Wisconsin Death Trap: How Prison Jeopardizes Public Safety in Times of Pandemic.

[UPDATE: since publishing this article, people held at Waupun Correctional (WCI) were exposed to COVID-19 by a doctor who had recently traveled outside the country. 

As we predicted, the DOC's response to this exposure has been irresponsible and inhumane. They put WCI on lockdown. One source confined at WCI reported that guards lied about the exposure, that some exposed people were moved to solitary confinement, while others were put in a hallway with unexposed people and that people with pre-existing conditions are not being tested. "These guards and administration only care about their fellow employees."

UPDATE: the DOC has suspended transfers to and from contracted jail beds to reduce spread of COVID-19. Additional updates from the DOC are maintained here.]


When COVID-19 gets into Wisconsin prisons, it will spread like wildfire and kill people. It will proliferate in our overcrowded prisons, and then escape and spread back outside the walls and fences. This is not a question of if, but of when. Absent drastic and unexpected action by Governor Tony Evers and the Department of Corrections (DOC) administration, it is incredibly likely that Wisconsin’s addiction to prison will create a virulent disease vector, jeopardizing everyone across the state.

There are no security measures strong enough to keep a pandemic as contagious as COVID-19 out of prisons. Once it gets in, conditions are ideal for its rapid proliferation and elevated mortality rates. There are no security measures strong enough to keep a rampant plague contained within a prison’s walls. COVID-19 will spread from the prisons to Wisconsin’s cities and towns.

The DOC has been operating an ongoing and often ignored humanitarian crisis for years. The conditions of this ongoing crisis make prisons especially vulnerable to a pandemic. The DOC and Governor’s response thus far has been unrealistic, inadequate and irresponsible.

COVID-19 Exposure at Columbia Correctional

We received a number of brief messages from incarcerated people that Columbia Correctional (CCI) went on lockdown because of exposure to COVID-19. The two most detailed are below.

As we predicted, the disease is getting in to Wisconsin prisons. Warden Novak sent two memos, the first saying the lockdown was purely preventative and the second admitting that someone has been diagnosed. It's not clear how quickly the second memo came after the first, but it is clear that Warden Novak's first impulse was to lie and mislead her captives.

CCI is notorious for terrible practices and sadistic staff, so we should expect worse stories from there than we're already hearing from Waupun. We should expect Warden Novak to continue lying and misinforming both the public and the people she holds captive. That's what she does. We have been demanding Secretary Kevin Carr or DAI Administrator Makda Fessahaye fire her for months.

Governor Tony Evers remains completely unresponsive to this growing crisis in his prisons.

Received 10:30PM Saturday March 21:

Just got locked down completely and a "Communicable Disease Notice To Inmates/Youth". (DOC-3607) stating " An  individual at your facility as potentially having COVID 19 which can be transmitted by airborne, contact or droplet. ....

Updates from inside Columbia Correctional Institution

These are statements regarding COVID-19 from people incarcerated at Columbia Correctional Institution. We will continuously update this document, with the newest information at the top.

Other than putting us on lockdown nothing has changed in regards to cleanliness.

• we were offered the two free phone calls for one week this week the computer controlled system isn't allowing it.

• the problem with allowing already arrogant incarcerated people to self regulate if they think they are sick, they are afraid to be quarantined so they will be sick and just pass it on. And some of the guys are so paranoid they scream medical emergency when they sneeze (multiple times a day screaming medical emergency).

Warden Novak continues to provoke instability at CCI

This is an open letter Ben from FFUP sent, along with related correspondence as a follow up to our meeting about the lockdown and conditions at CCI. We continue to gather information showing the poor conditions and destabilizing policies that Warden Novak and staff at Columbia Correctional create.

A full report on that will be forthcoming. We've received a lot of information and could use help compiling it. Anyone interested in volunteering to help with that, please contact Ben at Insurgent.ben@gmail.com. Thank you. 

