Category Archives: medical attention

“before I get lost in the system”

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How are you doing? How is that going with trying to get me some help (with medical)? I was listening to the public radio station and I heard that some one is putting together a lawsuit against the jail or the prison because inmates like me that have hepatitis are not getting treatment for it. So I need a lawyer to come see me, because this may be why I am having sweating problems in my legs when I sleep, and my legs and feet are swollen and I am not getting any treatment for this. So let’s get together now before I get lost in the system. … I need to get a lawsuit going against Durham County for not treating my hepatitis C.

-EN

“Yes, this is medical neglect”

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My name is _____. I come from New Jersey. Been in Durham 40 plus years. My parents are deceased. My mother passed here in Durham 7 years ago. I come from a family of 5. I am the middle child: 2 sisters younger, 2 brothers older. Me and my brother been in and out of jail and prison. We’re all locked up now. My oldest brother got 14 months and my other brother got about 2 years or less to go. So I am 47 and unemployed, but a jack-of-all-trades, master of none!!! I applaud what you’re doing and if I was free I would be standing beside you.

I am in here for a number of charges. My first violent crimes. I had gave up on the world a long time ago. But out of 47 years, this was the first time in my life that I gave up on myself. I am not a violent person but my spirit was being pulled at my so very strong demons (stress). But I believe that things happen for a reason. But now I am in jail without the bail. …

I found out today that I’ve got some medical problems. Medical drew my blood and all they state to me is that I need to stop eating fatty food. But I been here since February and now my legs are swell and they do not wish to do nothing at this time but give me a pill for three weeks and an ice pack for my triglycerides count, which is 469 and should be 200 and below. I’ve got to wait even longer to start a diet here. The nurse said that “she would let the doctor know.” Okay, it will be Monday of next week before I hear anything. … Yes, this is medical neglect. Just to give me a pill that does nothing. Something donated to the jail.

I think your Feedback is on point, and I wish to further this, because I and others need to be heard.

The Sheriff race I do not have no information on any of the candidates, but I am unaffiliated. So I received a late ballet. It was too late by the time I received it. These people here at the jail had something to do why I got it so late. …

Thanks for everything from all in here that I tell about your stand and where you stand.

– The Ferret

“this for the Durham Association of Educators”

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Dear g______ ________

I’m doing alright thanks for asking, yes we are doing a creative writing class where we get to express ourselves in different kinds of ways.  Rap, poem, drawings, speeches, & a lot more.  Curtis Barnette [another detainee] started the class & we sign up for it.  We start at 12 or when the multi-purpose room ain’t at use & any action book or drawing book is good & a dictionary, too.  I like making great drawings so I’m like more tattoo drawings.

this for the Durham Association of Educators, & the union of public school teacher: thank you for focusing on our Education.  I’m still enrolled in my base school.  I was 17 when I got here, now I’m 18.  I’m up in here for a couple a months now.  The government should focus on building schools & jobs instead of making money for the jail, b/c this jail system is so crooked.  I’m here with no proof of me committing any crime of what they blaming me for – no weapon found, no evidence of any stolen goods, no witnesses.  I’ve been just waiting for my court dates & they cancel my court date every time its been scheduled.  My lawyer just once he came and see be.  I haven’t been to court at all.  The DAs lying on everything, the court appointed lawyers ain’t helping, to be honest.  Fuck Durham County Jail, they want me to feel down & plead guilty so they can make money off me.  You know what they chose the wrong person, b/c I’m staying strong.  I got into the word of God & he helps me to stay strong & for my family & loved ones who support me they can’t even come to visit me.  I only saw my mom 3 times & now they ain’t allowing her to come.  I’m against the video visitation.  So many young teens like my age die in this cells & they just say they committed suicide or natural cause.  It ain’t true.  The COs allow it to happen & if they ain’t do nothing about it that’s how they move up to new positions.  The canteen be ripping us off of our money, they don’t return our money when we order canteen & they don’t bring our canteen, & they act like they don’t know nothing.  Man shyt crazy.  I can’t even trust the law & I never did & never will.  I speak for all my latinos up in here.  I got a friend here & they don’t let him have any visit.  His family want to see him but they don’t allow him to have any visit, & when they feel they loosing our case they put a deportation order on my people with out having proof of anything.  We get crazy rash on our body b/c of the sope & our clothes are being washed with only water & we get rash from it & we get back pain from the bed they give us.  They treat us like a bunch of animals.  They hold us over years & trying to make us commit suicide & if you don’t have money you can’t get no medical attention or get the medication you need to live.  Shyt crazy man.  They block the phone sometimes so we can’t call anyone.  People are still here fighting o live & some lost their life fighting the system.  Thank you IOA for working on protest to help us students & anyone up in jail.  Thank you and god bless y’all.

 

Sincerely,

ghost z:.

“jail is a perpetuation of slavery”

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Hey,

My name is Jemar Beulah Jr. You can put my name in this if you copyright it. But to me jail is a perpetuation of slavery. I say this because the 13th Amendment states that “neither slavery nor involuntary servitude shall exist on these shores except for a person duly convicted of a crime.” But me and a lot of others are not convicted, we’ve been accused or they’re using the hearsay law and it’s BULLSHIT. Let’s say I get mad at you or anybody. I can easily shave my own dog and put the shavings on your porch and call the police and say I watched you kill your dog and you going to jail then, probably. Well, mostly you’re going to prison. It’s that simple now.

