Ron Wood of the Associated Press just said that FSP just admitted to 8 hungerstrikers in Maximum Management. The story was in the Herald Tribune as well as on the AP wire - Also Channel 20 (ABC) out of Gainesville, Florida just ran a story on the hunger strike at Florida State Prison. I feel it was a very fairly done and balanced report. They said there's 8 inmates on the strike. They told what the demands were, etc... http://www.wcjb.com/news.asp?id=9035 BuzzC ~ Columbia County, Florida USA
MEDIA COVERAGE
Eight Inmates Refusing
Food at Florida State Prison
http://ap.tbo.com/ap/florida/MGANCV1X6QD.html
Herald Tribune
http://www.heraldtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20040202/APN/402020799
According to the Florida Department of Corrections, eight of the 24 inmates on Q wing are participating in the strike, which began Sunday.
A statement released by the inmates through the Florida Death Row Advocacy Group, states: "On Feb. 1, the inmates housed on Q wing will begin a hunger strike in protest of the erroneous and unconstitutional conditions that we are being forced to endure. Those who are not participating are either mentally ill or in fear of retaliation from this administration."
The inmates claim conditions of their confinement are violating their constitutional rights.
Seven conditions are listed on their letter:
- They want to exercise once a week. They claim they are now only allowed to exercise once a month.
- The inmates want the right to receive books, magazines and newspapers and they are asking that radios be returned.
- The right have visits and make telephone calls to family and friends.
- The inmates also claim they are not being adequately fed by Aramark, which has the contract for prison meals, and they often go to bed hungry. They would like to be able to buy food from the canteen.
- They claim that basic hygiene is being ignored and want to be able to buy shampoo, mouthwash and deodorant to kill body odor.
- They want warmer clothing in the winter months.
- They want the Florida Administrative Code enforced which states that maximum management is a temporary status.
Sterling Ivey, a spokesman for the Florida Department of Corrections, said the prison medical staff will monitor the condition of the prisoners participating in the hunger strike.
Q Wing is a group of 24 cells on the second and third floor of the prison directly above the execution chamber. It is designed for use by inmates who break prison rules.
The wing, on the far north end of the prison, used to be known as X wing. Death row inmate Frank Valdes was on X wing when he was beaten to death on July 17, 1999.
Four guards were acquitted in two trials in the death of Valdes. Prosecutors, fearing they could not get a fair jury in Bradford County, where the prison system is the biggest employer, dropped charges against other guards.
AP-ES-02-02-04 1407EST
Write a letter to the editor about this story
PLEASE SIGN THE PETITION TO SUPPORT AN INVESTIGATION OF MAXIMUM MANAGEMENT PRACTICES. http://www.petitiononline.com/hst1/petition.html
The article written by a Death Row Inmate regarding the
'Abuse of power, Abuse of rules'
https://www.angelfire.com/fl4/fci/ronaldclarkMM.html