Dear Makda, Kevin and Shannon,

Staff at CCI continue to engage in systemic unfair practices with the apparent intention of creating a needlessly hostile environment.

On February 8, a Sgt named Dustin Rohwer began issuing dozens of conduct reports for rules violations involving opened windows. Other Sgts did the same in other units. There are two problems with this:

First, rather than warning people that the rule against opening windows would be more strictly enforced, CCI staff just started handing out conduct reports, disrupting people's lives and visitation.

Columbia Hunger Striker Demands Met! Medical Staff Quitting at High Rate

We received a message from Damani Nantambu. Staff at CCI finally acknowledged his hunger strike and agreed to get him treatment. He is suspending the protest, but will resume if what they promised is not delivered.

He also reports that 6 nurses quit last month and more have put in notice due to Warden Novak's policies.

Damani's full message:

"I just wanted to let you know that I ended the hunger strike (the psychologist came to see me 10-days after the fact, then told me she was not going to do the Paper work since I agreed to eat).I found one of my hunger strike log sheets in The trash,which told me that they were trying, to undermine the hunger strike, by Not fully documenting it. I send you a copy, once I make them.

March on the DOC reportback

Today we had another good action at the DOC against lockdowns and calling for Warden Novak at CCI to be fired.

First, we gathered at Worthington Park for about 20 minutes, talking to reporters (NBC news editors cut all the specifics out) and sharing notes on what we've heard out of CCI. Only 10-15 people made it out on this cold Wednesday morning, but we made the most of it.

We also organized a phone zap for people who could not attend the action. 


Then we marched up to the visitor's entrance at the DOC. Chants of "Hey! Ho! Warden Novak's got to go!" bounced off the building and through the neighborhood. After our last action DOC administrators expressed willingness to meet with us, but they didn't actually set up a meeting time until last night. They also asked that they only meet with 2-3 representatives. Also, Secretary Carr was not available until noon. Unfortunately, we had already sent out invitations and press releases so we were unable to push back our action, but we still took the meeting with Carr.

NYE Noise Demo and January 9 Solidarity March

On New Year's Eve around 30 people gathered outside Columbia Correctional Institution for a noise demo in solidarity with the people who've been locked down since November 8 because Black prisoners beat up racist guards.

Demonstrators made a huge racket with pots and pans, drums, whistles, a conch shell, vuvuzelas, a megaphone and hand-held air-raid sirens. We held a large banner with glow-in-the-dark letters that read "Fire Warden Novak" and chanted the same. Also: "you are not forgotten / you are not alone / we are gonna fight / to bring you home!" 

See video here.

We were heard throughout the residences. People inside responded by shouting and banging on their windows. With the concrete walls and distance between the buildings and the fence it was hard to distinguish much of what was said, but at one point when local Portage police showed up to monitor the demonstration, someone inside the prison saw them and shouted "fuck the police!"

A few days later supporters received word from inside:

Oh new years day [people] was protesting in front of the CCI. I'm surprised it didn't make the news with all the racket they made, I could hear them from my cell and I'm on one of the furthest units from the parking lot.

Later on New Years Eve some people also set off hundreds of fireworks outside the Milwaukee Secure Detention Facility (MSDF) in solidarity with the campaign to close that facility. Video of that here, and here. 

On Thursday January 9, protestors will follow up with a march on the WI DOC Headquarters in Madison. From the Facebook event:

"Warden Susan Novak has implemented fatal policies and enabled abusive behavior by racist guards... Larry Bracey’s death is on Novak’s hands. Allowing her to continue operating any WI prison is irresponsible and a great moral failing. Join us in demanding change!"

Conditions at Columbia Correctional have been horrific for months and Forum For Understanding Prisons (FFUP) has been working with multiple people within the facility to expose the racism, violence and retaliation since the lockdown started. Between October 22 and November 8 three racist, petty, loudly Trump-supporting guards got beat down in separate incidents by black men imprisoned at CCI.

