Report From Daryl Wheatfall #999020
Polunsky Unit
Livingston, Texas
"Just another day at the office" - a statement I heard myself say, after my neighbor Roy Pippin asked if I was all right? After being sprayed with pepper gas, chemical used to inflict physical pain and suffering upon prisoners. It's used against us here on the Polunsky Unit in Livingston, Texas. Pride and ego created my response, the truth -- mind and body were in excruciating agony after enduring the violence of gas and abuse by the team of five men.
December 13, 2001
Begin awaking to the five man team, all dressed in projected gear from head to toe, dragging Mr. Johnson (E & J) passed my cage, they gassed him on the rec. yard around 8:30/9:00 in the morning. For you one maybe having his/her first cup of coffee, for us the infliction of torture has begun. Never found out why E & J had been gassed. Nevertheless I knew the circumstances had to surround the conditions being forced upon us. No man would be foolish enough to face the gas squad just for pure pleasure. Little was I aware I'd face them this very day. A group possessed with necrophilia mentality, guards, ranking supervisors and head administration obsessed on receiving gratification by sadistically causing pain to the waiting dead....prisoners.
At 10:05 Officer Moya told me I'd be going to (A) dayroom for my one hour daily rec. However, at that time prisoner Colella #999045 had been placed in the outside cage while it was cold and raining. Were desperately tried to get a sergeant; guards aren't supposed to place prisoners outside in the rain and cold. We're forced anyway or simply refuse - this was Mr. Colella's reason for requesting to speak with Sgt. Because of this I had to wait. Four hours later Mr. Colella was still suffering outside in the rain and cold; the shift changed when I was placed into the dayroom on B section. Minutes passed before I witnessed several officers inside trashing Colella's cage. A "standard search" from their standpoint. One sergeant, one lieutenant and three guards all inside one cage - this isn't a standard cage search at all.
I inform Colella, communicating by hand signal that the guards were trashing his cage. Standing in front of the large window Colella said that Lt. Bolton isn't going to bring him in and that they'd leave him out there until they felt like it - four hours in the cold and rain, wasn't this long enough?
Lt. Bolton walks passed us exchanging communication. He barked out "Wheatfall, you need to stop talking and get out of my business". Am I violating a rule, I asked? Prisoners are kicking, hitting on their doors, giving support trying to force ranking officials to remove Colella from the yard. Someone told me later Lt. Bolton said he'd leave Colella outside until 10:00 that night to teach him a lesson. A blatant abuse of authority exercised daily.
After, build-up frustration dismay took over. Several prisoners flooded their cages, causing water to race throughout the section. Lt. Bolton and I watch. I asked him to remove one bag of legal material off the floor before the water entered by cage, damaging everything. Ignoring this request Lt. Bolton ordered me to go to my cage, ending my recreation. When it is his job to ensure my safety as well as my property, it's senseless to return to my cage as I watch water rushing into it. I erupted into a dysfunctional state of mind, knowing all my legal material was damaged by the water. "When a person is dead, why should you rush the body to the hospital knowing the damage has been done"?
The system is torturing inmates for breaking rules while refusing to follow rules to protect prisoners' lives and property. This explains Bolton's response "all right Wheatfall, I'll be back - you're refusing to come out of the dayroom". Man, I've one hour - you know they just placed me in here" I said before he walked away. What've I done to be removed? Nothing!!
Colella was removed from the yard while ordering the tam to suit up. Sgt. Fotea placed in charge, guards were placed on each side - one held a video camera and the team arrived. Fotea and Bolton each held cans of gas. The ventilation system was turned off ensuring all prisoners will taste the effects of the gas.
Fotea barked out the order :inmate Wheatfall, I'm ordering you to submit to strip search to be removed from the dayroom." I heard this twice before the sound of the snake was released - pssssssssssssss- I'm bitten again, my body felt like molten lava, mind resisting the force of this ***damn chemical. Chemical poison bit into my body quickly burning my skin as if gasoline had been set off.
State law and Unit policy prevent the use of chemical agents to be used to impose discipline upon prisoners. However, five minutes after both Fotea and Bolton released the gas - psssssssssssssssss- that was the only sound I heard as liquid fire rained down covering me, with only my shorts to protect my naked body. The door went "pop"..."bang"......The force of five men I meet; inside and out my body suffered from the abuse inflicted upon me as if I'm just a beaten caged animal. During these events the pain and dismay of each in caged soul behind these walls I met their fears of what they try to avoid. I was thrown into the shower, held under the water for seconds, dragged to my cage and left to deal with a bad chemical reaction.
Alone... this is when the pain truly took off. body convulsion in an uncontrolled fit. All my muscles reacting violently as if an attempt to escape the skin and when I looked into the mirror I saw a grotesque demon - dark red eyes, face disfigured staring at me.
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