Truemors
This report includes a video of an alleged prison torture in Metro Nashville Detention Facility, which is operated by the for-profit Corrections Corporation of America. This facility warehouses some 1,100 inmates. Corrections Corpoation of America calls itself "the nation's industry leader of privately-managed corrections solutions for federal, state, and local government." Prisons have become America's alternative to hospitals and community treatment for 1.25 million mentally ill citizens, who comprise over 50% of the nation's total prison population of 2.3 million.
It costs taxpayers about $185 BILLION annually to imprison approximately 1 of every 134 Americans, many of whom are incarcerated for non-violent offenses, like Frank Horton, the inmate in this video who was kept naked in solitary confinement for nine months - so long that he was "no longer able to speak a language anyone could understand."
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Mentally Ill Inmate Gets Nine Months in Solitary
Video and News Article at this link:
http://www.newschannel5.com/Global/story.asp?S=9269456
The video shows one of those inmates, a mentally ill man emerging
after nine straight months of solitary confinement -- no longer able
to speak a language anyone could understand.
"The man's hair, his beard was matted up," said Patrick Perry, the
correctional officer who blew the whistle. "I had never seen an inmate
live in those kinds of conditions."
Originally convicted on drug charges, Frank Horton failed to check in
with his parole officer. That's how he ended up at the CCA facility
in December 2005.
Horton's mother couldn't believe her ears when she heard about her
son's condition. "They could be talking about someone else, not my
son," Cytherea Braswell said.
His grandmother was equally shocked. "We never heard nothing else
other than 'Well, he's in there and he's doing OK,'" said Mary Braswell.
But one video clip -- a month after his arrival -- shows the first
signs of trouble. After a fight with a then-cellmate, CCA reports show
that the cellmate told officers that Horton was "hearing voices" and
believed people were "trying to kill him."
"An actual CCA intake form noted that Mr. Horton had had a history of
psychological and mental illness and probable schizophrenia was noted
on those forms," said the family's attorney, John Ray Clemmons of the
law firm Blackburn & McCune.
So guards locked him up in solitary, and Horton became more and more
difficult to control. Finally, as another video clip shows, he began
to refuse to leave his cell at all.
Clemmons said, "Instead of treating Mr. Horton for the illness which
was causing him to act in this manner, they punished him. They
sprayed him with chemical agents. They put him in solitary and
segregated confinement for extended periods of time with no medical
treatment."
Video clips -- obtained by NewsChannel 5 Investigates -- show Horton
repeatedly being sprayed with inflammatory chemical agents.
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See other articles about criminalization of mental illness in America at these links:
Gov. Schwarzenegger's Mental Health Crisis
http://my.nowpublic.com/health/gov-schwarzeneggers-mental-health-crisis
Private Prison Company Indicted for Murder
http://my.nowpublic.com/strange/private-prison-company-indicted-murder
Survey Results Published: "Prisons or Hospitals for Mentally Ill Offenders?"
http://my.nowpublic.com/health/survey-results-published-prisons-or-hospitals-mentally-ill-offenders
Another Mental Patient Killed on Video - No More Censorship to Protect Prison Profiteers!
http://my.nowpublic.com/health/another-mental-patient-killed-video-no-more-censorship-protect-prison-profiteers
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Mary Neal
Website: http://wrongfuldeathoflarryneal.com
Assistance to the Incarcerated Mentally Ill
Visit Online at: http://www.care2.com/c2c/group/AIMI
Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. ~ Matthew 25:37-40
Most RecentMost Recommended Comments (2)
at 09:45 on March 11th, 2009
Our goverment is sick all they want to do is lock you up and throw away the key, and it cost more than it does to get you treatment. If your not perfect or live up to their standerds they want you out of sight and out of mind!!!!!!
at 11:27 on March 11th, 2009
Hello, T. Frank. Thanks for commenting on the article. The problems you describe as they apply to anyone who would treat another human being so callously, without any concern whatsoever for the welfare of prisoners, especially sick prisoners, result from a mental condititon called sociopathy. Unfortunately, many people in positions of responsibility in prisons are themselves mentally ill - they are sociopaths.
Here is some information on the condition, and you can read more about it at this link: http://www.youmeworks.com/sociopaths.html:
Sociopaths don't have normal affection with other people. They don't feel attached to others. They don't feel love. And that is why they don't have a conscience. If you harmed someone, even someone you didn't know, you would feel guilt and remorse. Why? Because you have a natural affinity for other human beings. You know how it feels to suffer, to fear, to feel anguish. You care about others.