Imagine being taken to a prison infirmary under the pretense that you’re about to receive some type of medical care, only to be met and confronted by a small band of cowardly and hostile prison officers who have malice in their heart and intentions of causing bodily harm to you. Now, add to this situation the element of being defenseless due to being bound behind your back in handcuffs, and shackled in leg manacles. This scenario is a reality that occurs often for many of the prisoners where I’m incarcerated at the Southern Ohio Correctional Facility (SOCF) in Lucasville, Ohio, and it’s widely known amongst the captives (prisoners) and captors (prison administration) of SOCF.
Prisoners in SOCF are escorted to the infirmary, taken into an examination room — where there’s no surveillance — and all medical staff are ordered out. The prisoner is then struck about the head, face, and torso by fists, knees, and feet from every direction, until he’s on the floor not moving and/or rendered unconscious. After the beating, the prisoner is then threatened with more bodily harm to occur in the future, for reasons such as filing grievances about being assaulted by prison officers, complaining about inhumane living conditions, et cetera.
I personally know of incidents of violence that have been committed against prisoners in SOCF’s infirmary by officers. One particular incident transpired as follows:
On May 10, 2017, early afternoon, Brother Al “Beno” George (#594-113) was being escorted to Unit D-1 (the upper infirmary) because he’d missed more than nine (9) meals, which automatically and officially designated George as being on a “hunger strike,” which he saw as a means to peacefully protest against being harassed and assaulted by prison officials, and being unjustly placed in excessive isolation.
Once George entered the elevator to ascend to the medical unit (D-1) where “hunger-strikers” are to be monitored, he was attacked by Sgt. Tacket, Stg. Dillow, C.O. Lewis, and two other unidentified officers.
Brother George suffered injuries on the left side of his neck and shoulder, his back, and right knee. These injuries were documented by medical staff, and the Ohio State Highway Patrol (i.e. Trooper Lewis Fielding), who, by chance, happened to be in the vicinity where injured prisoner George was being housed shortly after the incident took place, which, ultimately, afforded George an opportunity to report the assault. In turn, the state highway patrolman documented and photographed George’s injuries.
The prison officers that assaulted Brother George didn’t even bother to document any type of “use of force” report about the incident, or even attempt to cover up the incident. This bold and brazen behavior is consistent with the corruption of SOCF! They are so “relaxed and comfortable” with violations of administrative regulations, policies, and procedures, and breaking the law in accordance with the Ohio Revised Code, because they are NEVER HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR ANY OF THEIR INAPPROPRIATE AND UNLAWFUL BEHAVIOR TOWARD PRISONERS!
The assailants who assaulted Brother George, unfortunately, succeeded in intimidating him to abandon his hunger strike. Despite the knowledge that the Ohio State Highway Patrol has documented about George’s assault, George was placed in a cellblock housing area that’s under the direct supervision of two of the assailants that assaulted Brother George, that is, Sgt. Tacket and Sgt. Dillow!
Until then, a trip to the SOCF prison infirmary — a location that isn’t adequately equipped with security cameras — will remain potentially, extremely HAZARDOUS!
From inside HELL-HOLE, a true brother against oppression, and your comrade in the STRUGGLE,
Brother Mark Hinkston
Mark Hinkston #707-808 P.O. Box 45699 Lucasville, Ohio 45699-0001
You can view a TV interview of Mark Hinkston (that was featured on the acclaimed TV show series “Lock-Up”) on MSNBC.
View the MSNBC LockUp Facebook post from 2015.