Local News
Oh Well, That's the Chain Gang
By
Sep 29, 2008, 03:00

(I received this account of a horrendous incident from Steve's sister in a letter dated September 28, 2008-LS)

On Thursday, September 25, 2008, at approximately 4:30 am, Steve, my brother and a state of Georgia inmate, boarded a prison transport bus leaving from Richmond County Correctional Institute.  He and numerous other inmates were being transferred to another facility.

Minutes after the transport began, a group of 5 to 8 black inmates began robbing the other inmates on the bus.

Their first victim was an elderly male with health problems, who had his voice box removed and could only talk with the assistance of an Electrolarnyx device. They did not attack the man; however they did steal all of his personal belongings.

Next, they moved on to a young white male, again they took his belongings, but this young man also received a slight beating.  They came to my brother Steve, a white male.

Steve's Story

The gang asked Steve if he had a bag.  He told them he only had letters, soap and such in his bag.  One of the black inmates accused him of "trying to buck" and hit him over the head with his handcuffs.  It busted my Steve's head open and it began to pour blood.

They took Steve's belongings, even the shoes that he was wearing and the beating began.

They began to beat him unmercifully, throwing him to the ground, spitting on him, beating him repeatedly with their fists and handcuffs.  They kicked him in his back and stomach and his neck.  They drug him from one end of the bus to the other and threatened to kill him calling him a "cracker".

All the while Steve is screaming for help and begging for his life.

The two black male guards in the front of the bus were separated from the inmates by a wire cage.  Everything going on in the bus could be clearly heard by the guards through the holes in the cage.  Steve finally was able to crawl to the front of the bus and banged on the cage and begged the guards to help him.  They never even turned the light on. 

Steve begged the guards to put him in the solitary confinement cage to protect him.  He cried out to the guards that they were going to kill him.  Sit your "ass" down and shut up was the guards reply.   While he banged on the cage begging the guards to save his life, the gang of inmates attacked him again and dragged him to the back of the bus.

The gang began the beating again, now telling him they were going to rape him and kill him.  When they pulled Steve's shirt over his head and attempted to pull his pants down, Steve finally began trying to stop them.  They were never able to remove his pants, but they tried.

Steve cried out for help again, but no help came.  He begged the attackers for his life.  They continued to beat him.  They kicked him and threw urine in his face. Still, nothing was done.

After about 2 1/2 hours of this, the sun began to come up and the beating stopped.  Now the gang took out their matches and began burning Steve's personal letters and pictures, now making threats towards his family in the pictures.

One would assume matches in the hands of an inmate on a bus would be considered contraband and pose a danger to everyone aboard.  One would also assume the fire and smell of smoke would be handled by the guards only feet away.  Everything was ignored.

Once the sun was completely up and there was light in the bus, some of the attackers made comments about how bad Steve looked. By this time he was soaked in blood.  Steve's face, shirt and arms were completely soaked, his blood all over the bus and the attackers.

One of the attackers even commented that he was getting out soon and didn't know why he attacked Steve.  The "leader" of the gang sat smiling, all the while wearing Steve's shoes.  The bus arrived at its first stop and Steve, and the young man who sat behind him, got off to board another bus.  The young man showed the guard Steve's bloody face pointing out that he was covered in blood and obviously badly beaten.  He told the guard that Steve needed medical attention.

"Oh well, that's the chain gang." the guard replied.

Steve rode for almost ten more hours, in pain, covered in blood,  and fading in and out of consciousness from the beating and blood loss.  Nothing was done to help during those 10 hours.

Prior to Steve getting off the bus, one of the attackers threw his Bible to him saying, "Here's your Jesus."

When he arrived and the warden saw him, Steve finally received medical assistance at Calhoun County State Prison - too obvious to ignore that Steve had been attacked and needed medical attention.  Steve was later placed in protective custody pending investigation.

It was days before Steve's family knew exactly where he was or if he was okay.  He could not call from protective custody and is unable to write because the attackers stole everything he had, even his stamped envelopes.

Steve's sister writes

I understand that a majority of the world may view inmates as less than human, but they are still human and the eighth amendment in our constitution guarantees everyone the basic human right of protection from cruel and unusual punishment.

In Furman v. Georgia, 408 U.S> 238 (1972) Justice Brennan wrote, "There are, then, four principles by which we may determine whether a particular punishment is 'cruel and unusual'."

The "essential predicate" is
"that a punishment must not by its severity be degrading to human dignity," especially torture.
"A severe punishment that is obviously inflicted in wholly   arbitrary fashion."
"A severe punishment that is clearly and totally rejected throughout society."
"A severe punishment that is patently unnecessary."

One would certainly say that the severity of the beating and attempted rape my brother endured, along with having urine thrown in his face, and being reduced, in a society (prison) where showing weakness can cost you your life, to beg for is life is a punishment that is degrading to human dignity.

The acts were obviously inflicted in wholly arbitrary fashion, punishment that is clearly and totally rejected in our society, and unnecessary. His rights were violated in every way and the guards who were on that bus are just as responsible as the attackers; if not more.

They were well aware of what was going on and chose to ignore and allow it. They even refused to place him in the cage for protection. Furthermore, there were inmates on that bus who qualify as maximum security and not one inmate on that bus had their hands properly secured to their waist. If their hands had been secured to their waist, the attack would have been impossible.
 
My family and I intend to pursue this issue to the highest level; we will pursue both criminal charges for everyone involved and a civil process for those responsible for not stopping it.  Our voice will be heard not only for my brother but for the thousands of inmates who don't have a voice or families to be that voice.

Inmates have committed crimes and are being punished but how can we expect them to follow the law and honor the constitution when those guarding them disregard them both. 

It is not a question as to if the guards should be held accountable, as well as the attackers, but to what level of accountability will each be held.

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