Letter To Governor

Southeastern Christian Association

8710 Valley Forest

Houston, TX 77078

To: Governor Barbour, Mississippi State Legislature, and Mississippi State Senate

This is a letter of tremendous concern. It is somewhat trying when the Commissioner of the Mississippi State Prison System, as well as, the wardens have endangered the lives of several inmates.

I have had the rare opportunity to speak with Mr. Epps, and he stated to me during our conversation, that a lot of the transitions happening within the prisons are orders coming directly from him. It somewhat grieves me for a man to make such a broad statement and not clarify himself. We are aware at this point that guards are beating inmates within the correctional facilities. We also know that there are guards that are being terminated because they refuse to conform to injuring and terrorizing inmates that have not provoked them or stepped out of line. Mr. Governor, my biggest concern is that there are a great number of men and women that are innocent and are being held in this prison system. Many of these inmates who are sick are being refused medical treatment for their conditions. They are being relieved of their legal paperwork, which is the inmate’s property. No one knows what is being done to their information. Mr. Epps ordered this to be done. It behooves all of us that have concern for those men and women who are innocent to correct these problems immediately.

I do understand that prison ethics and conduct is the furthest thing from your mind; but all of us have concern for the innocent ones who are locked up for crimes they did not commit. We fail to understand where there is a breakdown within the system where victims fall prey to those predators that are not innocent. We do know that it was reported most recently that one gun was found in the cell of an inmate; when in all actuality it was more than one gun found at the Parchman facility. There were also several shanks found in the possession of inmates. Mr. Governor, you and I both know that the families of the inmates are not the ones bringing in these weapons. Therefore it leaves to reason that it must be the staff members at Parchman who would do such a hideous thing.

I have spoken with Mr. Epps hoping that we would be able to work together to alleviate some of these problems, however I have found it impossible to work with someone who says one thing and does another. Inmates are being repeatedly stabbed; screaming and yelling for assistance and begging for mercy. Blood is being shed and running down the corridors of prisons and guards are turning a deaf ear to the problem. It is the obligation of Mr. Epps, the warden, and the staff to ensure the safety and well being of all inmates. Mr. Governor, I must stress to you the seriousness of this problem, not only for the inmates that did not commit any crimes; but for one of your friends, loved ones, associates, even you sir, who can go to prison and be at the mercy of those men and women who have reigned terror over an inmate.

We notified Mr. Epps over fifteen days ago about a warden at the East Mississippi Correctional facility, regarding a female lieutenant who was terminated after rejecting the advances of the warden. However, he did not stop there. He proceeded to pull up his pant leg which revealed a tattoo of a knife with a sword which stands for the Ku Klux Klan, thereby associating himself with the Aryan Brotherhood. He even went as far as to ask the lieutenant if she had been with a man outside of her race. Upon her rejection and filing a complaint, she was terminated.

This lieutenant of whom I write, has only been written up once during her time as a rookie. She was against all of the detrimental treatment of the inmates to which she has witnessed. No inmate should be made to walk the halls of a prison naked, slammed into the walls by the warden, and placed on lock down for a period of sixty days to four years. No inmate should have to endure that treatment because the warden feels that he has the power or authority to do so.

Mr. Governor, there are federal laws concerning the protection, safety, and well being of inmates on lockdown for extensive periods of time. There are federal laws concerning the protection of female guards from harassment. Only you sir have the authority to correct these issues. We ask that you call for an emergency hearing regarding the vicious treatment of these inmates, the concerns for those incarcerated that are innocent and protection for guards who refuse to conform to the negative and disrespectful treatment of the inmates.

I thank you for your time and consideration in this unfortunate matter.

Respectfully,

Reverend Dr. Le Roy Gilllam

Reverend Dr. Le Roy Gillam

Southeastern Christian Association

8710 Valley Forest

Houston, TX. 77078

832-228-3207

Web Page: www.southeasternchristianassociation.com

E-mail: Southeastern0@aol.com

Inmate Vincent Carnell Hudson, age 61, of Louisville, Mississippi entered the Mississippi State Penitentiary at Parchman October 2008 in very good health. He was well enough to be assigned to work in the cafeteria. September 27, 2009 Vincent was placed “in the hole” as a disciplinary action for having a cell phone in his possession.

After his 2-3 week confinement “in the hole”, Vincent emerged a very frail and weak man suffering from severe pneumonia. He complained about pain in his side and that he could hardly walk. He was sent to the infirmary at Parchment where he stayed for 3 weeks; while there he coded twice before being transferred to Greenwood Leflore Hospital in Greenwood, Mississippi on November 5, 2009. Where he coded once again, required a tracheotomy, was placed on a respirator, dialysis and required insertion of a feeding tube.

Vincent was discharged from the hospital on Friday, December 4, 2009 and remanded back to the Mississippi State Penitentiary at Parchman, still a gravely ill man in need of proper medical care. He was laid in the infirmary in a bed that had dingy sheets with holes in them and a balled up sheet under his head for a pillow. In that room there was chairs for the family to sit, that was very dusty. Surely not a place for a person with a trach or feeding tube should be. His family asked when was his feeding time? They were told that he could not be fed because there was no feeding order. But, Dr. Perry told them that there was a feeding order. He has been returned to the very location that facilitated his physical demise, Parchman and its hospital/ infirmary. He is unable to walk, speak, see or eat. He still has a trach and feeding tube inserted, is partially paralyzed and incontinent. His family states that he appears to be malnourished and dehydrated.

After a calls from Southeastern Christian Association, Mothers of Inmates, NAACP and various churches in the state of Mississippi to the Governor, Radio Stations T.V. Stations, on December 7, 2009, Mississippi State Department of Corrections (MDOC) Commissioner Christopher B. Epps had Vincent Carnell Hudson transferred from the infirmary of Mississippi State Penitentiary at Parchman back to the long term care treatment facility more adept to care for his comprehensive medical needs. On that same day we also petitioned him for a Medical Release of Vincent due to the severe impairment of his health. Vincent’s prognosis is dismal and his medical circumstance renders him completely harmless.

On December 31, 2009, Vincent was sent back to the Mississippi State Penitentiary at Parchman infirmary. Today is January 15, 2010, and Mr. Vincent is still in the Mississippi State Penitentiary at Parchman infirmary. The family does not know his condition, because MDOC have not as of today permitted the family to see their brother. They are afraid for his life.

We have been told by the MDOC Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Gloria Perry that the Medical Release has been processed and is now on Commissioner Epps’ desk awaiting his final determination.

Respectfully