Georgia prisons ‘out of control,’ rights group says, as FBI brutality probe deepens
September 15, 2012
by John Rudolf
This is Terrance Dean, 31, before his near-fatal beating. He is
seen by prison officials as a leader in the historic Dec. 9, 2010,
sit-down strike by thousands of Georgia prisons from multiple prisons,
races and ages who for eight days protested slave labor – they are paid
no wages for their work, whether inside or outside prison – and other
intolerable conditions. – Photo: Georgia Department of Corrections
seen by prison officials as a leader in the historic Dec. 9, 2010,
sit-down strike by thousands of Georgia prisons from multiple prisons,
races and ages who for eight days protested slave labor – they are paid
no wages for their work, whether inside or outside prison – and other
intolerable conditions. – Photo: Georgia Department of Corrections
The investigator was soft-spoken but relentless.
“Look at me and tell me that you were not in that gymnasium,” said
Trebor Randle, a Georgia Bureau of Investigation agent, sitting across a
small table from the corrections officer.
Trebor Randle, a Georgia Bureau of Investigation agent, sitting across a
small table from the corrections officer.
“And then what?” said Sgt. Christopher A. Hall, his voice a choked whisper. “What happens to me?”
A month earlier, in December 2010, Hall led an emergency response
team at Macon State Prison in central Georgia responding to a fight
between an inmate, Terrance Dean, and a guard. Hall’s team broke up the
fight, handcuffed Dean and took him into the prison gym. Dean emerged
with a massive head injury, comatose and clinging to life.
team at Macon State Prison in central Georgia responding to a fight
between an inmate, Terrance Dean, and a guard. Hall’s team broke up the
fight, handcuffed Dean and took him into the prison gym. Dean emerged
with a massive head injury, comatose and clinging to life.
For weeks, Hall and the rest of his team maintained that Dean
“snatched away” from the officers holding him, then fell and hit his
head while running away. But in the videotaped interrogation of Hall by
Randle, viewed by The Huffington Post, the guard admitted the simple
truth: a handcuffed Dean was beaten by guards as punishment for
assaulting their fellow officer.
“snatched away” from the officers holding him, then fell and hit his
head while running away. But in the videotaped interrogation of Hall by
Randle, viewed by The Huffington Post, the guard admitted the simple
truth: a handcuffed Dean was beaten by guards as punishment for
assaulting their fellow officer.
“I don’t think my guys meant to do it,” Hall said. “It just happened. They just went too far.”
Nearly 16 months later, Dean’s beating remains at the center of an
FBI investigation into organized brutality by guards at Macon State
Prison in rural Oglethorpe, Ga. Last week, a second guard on Hall’s
team, Darren Douglass-Griffin, 35, pleaded guilty to federal civil
rights and conspiracy charges related to the beating of Dean and other
inmates. He faces up to 25 years in prison. Earlier this year, another
Macon guard pleaded guilty to similar federal charges.
FBI investigation into organized brutality by guards at Macon State
Prison in rural Oglethorpe, Ga. Last week, a second guard on Hall’s
team, Darren Douglass-Griffin, 35, pleaded guilty to federal civil
rights and conspiracy charges related to the beating of Dean and other
inmates. He faces up to 25 years in prison. Earlier this year, another
Macon guard pleaded guilty to similar federal charges.
The brutality probe at Macon comes amid a statewide outbreak of
prison violence that has some Georgia institutions teetering on the
brink of anarchy, according to a leading civil rights group in the
state.
prison violence that has some Georgia institutions teetering on the
brink of anarchy, according to a leading civil rights group in the
state.
“Things seem to be spiraling out of control,” said Sarah Geraghty, a
senior staff attorney for the Southern Center for Human Rights, an
Atlanta-based legal advocacy group. “We are seeing mass chaos,
essentially, in many of the prisons.”
senior staff attorney for the Southern Center for Human Rights, an
Atlanta-based legal advocacy group. “We are seeing mass chaos,
essentially, in many of the prisons.”
Homicides have spiked in Georgia prisons, which are overcrowded and
understaffed, as have reports of violence and abuse, Geraghty said. The
Southern Center for Human Rights filed a lawsuit in 2011 against the state, alleging systematic brutality by guards at another facility, Hays State Prison.
understaffed, as have reports of violence and abuse, Geraghty said. The
Southern Center for Human Rights filed a lawsuit in 2011 against the state, alleging systematic brutality by guards at another facility, Hays State Prison.
