WANDA VALDES' EXPLAINS THE SITUATION

You know I was just thinking about things I do not understand. Everyone says they want justice, yet if you are an inmate, you have no justice. As everyone knows we are in the middle of a lawsuit against the DOC for my husband and for a young black inmate named Willie Matthews. Aside from the fact that my husband was murdered by 8 correctional officers, what about the men he was protecting. The Hamilton 5.

These men were supposed to  have started a riot at Hamilton Correctional. They were brought to Q wing at Florida State Prison for punishment. Beginning the day they arrived, they were beaten on a daily basis. My lawyer, Mr. Guy Rubin is working to get justice for Willie Matthews who had a broken jaw for 2 weeks. My husband Frank Valdes kept asking for help for Willie but the guards said it was just a toothache. Willie is the young man my husband died trying to protect. For two weeks Willie was beaten on a daily basis.  They made him stand on a chair with a rope around his neck while he was naked and they beat him and took pictures of him.  He was told "Move and we'll kick the chair from under you and you will hang. We will say it was suicide."

The guards took pictures of the abuse of Willie. They told him if he moved he'd hang and they would call it suicide. They allowed him to be raped and they kicked him down stairs . They took pictures of this. They put pillow cases over his head and beat him and took more pictures.

These five men were kicked down stairs, they were allowed to be raped. This was done to all five of the guys from Hamilton, but Willie was picked out for special punishment. Why? Because he and the other men ran into a riot to protect another inmate who was being beat. A female guard ran into the center of the riot and fell down . She was pregnant and no one knew and she miscarried. So this was the reason why the guards at FSP were beating these inmates everyday. Willie had a broken jaw for two weeks. He was in horrible pain. My husband Frank Valdes demanded that the guards stop the beatings and get medical help for Willie. So they murdered my husband by beating him to death when he wrote letters to the media and to a federal judge.

When they beat Frankie to death then they took Frank on a trash cart to the front of Willies cell and they told him he was next. They let poor Willie have a badly broken jaw for 2-3 weeks before Frank was murdered.  When our lawyer went to court for Willie the guards all filed bankruptcy. Now they say if Willie gets any settlement, the department will help them take it away from him. Poor Willie was told that if he won any money the prison would take it back for his stay. Is this fair?

Anyway another reason for this letter is that Willie is very depressed, Can anyone please drop Willie a letter a card or anything and cheer him up?.

Anthony Matthews 187992
Apalachee East Unit
35 Apalachee Dr.
Sneads , Florida 32460-4166

They move all the guys from Hamilton around every time we get close to court. I guess they think we cant find them. The excuses abound, the guards are the good guys, inmates are the scum of the earth, all inmates lie. Which tells me that these guards feel they are beyond the law. A uniform does not give anyone a right to murder or to abuse another human being. We need  these bad guards fired.

What about justice, what about people paying for the abuse of inmates?  Is it because they are black? My husband was Spanish, I am American Indian. I had my life threatened by guards from north Florida. Most of the guards in north Fl. are KKK and they hate me because I will not give up. I told them to oil their guns I will be at the trial. These guards are real rednecks and they do not play. They said they think  I'm a waste of human flesh because I married Frank and he was on death row. When I went to North Florida to the first trial they called me nigger lover as the said it because I was with  Justine Matthews who is the mother of Willie Matthews who my husband died trying to help. Justine and I became very close. She will always be my friend. She is a real friend and I love her. 

This treatment is not isolated to Florida State Prison, it goes on in just about every prison. The system does all they can to cover up the wrongs and the lies, There is no such thing as therapy or rehabilitation in prison. Yet 99% of these men come out to the free world. Prison breeds hate, prejudice and violence. God loves all of us and He says we are to love and forgive.

Many inmates come from poverty and childhood abuse, they have never been taught how to live. When I got out of prison I checked my self into Wayside house in Delray Beach Fl. I have never broke the law since. The prison system has given some sick guards, that are no better than the people they watch, the right  abuse and to murder.  The Bush brothers are a bunch of phonys. The Bible and, I believe most other religions, say do not kill. Yet they kill. We are suppose to forgive yet they teach revenge.

Killing an inmate does not bring back the victim but it does create more victims. Bush has no trouble killing inmates no matter how many millions it costs, yet he does not want anyone to answer for guards wrongs.