Then they got public defenders. How can they bring justice when the people charged with defending us are investing in our incarceration. And there is no lawyer-client confidentiality. The lawyer will give the D.A. hints. If you be real with them, they’ll tell. There’s no beating this shit.

I’m an innocent man in jail. THIS jail has bullshit food. We only come out 6 hours 30 minutes a day. We only get 30 minutes recreation. The shower water breaks you out and dry your skin out. They charge you 20 dollars for a sick call. Canteen high as hell. COs act like they tough all the time. That’s why we locked down. The police will put you in handcuffs and throw you around like a rag doll and when you fucked up they still charge you 20 dollars. Shit crazy up in here.

Ms Parker, Ms Furgoson, Maye, Kobe, Baker, Sgt. Steveson, Elibi — they’re some staff, but these 7 here are some staff that come to work, do their job and go home. They don’t yell at us. They don’t hassle us about little things. They don’t get buck with us or try to get us to buck at them. THEY’RE NICE GENUINE people and I thank them for that.

Oh, I forgot Sgt. Brown, Jerome, Ms. West -> Well, all the STARR staff.

THANKS FOR HEARING ME.

‘When is that gonna start?’

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Hi,

Thank you for my X-mas card (months ago). Sorry I haven’t been wrote you. It drains me, cause it takes a lot out of me. But, can you help me with getting this stuff out there?

  1. I need my right meds.
  2. I can’t remember when, but some officers jumped me.
  3. My name being cleared. It’s always said I’m always starting things. Officers like Mrs. Solomon, and many more (say this). I rarely start anything. The things I do, I’ll admit to it.
  4. Disciplinary always finds me guilty!
  5. Not getting enough supplies, like pencils, paper, envelopes, washing liquid.
  6. They need to wash our clothes in Clorox since they are washing everybody clothes together.
  7. There’s a video about this jail that they show and at the end it tells you, ‘You will be treated with Dignity and Respect while you’re here.’ That’s funny, cause that doesn’t happen. So, when is that gonna start?
  8. An officer was telling me for some reason how they wouldn’t eat anything from our kitchen. I said why. She said—they’re nasty. Can that change?

Continue reading →

‘Still being held hostage from the sun!’

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April 6, 2017

IOA–

What’s good IOA? Ain’t shit changed in this hell hole but the date. “Still being held hostage from the sun!” The jail still refuses to treat us like human beings. You know it’s been a whole thirty one days since I wrote my last letter and they still haven’t fixed the damn kiosk in our pod. They come on and look at it like everything is just normal. They’re making it hard on themselves and us because we have to ask for paper sick calls and canteen sheets, then they want to bitch and complain. The medical people take forever to check the medical box and when they do it’s still a wait. But they want that 20 dollars on command.

As far as canteen goes, Pam is cool she tries to get her job done the best she can but wherever they found (the other) girl they need to send her back because she always fucking some shit up and eating all the chips and shit. That high-ass canteen is meant for us. To those that protest for us and was willing to get locked up on March 13 to stand up on our behalf about this visitation thing, I say thank you.

Until next time–

Ghost

‘DCJ: Same shit, different toilet’

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What’s up IOA? Thanks for writing. I’m hanging in there. Can’t really complain, God let me wake up. But as far as DCJ goes, same shit, different toilet. They find a way to make our lives worse by the day. The pod that I’m in has had a problem with our kiosk for damn near a month and the jail has still failed to fix it. Continue reading →

‘Our day is coming sooner than later’

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What’s up world? I’m so tired of being in here. I’ve been here 20 months, my life is on hold. What happened to staying out until 11:00? My kids don’t even come in at 6:45! Also, what’s up with these “no court date shown?” I can’t get house arrest because I don’t live in Durham. The struggle is real. I haven’t been charged for medical since I have been here, now all of a sudden they want to take my money. Never again will I go unless I’m half-way dead. $20 for some shampoo, really? I like to say at the end of the day they get to go home and we stuck here. Some care and some don’t. Out of sight and out of mind. But our day is coming sooner than later. They can’t hold us forever. Keep y’all head above water. Stay prayed up. God does answer prayers. Be blessed. Shout out to the girls: Melanie B, Brittany L, Ebony F, Christie L.

‘Not falling for the trick this system uses…’

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Jan 4 2017

Dear —

Hello to you all the IOA. I pray you all had a wonderful holiday season. Yes, I’m still here after 39 months standing strong in my faith. Refusing to bend. Not falling for the trick this system uses (waiting you out) hoping you sign a plea for something you did not do! Continue reading →

‘This is our life inside’

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the following letter was received more than five weeks after it was written. 

Oct 22 2016

Hello!

My name is J. B. I’m an inmate in Durham County jail scheduled to return to — County…I am in fear of serving the rest of my time in Durham due to an outbreak of scabies that the jail and medical staff have tried to cover up. I was exposed to this disease because the medical staff put the inmate who was infected in our block. I actually shook hands with him, he used the phones and showers. Two days later they removed him and the sergeant along with a nurse came in with biohazard bags and removed his personal items. Continue reading →