A spokeswoman for the Georgia Department of Corrections declined to
comment on the Dean case or on conditions at Macon, citing the FBI’s
ongoing investigation, and did not respond to questions about the
overall condition of Georgia prisons. Hall’s attorney did not respond to
messages requesting comment. Attempts to reach him directly were
unsuccessful.
Dean, who recovered from the coma but remains disabled, filed a
federal lawsuit against Hall and the other guards he alleges were
directly involved in the beating, as well as Hall’s supervisory
officers, Capt. Kevin Davis and James Hinton, Macon’s deputy warden, who
oversaw prison security.
federal lawsuit against Hall and the other guards he alleges were
directly involved in the beating, as well as Hall’s supervisory
officers, Capt. Kevin Davis and James Hinton, Macon’s deputy warden, who
oversaw prison security.
Davis and Hinton were both aware that prisoners were being beaten in
the gym, which is not equipped with cameras, according to Hall’s
statements to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.
the gym, which is not equipped with cameras, according to Hall’s
statements to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.
“I’m just trying to find out, in fairness to you, how far up this
goes,” Randle, the state agent, said during her questioning of Hall.
“What about the deputy warden?”
goes,” Randle, the state agent, said during her questioning of Hall.
“What about the deputy warden?”
“Does he know? Yes,” Hall said, hanging his head.
A Georgia prisoner advocate at a Jan. 6 press conference holds a
poster showing beaten prisoners. – Photo: Kristi E. Swartz, AJC.com
poster showing beaten prisoners. – Photo: Kristi E. Swartz, AJC.com
Dean’s attorney, Mario Williams of Atlanta, said he hopes the FBI
investigation aggressively pursues the possibility that senior officials
at Macon knew about and condoned the abuse of inmates. “I think they
should be going up the chain,” Williams said.
In a response to Dean’s lawsuit, the Georgia Attorney General’s
Office, which represents Hinton and Davis, filed a lengthy motion
denying any wrongdoing by the two men.
Office, which represents Hinton and Davis, filed a lengthy motion
denying any wrongdoing by the two men.
“Defendants deny that they were aware that excessive force was commonly used against inmates,” the motion stated.
Hall, a military veteran with a decade of corrections experience,
said in his videotaped interrogation that conditions at Macon State
Prison were ripe for official misconduct. Under questioning by Randle,
he described a sharp deterioration of security at Macon that left guards
rattled.
said in his videotaped interrogation that conditions at Macon State
Prison were ripe for official misconduct. Under questioning by Randle,
he described a sharp deterioration of security at Macon that left guards
rattled.
“Everybody’s just tired,” Hall said. “Just exhausted, man. Tired and mentally worn out.”
Hall had worked as a guard at Macon years before, he said, but found
it altered radically for the worse when he returned in 2009.
it altered radically for the worse when he returned in 2009.
“The inmates were wild,” he said. “It was a big change. Inmates
assaulting the staff everywhere. People scared to come to work. The
whole atmosphere was just chaos. All of it.”
assaulting the staff everywhere. People scared to come to work. The
whole atmosphere was just chaos. All of it.”
The officers on Hall’s team were on edge Dec. 16, 2010, when the
fight broke out between Dean and Stephen Walden, a guard, in a prison
dorm. According to an internal Georgia Bureau of Investigation report,
several inmate witnesses said Dean quarreled with Walden before the two
men agreed to fight in the rear of the dorm.
fight broke out between Dean and Stephen Walden, a guard, in a prison
dorm. According to an internal Georgia Bureau of Investigation report,
several inmate witnesses said Dean quarreled with Walden before the two
men agreed to fight in the rear of the dorm.
The fight was quickly broken up by other guards. Walden suffered bruises, swelling and a sore jaw, the GBI report said.
Dean was not so lucky. His hands cuffed behind his back, guards took
him to the gym, where he was kicked, stomped and punched into
unconsciousness. The assault ended when the guards were physically
pulled off of Dean, Hall said.
him to the gym, where he was kicked, stomped and punched into
unconsciousness. The assault ended when the guards were physically
pulled off of Dean, Hall said.
