‘It is in the service of God to inflict wrath on the evil doer,’ says Missouri prison nurse in the midst of unparalleled brutality and torture during National Prison Strike

by Joshua Perkins

Missouri-DOC-guard-recruitment-video-A-Heart-for-Service-Careers-in-Corrections-300x169, ‘It is in the service of God to inflict wrath on the evil doer,’ says Missouri prison nurse in the midst of unparalleled brutality and torture during National Prison Strike, Abolition Now!
Watching this Missouri Department of Corrections guard recruitment video after reading Joshua Perkins’ story will reveal the irony.

I am writing to let you know the conditions us convicts at South Central Correctional Center (SCCC) have endured and expose the brutal assault that took place on Aug. 23, 2018.

I was placed in Administrative Segregation and stripped of my privileges – contact visits, phone calls, canteen, personal property etc. – for the reason of investigation. That’s a violation of my due process rights, as I am punished before being found guilty of anything.

Other prisoners under investigation are stripped of their privileges as well. Investigation can last up to six months or longer. The investigator most usually takes as long as they want to speak to us. I was placed in housing V-12 and the conditions are extremely hostile and cruel.

I am writing to let you know the conditions us convicts at South Central Correctional Center (SCCC) have endured and expose the brutal assault that took place on Aug. 23, 2018.

There is a rodent infestation due to trash not being cleared and food, juice, coffee and milk cover the floor most of the day or longer. The mice live in the walls and in the utility closets between cells. This rodent infestation is rampant in all housing units and the chow hall.

We are forced to live in cells with individuals who many times do not get along with each other, mostly on purpose. As of Aug. 17, many convicts requested protective custody (PC) to get out of these hostile cell arrangements, but due to the overcrowding of the Administrative Segregation housing units, there is nowhere else the inmate can be placed.

If an inmate refuses the same cell he came out of, he is punished with a conduct violation and disciplined.

Convicts, including myself, are forced to sit on an iron bench with our hands handcuffed behind our backs, attached to the bench, as well as our legs shackled to the bench with no alternative. The handcuffs and shackles are so tight that our hands and ankles are covered in bloody incisions and bruises.

Mostly, medical refuses to check on the inmates’ health and well-being. By policy, medical is supposed to check inmate’s handcuffs and shackles to make sure they’re not in pain. They refuse to comply or look past the fact our wrists are bleeding.

Convicts, including myself, are forced to sit on an iron bench with our hands handcuffed behind our backs, attached to the bench, as well as our legs shackled to the bench with no alternative. The handcuffs and shackles are so tight that our hands and ankles are covered in bloody incisions and bruises.

We are refused all meals and water, as well while on the bench, and have limited bathroom breaks, sometimes resulting with inmates urinating or defecating on themselves.

Once inmates per unit request PC, correctional officers refuse to pull out other inmates who may be in danger. Or they maliciously pepper spray them. This is a denial of our rights for PC and the Eighth Amendment, which prohibits cruel and unusual punishment. These units hold 72 inmates each and there are three of them in two houses.

Convicts in need of PC were determined not to live in cells 24 hours a day with people who may cause them problems or harm. Inmates “rode” the bench for over 144 hours, handcuffed and shackled.

Aug. 23, 2018 seemed to break convicts’ spirits. On Aug. 23 around 3 p.m. up to about 6 p.m., the Correctional Emergency Response Team (CERT) came and proceeded to brutally assault inmates. All this is on cameras in Housing Unit 2, A, B and C Wings at that time. Benches, holding cages and some showers were full of convicts awaiting compatible cells. Events follow:

I was standing in a Holding Cage 2c, face and chest exposed (due to the design and patterns on the cage) under PC awaiting a compatible cell. SCCC Correctional Officer (CO) Benevitez and Jefferson City Correctional Center (JCCC) CO Gusley told me that the JCCC officers “had something for me.” I had been convicted of first degree assault on a correctional officer in JCCC, received 20 years and am currently appealing.

JCC officer Talet, referred to as Bull, came to my cage and maliciously emptied about three small cans and two big cans of pepper spray directly into my face. JCCC, SCCC, Ozark Correctional Center, as well as other correctional officers took me to the ground, handcuffed me and proceeded to brutally assault me. About 10 officers or more, all of them about 180 to 250 pounds, struck me with closed fists in the face and body area, stomped and kicked me, elbowed me, twisted my toes and ankles, twisted my fingers back, tearing ligaments, choked me and drove their knees into my back. COI Davis ran from nowhere to join the assault.

Aug. 23, 2018 seemed to break convicts’ spirits. On Aug. 23 around 3 p.m. up to about 6 p.m., the Correctional Emergency Response Team (CERT) came and proceeded to brutally assault inmates.

Inmates claim the officers were screaming, “This is what you get when you fuck with JCCC.” Officers then hogtied me, picked me up by my throat and ankles and carried me to HU 2A, which was flooded with sewage water due to broken toilets and sprinklers.

Officers then threw me on the ground by Cell 106, pulled the inmates out of 106 and picked me up and threw me to the concrete floor in 106. They proceeded to beat me and shove my face and nose in water where I could not breathe.

They punched, kicked and stomped on parts of my body, especially the facial area. They twisted my fingers and emptied a can of mace into my buttocks area. One officer urinated on me.

