DECEMBER 1

We received a solicitation today from Ms. Cathy Frye, a reporter for the Arkansas Times, asking for some historical information about the ADC and Cummins Unit, and for general comments regarding the accreditation inspection soon to occur. Several prisoners responded and informed Ms. Frye about some problems here and about how the accreditation records are being whitewashed to make everything look good. It will be interesting to see what is reported. The article is to appear on or before December 12.

The Cummins Unit has indeed undergone a physical transformation that many thought would be impossible to accomplish only a few years ago. The improvements, such as they are, are real, and credit must be given to the ADC - and mainly to the hundreds of inmates who worked like mules for more than a year to achieve what has been done. The health, safety, sanitation, and general living conditions have radically improved. However, inmate treatment, medical treatment, programs, education, viable work opportunities, minimal pay, and an endless list of the other important things have basically gone unaddressed and remain as they have been. There seems little purpose for the buildings to be shiny and new when what goes on inside is still as it is.

Whether or not the physical changes that have been made are sufficient, or sufficient in themselves, to satisfy the Accreditation team remains to be seen. Even a thousand fold improvement from points of view may mean little to professionals who must accredit this place.

DECEMBER 7

Since yesterday the paint crews have been working around the clock to put a nice new coat over everything. The Kitchen has added tray and spoon racks, supplied actual spoons (rather than the disposable ones they unsanitarily use over and over again at other times), and even placed salt shakers onto to tables! New equipment is suddenly cropping up everywhere - only to likely disappear again once the Accreditation team is gone.

I had the opportunity to speak to one of the Accreditation team members at some length today, and we had a good conversation. Some of those issues I will address in other articles on these sites. He had apparently been taken to the Gym and was shown some bristly new equipment there, and the comment was made that it was "impressive." The inspector responded that thus far, he had not been impressed with anything he had seen. Hmm.

DECEMBER 9

CONSPIRACY FULFILLED

The guesswork is over now. The powers that be have finally executed at least a part of their plan to shut me up and to get me out of the way.

At about 3:00 p.m. the grapevine brought news that I was to be transferred our of state early tomorrow. It was no surprise, of course, but I couldn’t help but be amused with the timing. It was late Friday and since Zipper man bill was expected in Little Rock tomorrow on Air Force One it was very likely that we would not be able to contact anyone in time to stop the transfer - and by Monday I would likely already be in some faraway state. But, I did make calls to let Linda and others know, so that some longshot effort could be made. I also gave away what property I had that I didn’t want the state to have and got ready to go.

Shortly after 5:00 p.m., I was escorted to the Classification Office by Assistant Warden Hipple, Head of Security. It was interesting that they had waited until the State Offices had closed for sure before officially notifying me. I was informed that I was to be sent to Utah State Prison at about 5:00 a.m. They were rather smug about it; especially Hipple.

I’m somewhat surprised that the goons arranged an out of state transfer, and especially to Utah. That effort had backfired in 1992, and was litigated in the conspiracy lawsuit PB-C-92-279, mentioned at the beginning of this Journal. Utah had initially tried to cover up for Arkansas, but eventually ADC officials’ names were disclosed. The three key people involved in that conspiracy - A.L. Lockhart, Randall Morgan, and Tom Pitts - have long been indicted, fired or resigned. After that incident an attorney and I made it unequivocally clear that I did not want to transferred out of state.

Given these events in 1992, it is not too difficult to predict how they will justify sending a model prisoner some 2,000 miles away. They will pretend not to have had knowledge of the 1992 incident. We have some surprised for them, especially since prison Director Larry Norris was a named defendant in 1992 as well.

It appears that Arkansas’ plan was to passively await any other state’s request to house one of its prisoners in the ADC, and then to send me in exchange. This practice is common among the states - and the respective prisons each usually send one of their own “worst” prisoners to the other state! It amuses me because perhaps Utah will have gotten the worst end of THAT deal!