“I was screaming and pushing those guys,” Hall said. “Everything I was doing was to get those guys to stop.”
Dean, critically hurt, was taken by ambulance to a hospital in Macon,
then Atlanta. His family was never officially notified of his injuries,
his mother said in an interview.
then Atlanta. His family was never officially notified of his injuries,
his mother said in an interview.
Willie Maud Dean, 64, said she learned her son was injured after an
inmate used an illegal cell phone to call Terrance Dean’s brother. The
family then struggled for weeks to learn even basic facts about his
condition, she said.
inmate used an illegal cell phone to call Terrance Dean’s brother. The
family then struggled for weeks to learn even basic facts about his
condition, she said.
“They covered it up,” she said. “They didn’t want us to know what they did to him.”
Dean’s mother said she finally saw her son in early January.
“He couldn’t stand up. He couldn’t walk on his own. He couldn’t talk. He couldn’t use his hands,” she said.
Dean, now 31, had been serving 20 years for an armed robbery of a
Krystal’s hamburger franchise, his mother said. No one was hurt in the
robbery, and Dean was caught after police pulled his image off of a
surveillance video. He was six years into his sentence – his first
prison stretch – when he was beaten.
Today, Dean is serving out his sentence at Georgia’s medical prison
in Augusta. His left foot remains twisted inward and his speech slurred.
He takes anti-seizure medication three times a day, and walks with the
help of a leg brace. He struggles to write.
in Augusta. His left foot remains twisted inward and his speech slurred.
He takes anti-seizure medication three times a day, and walks with the
help of a leg brace. He struggles to write.
“He’s not the brother that went in there,” said his older sister, Stephanie Dean.
John Rudolf can be reached at john.rudolf@huffingtonpost.com. Many
more stories discussing Terrance Dean can be found by putting his name
in the search window at the top of this website. A recent and
particularly informative story is “Arrested Georgia correctional officer oversaw vicious beating of pr....”
more stories discussing Terrance Dean can be found by putting his name
in the search window at the top of this website. A recent and
particularly informative story is “Arrested Georgia correctional officer oversaw vicious beating of pr....”
--
SIGN THE JERICHO COINTELPRO PETITION!
Free All Political Prisoners!
www.jerichony.org
Comments are closed for this blog post
Welcome to Black Talk Radio
Events
-
The Chad Factor w/ Dawah and Pastor James David Manning
May 23, 2013 at 8pm to May 24, 2013 at 12am – Internet Radio
We will have a show panel talking about Obama connection with Larry Sinclair and the things that are hidden. We will also touch on the Black Boule and the people who are in it. We will talk about t…
Organized by The Chad | Type: radio, show
0 Comments 0 Promotions
Black Talk Radio News
War in these streets and our soldiers seem to be MIA
DOWNLOAD PODCAST
There is a war going on in these streets and as we just celebrated the birthday of Malcolm X, I would hate to know what he would think about the lack of response of our young women and men being killed in these streets by thug ass murderous cops and thug ass murderous criminals in our communities. Children don't feel safe walking to school let alone going to school and yet there has been very little response from the community to meet the security needs. Union City cops shoot a brother 8 times in the back of the head and we ain't heard nothing from the people about it in corporate media.
How do you feel about the NOI bringing in white men from Scientology to teach their members non-African concepts and spirituality? What the hell is going on with them brothers and sisters? After seeing photos of one of these Scientology creeps taking the podium at a NOI meeting, many people are saying WTF!
An article came out today about the Mexican activist whom brother Malcolm Shabazz was with when he was murdered. It may answer some questions about who this man is but it does not answer the questions about what exactly happen that day and many have problems with his version of events.
BTR News: Stop the Genocide Now w/ Carl Dix
DOWNLOAD PODCAST
Tonight revolutionary brother Carl Dix joins the broadcast to inform us about an upcoming event he and Cornel West will be hosting in NYC to stop the maddening mass incarceration going on in the United States.