They took my restraints off and left, whooping and hollering, “That was for Officer Post” and “Don’t fuck with the JCCC.” They then left me in a pool of bloody sewage water. I was denied any medical assessment. Nurse Courtney, who was working, told me: “Fuck your assessment. I hope you die.” I did not receive a Conduct Violation to support their use of force and assault.

Officers then came and put my enemy (who I had requested PC from) in the cell with me. I then declared PC and they refused to pull me out. My enemy then held the food port, stuck his head out with my PC note at med pass to get me pulled out. I then went to “ride” the bed.

They punched, kicked and stomped on parts of my body, especially the facial area. They twisted my fingers and emptied a can of mace into my buttocks area. One officer urinated on me. They took my restraints off and left, whooping and hollering, “That was for Officer Post” and “Don’t fuck with the JCCC.” They then left me in a pool of bloody sewage water. I was denied any medical assessment.

During a restraint check, nurse Christine G refused to check my restraints, denied me medical attention and quoted from the Bible, Romans 13:4, “It is in the service of God to inflict wrath on the evil doer.”

When Nurse Baker came, I declared a medical emergency for a broken nose and broken fingers. She claimed, “Broken fingers are not a medical emergency.” My face was drenched with blood.

Later I declared a medical emergency for chest pains. I can’t remember what nurse saw me, but she checked my vitals and said I was OK. I told her about my injuries and she said, “So what?” I was finally placed in Cell 113 with a guy named Ben.

My injuries include a possible broken nose, torn ligaments in my hands and fingers and I’m extremely traumatized.

During a restraint check, nurse Christine G refused to check my restraints, denied me medical attention and quoted from the Bible, Romans 13:4, “It is in the service of God to inflict wrath on the evil doer.”

Jerome Walters, #338313, standing in a holding cage, 2C – his whole body and face exposed due to the design and pattern of the cage – was maliciously maced intravenously, pulled out of the cage and beat ruthlessly by about 10 officers. His injuries include a broken toe.

Shyhem Deen El-Mumin, #509071, was in 2C-240 and was maliciously pepper sprayed, pulled out the cell and his legal materials trashed.

Clayton Flowers, #1249255, was in 2A-202, maliciously pepper sprayed and ruthlessly beat by at least 10 officers. The main instigator was CO Applegate of SCCC. Not sure of his injuries, but when I saw him, he looked like the “walking dead,” face, arms, elbows black and purple.

These attacks were organized by wardens Jeff Normen, Micleve Buckare and Conrad Sutton. Other inmates were attacked as well.

After these brutal assaults, some inmates were bullied into living with incompatible inmates. The pigs have three TVs in the wings that are turned on if we are “good.” The same movie played over and over all day long. The movies usually portray the imperialists oppressing and slaughtering the proletariat. It is used as a brainwash mechanism to control the people.

On Aug. 31, about eight convicts had declared PC and were written up for 94s (organized disobedience). Everyone under PC felt there was nothing they could do and went back to the cells. I stayed on the bench.

On Sept. 1, I was taken to the Housing Unit 1B-122 for two 2LS (guard assaults). The violations claim I slipped a handcuff and assaulted two officers by striking them numerous times in face and body with closed fist and knees. In reality, COI Riggs and Sgt. Herndon assaulted me – COI Riggs striking me in the face with closed fist.

I went one week in nothing but boxers and socks. No matter. By the grace of Yaweh, one convict got a sheet to me.

On Aug. 31, about eight convicts had declared PC and were written up for 94s (organized disobedience). Everyone under PC felt there was nothing they could do and went back to the cells. I stayed on the bench.

Shyhem Deen El-Mumin was placed in the cell next to me a week later and we both have been persecuted. Mailroom staff Keli Ann Burton has been confiscating all incoming and outgoing mail.

I’m under “Security Orders” and denied medical sick call essentials, cleaning supplies and told at all meals to lie face down on my bunk with arms behind my back and legs crossed to receive a “suicide bag” of food, while I’m not suicidal.

We convicts ask for the administration to resolve certain issues as follows:

  • Relief of overcrowding in Administrative Segregation (AdSeg) units by:
    • Limiting investigations to 45 days.
    • Letting individuals out of AdSeg after their disciplinary segregation terms are over
    • Ending long-term AdSeg (which is used in Missouri as punitive in addition to disciplinary segregation.
  • Access to incentives found in other Missouri prisons for those assigned to long term indefinite AdSeg confinement and those placed under investigation.
    • Possession of a person’s property (appliances, books, clothes etc.)
    • Ability to buy food from canteen and all hygiene products
  • Access to privileges for those placed under investigation
    • Ability to use the phone at least three times a week.
    • Allowed contact visits at least twice a month.

If you would please support us convicts by expressing these claims to Missouri state representatives and the Missouri Department of Corrections, we would greatly appreciate it:

  • Office of Chief Disciplinary Counsel: 573-526-6474
  • Office of Professional Standards: 573-526-6474
  • Inspector General: 573-526-6504
  • Director Anne L. Precythe: 573-526-6607
  • Deputy Director: 573-526-6607

Also expose our sufferings on Aug. 23, 2018, to the media – Fox News, Channel 5 News, WNBC, CNN, ABC, NBC and mainstream newspapers. Myself as well as others will keep pushing. Some of us are litigating 1983s.

Respectfully,

Joshua Perkins

Send our brother some love and light: Joshua Perkins, 1234230, South Central Correctional Center, 255 West Highway 32, Licking, MO 65542.