concerns will be reviewed."