"Mass Incarceration + Silence = Genocide. Act to STOP it Now!" Monday May 20, 2013, 7:30pm, The Church of St. Paul & St. Andrew 263 W. 86th St (between Broadway and West End Ave), #1 train to 86th, For tickets: 212-691-3345 or online @ http://revolutionbooknyc.org
In 1996, Dix co-founded the October 22nd Coalition to Stop Police Brutality, Repression and the Criminalization of Generation. Most recently, Dix has been a central figure in the campaign to Stop "Stop and Frisk" aimed at opposing the New York Police Department's efforts to stop hundreds of thousands of people in New York City and frisk them for weapons, drugs or other items. Dix has long addressed questions about imperialist war, revolutionary struggles and the oppression of Black people.
Other news out of New York pertaining to the NYPD Gestapo & Frisk campaign against Black people. The newly appointed Black Chief of Department wastes no time in fulfilling his duties as a racially showcased weapon of mass confusion as he goes to a white borough to tell them Gestapo & Frisks is not racial profiling.
Keeping it in NYC, a bronx based Hispanic religious organization shows up to the Gestapo Frisk civil trial to show their support for a suspected racist NYPD Deputy inspector caught on tape telling officers to target Black boys and men.
Republican's outrage over Benghazi is fake
DOWNLOAD PODCAST
Conservatives in Congress just won't let Benghazi go and there is talk about impeaching President Obama concerning lies pertaining to a terrorist attack. Hillary Clinton is another one in their sights but again, this is manufactured outrage as well. The answer to why four Americans were killed in Benghazi is very simple, tune in for the answer.
Guatemalan dictator and US ally Efrain Rios Montt was found guilty on charges of genocide against Mayan villagers, some are asking if US officials will be charged in connection to their support of genocide in South America. Ronald Reagan staunchly supported this mass murderer and was complicit in many crimes against humanity.
New information on the killing of Malcolm Shabazz brings more questions and suspicions. Two men have been arrested in the murder of the emerging activist but other activist believe the Mexican labor activist Manuel Suarez had something to do with the murder as his story does not pass the smell test.
Today on May 13, 1985, the City of Philadelphia used its police force to commit an act of terrorism against the Move family by dropping a two pound bomb on their home from a helicopter killing several members of the group including children. The resulting fire destroyed over 60 homes.
Racism is not "accidental" it is conscious activity.
This and probably more tonight on Black Talk Radio News.
Cleveland Police looking & smelling like pigs in Amanda Berry rescue
DOWNLOAD PODCAST
Join Scotty Reid as he reviews some of the day's political and social news headlines.
Talking the Charles Ramsey rescue of Amanda Berry and others and the criminal incompetence of the Cleveland Cops who ignored several calls to rescue these women.
A long haired white student who appeared to be a predominately Black classroom spoke his mind to a teacher and condemned her for not teaching the students and preparing them for that prison pipeline.
Political Prisoner Radio
Mumia, Assata & Malcolm w/ Zayid Muhammad
DOWNLOAD PODCAST
POP is planning another protest at Cineplex 12, Newark’s only major theater which stirred up controversy after it refused to show the new film titled "MUMIA: Long Distance Revolutionary" which focuses on political prisoner Mumia Abu Jamal and his contribution as an author and commentator.
We will also get his thoughts on the recent addition of Assata Shakur to the FBI's most wanted "terrorist" list and the erection of the FBI billboards of Assata in Newark.
Finally we discuss the constantly changing stories coming from the media about the killing of Malcolm X's grandson Malcolm Shabazz who was talked into traveling to Mexico by deported Mexican activist Miguel Suarez who many say has holes in his account of what happened.
Malcolm Shabazz murdered and NYC NLG issues statements on Assata Shakur
DOWNLOAD PODCAST
Join me for Political Prisoner Radio tonight to discuss the breaking news concerning the tragic murder of Malcolm Shabazz, a political and human rights activist and organizer who reportedly was found murdered today in Tijuana, Mexico.
Earlier today I spoke to attorney activist Nkechi Tiafu who shared statements from the NY National Lawyers Guild and The National Conference of Black Lawyers in reference to Assasta Shakur being labeled a "domestic terrorist" by the United States government.
On A Move w/ Sis. Pam Africa
DOWNLOAD PODCAST
Join me for Political Prisoner Radio tonight with Sis. Pam Africa to discuss corporate and state sponsored environmental terrorism, seedless veggies possibly destroying the seeds in our wombs, the Newark, NJ cancellation of Mumia: Long Distance Revolutionary and more.
