On January 7, I appeared in court in Peoria for my case Harris vs Calloway et. Al. 2:17-cv-02075-MMM Document #58. The judge has ruled in my favor in this land-breaking case—he ruled that I could not be punished for exercising my First Amendment rights.
No longer can the prisoner be punished for exposing the malfeasance and corruption in the Illinois Department of Corrections.
I received a Summary Judgement Ruling and the meeting on January 7 was a hearing to discuss damages for many years of retaliation—including housing me in medium security prisons run like maximum security prisons and many episodes of solitary confinement. Unfortunately, the IDOC refused to negotiate so we are headed for a jury hearing to determine damages.
Moved to a Medium Security Prison
In order to be present at the hearing, I was moved from the Pinckneyville Correctional Center (a medium security prison run very harshly) to the medium security Illinois River C.C. At Illinois River I received one-and-one-half hours out-of-cell time each morning and evening –twice as much as I get at Pinckneyville C.C..
The guards there are respectful and give you what you have coming by law. The place was clean and the food was better.
But Illinois River has two draw backs
First, the mattresses are old, stained nasty horse hair ones. Secondly, the commissary was not staffed. So only one or two windows open each day, which costs the taxpayer in lost revenue, for they must pick up the lost income to the I.D.O.C. budget. Plus, the prisoner is subjected to purchase limits set which would be reasonable for a once-a-week shop, but the prisoners can only shop every three weeks. This causes low prisoner moral—not good.
But overall Illinois River is a much better prison than Pinckneyville C.C.. There are two industries there—recycling and bakery. I want to get transferred there so I can work. I have two cases being heard in Peoria Federal Courthouse, so I have to ask, “why am I still being held at Pinckneyville C.C. when my disciplinary ticket and transfer was expunged one day after I was shipped here as a punishment?
I’m Baaack …
Anyway, now I am back at Pinckneyville, I went to get my property today. The property officer made me place my typewriter and fan in box like on a transfer.
He stated that the Pinckneyville Rule Manual gave him the authority to be different from every other prison and allows him to retaliate again litigator who has typewriter.
On transfer a typewriter is to be placed in a commissary box to ensure it does not get damaged, not in large property box.
I already have won this issue here once. But I guess history is bound to repeat itself.
Then stated he was writing ticket for threats and intimidation for my daughter’s recent post. Crazy! I just won that lawsuit about this.
If you would like to help, call Director Jefferys at the IDOC office Springfield (217) 558-2200 x 2008 or by email (using the contact form) at https://www2.illinois.gov/idoc/contactus/Pages/default.aspx.