This march in Washington DC [August 13th, 2005] is so important . If we do not come together and tell them we will no longer tolerate the abuse and the murders it will go on. Just being their and saying nothing is important. Be there if only for the march. If you have no one in prison, fine, but you never do know when someone in your family could end up in prison for just a traffic fine. This march is not against guards, it is against corruption in our system, it is about justice. Be there I will do my best to join you.

Wanda Valdes wife of murdered inmate
Frank J. Valdes b072791

 From: MRS. WANDA Valdes
 [mailto:wandavaldes@webtv.net]
 Sent: Tuesday, April 26, 2005 5:14 PM
 To: SMITH.ROD.WEB
 Subject: Rod Smith
 
 I understand that you want to run for Govenor of Florida? I saw an article in the ST Pete Times about how you backed James Crosby for Secretary of Prisons. After he tried to cover up for the prison guards who murdered my husband. You had to know when you took up Franks case that it would go no where in Starke. And David Remer [Victim Advocate]  told me how you were so upset when I was coming to north fl. for the trial. Why? because you were afraid the guards would be convicted. You have been friends with Cosby for 25 years. I will campaign against you.

Since I read that article about you and Crosby I am sick to think I thought you were going to get justice for me or for Frank or his family.  Tell me how does it work... justice for only those you want to have justice?  How can you know a man for 25 years and not see his attitude and how he works? I am angry! He tried the people involved and everyone knew it was all a set up. YOU WONT EVEN TALK TO ME nor will CROSBY. Not even an apology. Shame on you shame on Jeb Bush, and shame on Crosby. This whole thing has been a cover up and you used my husband and Crosby covered for him and I bet you and Bush put him in Secretary of Prisons so he would not be  in trouble for what his men did. And he was warned. Shame on you  I will do my best to keep you from being Governor. We just did a video for the BBC about  abuse in prisons. It says it all. This is my opinion, not my lawyer . But the puzzle falls in place. 

Wanda Valdes
x wife of a murdered inmate stomped to death by guards 

 From: "SMITH.ROD.WEB" <SMITH.ROD.WEB@flsenate.gov>
 To: "MRS. WANDA Valdes" <wandavaldes@webtv.net>
 Subject: RE: Rod Smith
 Date: Tue, 26 Apr 2005 17:34:27 -0400

Thanks for your email.  I printed it for Senator Smith.  I believe you and I spoke on the phone previously at which time you talked about how much you respected the fact that Senator Smith prosecuted the case. Sorry that your opinion of him changed.
Tonya Shays, leg. Asst.

To: "SMITH.ROD.WEB" <SMITH.ROD.WEB@flsenate.gov>
From: "MRS. WANDA Valdes" <wandavaldes@webtv.net>

Crosby was warned about the beatings by more than [ex FSP warden] Mc Andrew. Inmates were calling the families of these beaten inmates to warn them. They said oh no they are fine meanwhile Willie Matthews had a broken jaw for at least 2 weeks. The FDLE went in to investigate Franks murder and found him injured in his cell.

Rod Smith meanwhile moved on to Senator.  Then I hear he is backing James Crosby for Secretary of Prisons. Mr Crosby covered up for all those murdering guards. I was lied to over and over by these guards and I am angry. Rod Smith never even said to me, I am sorry your husband died. He started this and he dropped it when he moved up the ladder to Senator. You do not step over someone's dead body to get what you want. Everyone up their knew that the trial was just a show. The jury had an x guard as a foreman. I will wait to see what Rod Smith has to say. I am going to Washington DC to speak on abuse in prisons in August. Tell him to read Franks web sight: http://www.geocities.com/prisonmurder/frank_valdes.html  

My husband was a human being not someone to step over for someones political career. And I will get justice for him.
 Wanda Valdes
REMEMBER ONE MAN WITH GOD IS A MAJORITY

Wednesday, April 27, 2005 2:03 AM

Form Confirmation

Thank you for submitting the following information:

Name: Rod Smith
phone: 386-758-5608
email: smith.rod.web@flsenate.gov
casenumber: XXX
Defendant_Name: James Crosby
Victim Name: Frank Valdes

Eighth Judicial Circuit at this address: 
http://sawww.co.alachua.fl.us/ContactUs.htm

Return to the form.

 

MTWT on JAMES CROSBY