We've received two letters from Jerome Long, who is charged with the October 22 assault on Sgt Phibbs at Columbia Correctional. This was the first of three assaults leading to the deadly extended lockdown through November and December of last year.
Long says he knew he was struggling with anger management and requested changes and treatment from PSU that would have helped prevent the incident, but staff acted "as if [the assault is] what they wanted me to do. So that way they could put me back into seg housing status."
Four days after the assault, he was transferred to Wisconsin Secure Program Facility (WSPF) in Boscobel. Since then, he's been subject to enhanced security measures and harassment every time he's moved out of the cell. He intends to go on hunger strike starting February 13, and will refuse to leave his cell voluntarily.
Jerome also reports that Sean Young is continuing to refuse food since this incident when guards sexually assaulted him because he was distraught after receiving news of a death in the family. It appears Sean has gone off and on hunger strike, because Jerome says he started the hunger strike on January 30. Also, the DOC filed a request to force feed Sean on December 11, only six days after starting his hunger strike.
Sean has also filed a John Doe motion, which is a legal follow up when the DOC ignores a PREA (Prison Rape Elimination Act) complaint.
Judge Robert P. VanDeHey of Grant County dismissed that motion on January 13.
| Judge VanDeHey |
You can write support letters to Jerome and Sean at the following addresses:
Jerome Long
337833
WSPF
PO BOX 1000
Boscobel WI 53805-0900
Sean Young
505480WSPF
PO BOX 1000
Boscobel WI 53805-0900
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| Jerome Long |
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| Sean Young |
Also to advocate for Jerome and/or Sean, please contact the following officials and demand that their mistreatment end and that their hunger strike demands be met.
WSPF Warden Gary Boughton (608) 375-5656 or Gary.Boughton@wisconsin.gov
DAI administrator Makda Fessahaye (608) 240-5104 or makda.fessahaye@wisconsin.gov
Letters from Jerome:
I received your letter today, and I felt a need to reply as well as an obligation in regards to the treatment of prisoners in the Wisc. Dept. of Corrections…
Now I’m a Bi racial 38 yrs. Old man serving my 3rd Adult incarceration dating back to 1998-2001, 2002-03 and 2004-present. I’ve really hadn’t never experienced any verbal derogatory slurs. But my mistreatment has been more so from me not being given the fair chance receive much needed help and treatment from the properly trained staff at WRC (Wisc. Resource Center) for my mental health issues. And it appears to me as if CCI staffers from the admin. staff on down all played a part in the conflict that is created on daily basis, and there’s no accountability for any of the staffers. Even when you do write to the DOC secretary office, nothing is done. And filing a complaint is pointless unless you’re going to file a civil suit. And even then they don’t care because they still keep their jobs and the money isn’t coming out of their pockets, so until something with that changes then it’s the same ole games being played. So my situation was based on the PSU supervisor and unit manager and admin staff not trying to fix the phone usage system at CCI and willing to help me make contact with my family. And when I informed the PSU staff about my stress levels and simply demanded to (be) placed on a voluntary permanent feed cell status. Until farther notice to ensure my safety and others safety given my levels of stress and anger and high likelihood of a attack occurring it was as if that’s what they wanted me to do. So that way they could put me back into seg housing status and back on admin confinement as I had just been taking off AC status after 18 months of it. Because some staff fear my presence in population...This was said to me from another inmate following him talking to a sgt. about me. The sgt. said to him that “Long is not a dumb guy...he’s very smart and very strong physically and mentally.” “and for that reason a lot of staff are scared of him.”
So following that encounter and me talking to PSU staff only to be denied a simple request and then that some PSU staffer say to that… “Well maybe you have wore your welcome out here?” “And a change of scenery would be good for you.” So I felt too that my assault situation could’ve been avoided but they just didn’t care to do so.
So I see myself as a person who will take a stance and draw the attention to the problem. But more people need to stand up and do something because the only thing the DOC staff is trying to do is make it seem as if their jobs are too dangerous, and that they’re underpaid...But truth be told they are truly lazy and non-charlot (challant? -Ed.) about stuff until a staff gets attack then yeah now they want to yell “Foul” and press charges on the prisoners.
So that’s what I’ve seen going on for years. That’s my truth…
Thank you
Sincerely Signed
Jerome Long
#337833
I received your letter, and yes you all at FFUP can definitely publish my issues and experiences in such report. And I don’t have any objection to being credited.
Now as for me doing OK here at WSPF for the most part I’m surviving some uncalled (for) “Abuse of Power” by WSPF admin. staff. As I’ve been on some security precautions such as back of cell and 3-man escort w/ supervisor present with taser*. Now it shall be noted that these were put on me at CCI before I was sent here on Oct. 22, 2019. And since being at WSPF I have not once threatened any staff. Nor any kind of assaultive acts, nor any kind of resistive behaviors during countless escorts out of my cell to other places throughout the unit. But after 3 ½ mos. and counting the security director and warden is continuously extending my precautions for month after month after month for something that has nothing to even do with these staff. So I feel as if it’s a tool for harassment. And I plan on starting a serious hunger strike on Feb. 13th 2020. If the warden don’t put an end to this unprofessional conduct. As the security director said to me on Jan. 16th 2020 that due to serious nature of the incident it’s his unwritten rule that I’m looking at 6 mos. of these precautions being on me. So clearly what’s the point of reviewing a person’s precautions when there’s no intention of you even seriously considering the removal of such precautions. So that’s all for now with me.
Now I’d like to bring to light something that I was informed about, this is involving a inmate name Sean M. Young #505480. He’s my next door cell-mate back on Dec. 4th 2019 he claims to have been called to the unit strip cage door where he says “Staff sexually assaulted him.” He wrote the inmate complaint and to the security director as well as the warden, only never to even (be) interviewed by anyone about such issue. He also made a PREA recorded phone call and wrote to the dept. of corrections secretary office only for them to nonchalantly disregard what he’s bringing to their attention. He also filed a John Doe claim with the court on this matter and it seems to be all being covered up...He pending some civil action against the DOC in US Courts system for stuff dating back to 2018, 2019 and now 2020. As issues seems to be ongoing.
He’s currently on a hunger strike that started on Jan. 30th 2020 no food, no fluids… Now please reach out to this guy. Please understand that his postage is very limited so his response to you might be some delay from time to time...But I gave him your info as well in hopes that he reaches out to you in his words. But I’ve done my part.
Thank you
And
Take Care
Sincerely Signed
Jerome Long
#337833
PS It shall be noted that I’m not going to be willingly agreeing to come out of my cell anytime soon unless it’s a life or death matter. As long as they feel the need to have a damn entourage with me...
* "Back of cell" means anytime a guard opens the trap on his cell, to deliver food or mail or anything, Jerome must stand at the back of the cell, facing the wall.
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