Before we hear from Sis. Pam Africa, I want to share an important update about Sis. Assata Shakur as the United States government, perhaps angry at the attention Cuba received after Jay-Z and Beyonce visited the island which caused a new generation to question why the United States has a travel ban on the country, the FBI has double its reward for her capture and placed her on its "most wanted terrorists" list possibly making her a target for President Obama's drone assassination program.
Environmental Activism and Political Prisoners w/ Leslie James Pickering
DOWNLOAD PODCAST
According to supportdaniel.org, Daniel McGowan is an environmental and social justice activist from New York City. He was charged in federal court on counts of arson, property destruction and conspiracy, all relating to two actions in Oregon in 2001. Following his arrest, Daniel was offered two choices by the government: cooperate by informing on other people, or go to trial and potentially spend the rest of his life in prison. His only real option was to plead not guilty until he could reach a resolution of the case that permitted him to honor his principles. After many months of litigation and negotiation, Daniel was able to admit to his role in these two incidents, while not implicating or identifying any other people who might have been involved.
Our guest tonight is Leslie Pickering former Earth Liberation Front spokesperson and owner of Burning Books in Buffalo, NY. According to the website lesliejamespickering.com, Leslie James Pickering was a Founder and Spokesperson for the North American Earth Liberation Front Press Office, serving with the organization from early 2000 until the summer of 2002.
During this period the Press Office sustained two raids by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms and local law enforcement agencies, responded to over a half dozen grand jury subpoenas, conducted public presentations, produced booklets, newspapers, magazines, and a video on the Earth Liberation Front and handled the public release of communiqués for dozens of the most vital Earth Liberation Front actions.
"I don’t think that slow progress is going to do it, though. This isn’t a quality-of-life issue that we’re dealing with, the environment. It’s not something that we can pretend will be solved with our nonprofit, tax-deductible donations. This is a global catastrophe, and if we don’t act accordingly, the planet’s going to be dead. It’s not going to matter how uncomfortable we are with arson, or sabotage, or property destruction, or violent revolution, when the planet is dead. It’s not going to matter." - Leslie James Pickering
Find Us on...
Black Talk Radio Network
RSS Feed
Black Talk Radio News
Justice delayed for Ramarley Graham, teen killed by NYPD cop
By Scotty Reid, 5/16/2013, news, politics
There will be no justice for the family of Ramarley Graham unless another indictment against NYPD Officer Richard Haste is issued by another grand jury. Ramarley Graham is a teen who was shot in his grandmother’s bathroom while allegedly trying to flush a small amount of marijuana down the toilet. A Bronx judge tossed the indictment of the officer who shot and killed Graham claiming he had a gun but none was found. Citing mistakes…
Streets Is Watchin’: Who Speaks for the ‘hood ?
By TRUTH Minista Paul Scott, 5/13/2013 news, culture
“We Want in/Or let the revolution begin” - Various Shades of Black-Rakim
There was a time when Rev. Cleophus Johnson, head of the Negro League of Colored Black People ,Inc could call for a march and thousands of people would show up. So, he was confused when his latest call to integrate BigBubba's Beer and Burger Barn was only answered by a couple of elderly…
Ambassador Chris Stevens is dead because of US betrayal and state sponsored terrorism
By Scotty Reid, 5/13/2013, news, politics,
The inquiry into the deaths of four Americans in Benghazi, Libya by conservatives to this point has been little more than an expression of white supremacy and political theater. What the inquiry is saying is that only "American" lives matter and not the lives of the thousands killed in Libya or those that are still being killed and displaced from their homes due to ethnic cleansing by forces backed by the United States. The…
COINTELPRO? Malcolm X’s grandson Malcolm Shabazz found murdered
By Scotty Reid 5/9/2013 news, politics
The grandson of one of the Black communities beloved heroes, El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz aka Malcolm X, was found murdered in Tijuana, Mexico according to New York Amsterdam News.
The reports cite a tweet by Terrie Williams of New…
Badge
Support The Black Talk Media Project
The Black Talk Radio Network™ is striving to be your #1 source of independent media geared towards the Global Black community.
© 2013 Created by Black Talk Radio Network™.
