The following letters came to us late last week.
Here is Genapher’s note of explanation: The one letter was mailed out on 11/9 and returned to me 12/22. The other letter was mailed out on 11/25 and was returned back to me 12/22. They say the address was wrong when I know it was right. Hope y’all had a good Christmas. Please don’t give up protesting.
11/6/15
Dear IOA,
Thank all y’all for the love and support but I hate that I’m still in my room. I don’t feel bad about what I did, but if I could take it back I would. I don’t think it would’ve changed cause officer Smith was a real hoe in the jail. There’s a guy in – that’s my pen pal who told me officer Smith and officer Motley be grabbing their penis—that’s not right. Now that officer Smith and Alston have been fired, it’s officers that feel some type of way about it like they gone treat me bad cause Smith and Alston got fired. And my whole thing is they shouldn’t have jumped me. The disciplinary Sgt haven’t come to talk to me since I learned of Smith and Alston being fired. He refuse to see me. His name is Sgt Brown. I put the grievance in the kiosk to him on Friday, Oct. 30. Today is Friday, Nov. 6. Why ain’t he come to see me? I’m so mad!
As far as the lockback situation, for the rest of the pod they come out 9-12:45 and 4-6:45. They come out for breakfast, too, which is between 6 or 6:30 am. I’m tired of being in this cell all the time—it’s getting to me!! Please help me cause it’s starting to break me down mentally. I’m going to lose it. Is this what D.C.J. boot camp is about, to break us down mentally and emotionally?
Please write soon.
Genapher Page
I seen Sgt Brown he gone talk to Major Couch and see what happens.
P.S. Please put this in the newsletter and website. USE MY NAME & OFFICERS’ NAMES!!
Note added later (upon letter being returned to sender):
I was told I get to come out 12/23, but I didn’t. They put me on Admin. I go to court on Jan 25 to get my time. They should be shipping me shortly after that.
This letter was dated 11/24, but was also not sent out by the DCDF mail room:
11/24/15
THANKS FOR THE LOVE! I LOVE YOU ALL!
IOA
I got your letter today. I’m doing okay, still holding on. In the other letter I wrote what was said then how it got to that point. On it’s Tuesday the officer that’s working today she’s racist towards us African-Americans, yes she is Caucasian. She hate to look at black people on TV. Read the New Situation (below) and tell me what y’all think cause I was supposed to start Admin which where I’m still locked back but I come out every day for 1 hr 30 mins, but I messed up when I ran out of my room and did my nonviolent protest. So I’m back at square one, which is lockback, come out every other day for 1 hr. It’s just all bullshit cause I’m locked back for running out my room and calmly sitting on the floor indian style. No violence used, not one time, but they assaulted me. I was kicked at, pushed violently and harshly to t he point where I fell. IDK if it was that Perry guy or not cause nobody would tell me his name. I got a new way instead of violence.
Sit down indian style
Hold onto your ankles
It’s nonviolent and a protest, and only thing they gone do is carry you to your room and close the door. If folks called in that would be great. I will be so grateful! I am so happy to hear from y’all. Cause boy do I got some stuff to tell y’all. They took my walk for today and Wednesday, it was that racist woman, her name is Ms. Salomon. She took my walk because on Monday I went to my room 10 minutes late. Then she took my walk for Wednesday cause I was kickin on the door cause she came in my room and spilled some mystery red stuff on my floor and refused to let me mop it up.
About the inspection: Yes, it was the same people that always does it. They graded this jail as Grade A. BITCH, WHERE? Like for real, I’m tired of getting bit by bedbugs or “no-see-um bugs.” It’s driving me insane.
I love IOA so much. Let the other inmates know about the new protest method that I’m learning to use:
FREEDOM
- Refuse lockback.
- Sit on the floor by the TV in indian style—in camera sight.
- Hold your ankles as tight as you can.
- Refuse to move. Don’t fight! Use your weight and push down!
The best nonviolent protest ever!
Hope to hear from y’all soon! P.S. Can you all send a picture to me as an inspiration? Group picture if you can. You guys are my heroes!
Love always, Genapher Page
Turn to back>
I’m glad they got fired. They got what was coming to them. Now that they not here my pen pal won’t be sexual harassed by Smith no more.
My state of mind is kosher. It’s okay but from time to time it gets to me. All the women ask me when am I coming out. I can’t answer that cause I don’t know. It hurts to the heart that I can’t be out there with everybody else. This lockback breaking me down, idk how much longer I can take it. I’m hanging in there tho. Even tho it’s not good for my mental.
Can y’all send me like some books or different kind of work sheets like math, English, history, something. If my mind not busy, I’m gone lose it.
Also dated 11/24/15
IOA
Injuries:
- Scratch right forearm
- Bruises on right arm
- Marks on my left foot by toes.
- Some wearing gloves, some not.
One tried to kick me in the face. Same person pushed through the sgt. pushed me onto the floor in the cell. He said, “yeah, I tried to kick you and what?”
Sgt. Kusher mashed me in the face then tried to swing on me. The guy that tried to kick me is a big tall heavy set guy, dark skin with a low cut, possibly in his 30s, or maybe 40s.
Sgt. Kusher say, “That’s what she want. She want to be in a cell downstairs.” She wants to go to 3A.” I could care less about what cell they put me in. Shoot, send me out of the jail, that’s what I really want.
DRT (detention response team) officer that go by Thad he say, “Now, Genapher, don’t do this.” Fuck the police/correctional officers. They use violence to “subdue” us, but we wrong for using violence back, don’t make sense if you ask me. They can assault us and not get charged, but if we assault them it’s new charges and more time on our sentence. Shit ain’t right. Excuse my language but it’s not.
Then they had the nerve to punch my hands cause I was trying to hold on to stuff. That don’t mean to punch or try and kick me mind you I’m not even fighting them. I’m using my weight the whole time, I’m pushing on the door and they pushing on me. That ain’t right. Sgt. Kusher was scared, though, I seen it on her face.
How it started:
I slipped out my room after she (Sgt. Kusher) let me use the mop. I ran downstairs in front of the camera by the door but I’m standing by the TV so the camera can see me. I smiled and calmly protested by sitting down on the floor indian style and grabbed my ankles. My actions were nonviolent. They grabbed me by my arms and foot telling me to walk but they were carrying me. How can I walk? So they take me up the stairs by my arms and legs, one arm loose though. I grabbed the stairs. They pulled my hand free and I grabbed everything going up. Held on to the rail of the stairs, they pulling on my clothes by the time they put me down so I can pull up my pants. Like my pants was all the way down past my knees. Breast all out. So I protest again, yet again nonviolent, but I’m holding to stuff. Big tall black guy don’t know his name tries to kick me in my face. I move my face. So they get me in the cell, drop me and run out. I run behind them they push me a couple times. The big tall black guy and he’s heavy set push me harder and I fall backwards and that’s when I fell on the floor. I jumped up real quick. They were swinging on me from behind the door. That was Sgt. Kusher, the one trying to swing. Maybe 30 more days lockback 4 this.
FUCK THE POLICE!!!
Sister in Struggle,
Genapher Page
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