If Utah actually conspired with Arkansas, they will certainly be named as defendants in the new conspiracy suit, so that we can at least flush out just which officials in Utah are such close pals with the ADC.

It is, of course, my hope that we can get the transfer reversed next week, but I don’t have much confidence that it can be done. Stopping it before it begins is one thing, getting it undone after it has already happened, is another. It is possible, therefore that it will take several months either to make it “expedient” for Utah to return me to Arkansas or to secure a preliminary court order to return me to the status quo. The ADC will do all it can to get even if it gets me back without a court order, though. But, no problem - the last conspiracy suit escalated to dozens of named defendants, and so it will be again. Maybe the good ol’ boys will have a much harder time getting other people to go along with their game plan this time. We’ll see. One thing is almost certain now -my situation will decay for some time before this can be vindicated.

DECEMBER 17

WOW! What a trip that was! Forget the airplane ride to Utah, because I got to enjoy a little “diesel therapy” instead.

Early on December 10 I was picked up by a van from TransCor, a Tennessee-based company that racks up millions of taxpayer dollars through CONTRACTS with several states to transport their prisoners. TransCor has 180days to get the prisoner from point A to point Z, usually by way of points B through Y! So, shackled, chained and cuffed, I was stuffed inside that little van with 11 other prisoners, and we took the scenic route to Utah for seven days.

I can’t even begin to describe what it’s like being crushed into that tiny space for a week - and to have to eat, sit, sleep and otherwise conduct ourselves like animals. Pity to the man or woman that got a cramp or who had an itch. The shackles, chains and cuffs were never removed - neither to eat, nor to relieve ourselves. At times it was impossible for all of us to lean back in the seat, so we had to alternate every couple of hours.

Most fun of all was the little “black box” that slipped over the handcuffs so that even one’s wrists were immobile and which caused all of us knicks, cuts, bruises and abrasions by the time the trip was done. The things were invented by an ex-prisoner, no less. May the fleas of a thousand camels infest his hair and orifices!

The two officers who transported us treated us exceptionally well and expressed disagreement with and sympathy over the company policies when they noted one’s discomfort. Their sentiments didn’t help much - but we were thankful that they were not two officers like those with TransCor who had wrecked a van and let five prisoners burn to death; or those who raped two female prisoners in the back of their van; or those who abandoned a van full of prisoners afer getting into an argument with each other; or those who were arrested driving while intoxicated. TransCor has about four incidents a year - and for that reason alone it should be illegal to chain prisoners like they do inside those cages, and to cram so many into a van for protracted periods of time. (I’ll write a detailed, separate article on this.)

Thank God for Dumas, Texas and Watsenerg, Colorado county jails - where we were treated like human beings, were allowed to shower and wash our clothes, get medical treatment and food, and could sleep comfortably for a few hours.

We finally arrived at Draper prison in Salt Lake City at about 10:00 this morning. Since Utah was notorious once for executions by firing squad, I was momentarily amused when I was given a “last cigarette.” Since Utah doesn’t allow smoking, I was about to go “cold turkey” after 33 years. Nobody even asked me if I wanted a blindfold.

DECEMBER 18-30

Since the 17th, I’ve been confined in a two man cell for 23 hour lockdown. We get out of our cells for about one hour - sometimes between 5:00 and 8:00 a/m/ For over two weeks I was not allowed to make phone calls, or even to write a letter, expect those I was able to get other prisoners to make for me or to mail for me in their names. I may not be allowed visitation for up to several months.

Over the Christmas period, I received many cards and letters from all around the USA, and from several foreign countries, all wanting to send good wishes and to cheer me up. It was really wonderful to fell the care, concern and encouragement from you all, and I send my deepest heartfelt thanks. And a hug if I could. I’m sorry that I was only able to respond personally to a very few, but it is next to impossible to obtain adequate postage as long as I’m in “intake” process, or to arrange for special postage for mail overseas. Just know that you made my holiday special - and that was even more so because of the snow and the beautiful mountains surrounding the prison.

ARKANSAS JOURNAL JANUARY 2000