Action Alert: Prisoners at SCI-Forest are under attack!

**********************************************************************
Human Rights Coalition Action Alert- July 7, 2010

Prisoners in SCI-Forest's Restricted Housing Unit are being assaulted, threatened and denied food, & their legal paperwork and personal possessions are being destroyed by vengeful, racist guards.

***********************************************************************
 

 Call today to demand that DOC officials put an immediate stop to the campaign of harassment and abuse being led by Lt. Burkhart against prisoners at Forest!
 
Over recent months, the Human Rights Coalition has received multiple reports from the Restricted Housing Unit (RHU) at SCI-Forest prison in Marienville, PA about the war being waged by Lt. Burkhart against the prisoners in the RHU. The men there report that Lt. Burkhart is targeting prisoners who've spoken up about abuse (& also often on the basis of race), and that he & his staff have committed (among others) the following human rights violations:

-Countless and repeated use of the word "nigger" and physical intimidation & assault of prisoners based on their race. Among the reports of racist violence by Forest staff are Burkhart's threat to kill President Obama and an April 22 assault that began with Burkhart handing a prisoner a spoon from off of the floor & stating "use this nigger or don't eat" & ending with the prisoner being physically beaten by guards & his property destroyed.

-Threatening men who've filed grievances/lawsuits & ordering guards to deny prisoners access to the law library.

-Denying prisoners food, & when others speak up in protest, denying those men their food as well. As of July 4, at least 10 men were being/had been denied food by staff acting under Burkhart's orders.

 CAll the DOC and demand an end to this abuse!

The following Department of Corrections officals are responsible for maintaining the safety and security of the lives and living conditions of the prisoners confined in Forest prison. Call them up & let them know how you feel about prison officials who allow the guards under their command to harass, abuse, and torture the prisoners in their care!
 
Superintendent Debra Sauers-(814) 621-2110   Supt. Sauers is the warden of SCI-Forest and has the power to remove abusive guards from duty & to request outside investigation of her staff. Ask to speak to the Superintendent's office- you will be forwarded to a secretary and will likely end up speaking with Christine Kennedy, the Superintendent's Assistant. Let her know that the violations of prisoners' human rights being committed at SCI Forest will not be tolerated by the citizens of Pennsylvania!

OPR Director James Barnacle-(717) 214-8473   Mr. Barnacle is the Director of the Office of Professional Responsibility, the department that's responsible for investigating crimes committed by prison staff. He has the power to order an investigation of DOC staff on the basis of "abuse of prisoners" & other crimes. Ask to speak to Director Barnacle- let him or his staff know that you want to make sure that they know of the human rights violations being committed by SCI Forest staff & that it's OPR's duty to investigate.

Secretary Jeffrey Beard-(717) 975-4918    Mr. Beard is in charge of Pennsylvania's entire state prison system. Ask to speak to Secretary Beard- let him or his staff know that you're aware of the abuse being committed by his employees at SCI Forest and that you won't stand for it!

Thanks for your time- keep up the struggle!
 

Love, HRC
Human Rights Coalition: Fighting for the Rights and Lives of Prisoners
Philadelphia chapter:  215-921-3491        www.hrcoalition.org
Pittsburgh FedUp! chapter: 412-361-3022 ex.4        http://www.thomasmertoncenter.org/fedup/