But, here it is 3-fervent Donald Trump supporting cops get a lil touched up by some black inmates and we’ve been on lockdown for 2-months.
- from a letter by Damani Nantambu at CCI

In response, Warden Susan Novak and staff have engaged in a wide variety of retaliation, collective punishment and repression. On December 3rd, staff CCI killed Muhhamad (Larry) Bracey through medical neglect. Warden Novak is refusing to administer flu vaccinations, endangering many with compromised immune systems at this over-crowded prison. A man named ODell Miller went on hunger strike demanding that Warden Susan Novak be fired, and Columbia County Judge Todd Hepler authorized staff force feeding him for a year, sealing the record to cover his complicity in that torture. 

Read more about the lockdown and these incidents here (chronological order):

• Warfare at CCI
• Updates from Nate Lindell and William Ledford 
• Muhammad (Larry) Bracey, killed by medical neglect during Columbia Correctional lockdown. Rest in Power!
• Warden Delaying Flu shots at CCI
  
•  CCI Lockdown update: retaliation, negligence, FIRE Warden Novak
• Damani Nantambu on CCI staff racism, assaults and lockdown  
• Columbia County Courts and Sheriff complicit in prison torture and death

Damani Nantambu on CCI staff racism, assaults and lockdown

We received a long letter from Damani M.Nantambu with new and more detailed information about the CCI lockdown. Damani provides insights into the assaults that occurred leading up to the lockdown, the death by medical neglect of Muhhamad (Larry) Bracey on December 3, and the hunger strike and force-feeding of Odell Miller, as well as many other conditions and incidents. We removed some information from his letter to protect the privacy of incarcerated people.


Date: 12/10/2019

Dear Peggy,

I want to thank you for the hard hitting piece of journalism you did on the piece titled “Warfare at Columbia Correctional Institute”. In this letter I hope to add and correct a few things that officials lied to you about and inmates got wrong.

But before I get to that, note I can’t tell you how much I regret not staying in touch with you when I first came to the state in 2012 from the feds (the super max in Colorado called ADX or “Alcatraz of the Rockies”.)  To serve the remainder of my federal sentence. Life W/O!!! It’s a long story about an class action.

* DEATH OF INMATE *

Also I’m sure you will want t know that inmate Muhhamad Bracey died on 12/3/19 in DSII in cell #8 after complaining for weeks of ill health! The LAST dirt bag he tried to get to help him was Sgt. L.P. She lied to the nurses and claim he was fine when she checked in on him, to determine if it was a medical emergency, the only type of medical aid, the Iron Lady (Sue Novak) would allow them to render aid to. She killed this man (Sue). Plain and simple. And he had been on ACC for “years”!!!

I filed a complaint for him already.

CCI Lockdown update: retaliation, negligence, FIRE Warden Novak .

Since our last update on the CCI lockdown, we have: 

• gathered news of retaliation, and threats of a staff walk-out
• got an article published in the Shepherd Express
• Learned devastating details about the Dec 3 death   
• Discovered that Warden Novak is preventing administration of flu shots

We continue to get more information and are moving to action. Please join us in calling for the termination of Warden Susan Novak, who is ultimately responsible for running the prison and has put everyone there at risk with bad policies, malice and deliberate indifference. 

Expanding retaliation 

A guard told one of our contacts that more than 50 people have been given tickets for insulting Warden Susan Novak. This contact was sent to the hole for discipline during the lockdown. He said: "Until yesterday I assumed I was the only one sent to the hole but I learned there were 6. All Black of course !!!!!"

In addition to the intercepted email and Conduct Report issued to Nate Lindell mentioned on a previous post, another organizer William Ledford has had an email about the lockdown intercepted because it "posed a threat to the security, orderly operation, discipline or safety of the institution." He filed an appeal and sent us a copy snailmail, including a transcription of the email. There's absolutely nothing in his message that constitutes a threat, just information about the lockdown and a request that the information get to the media and to Makda Fessahaye, the head of the Division of Adult Institutions (DAI). 

Hunger strike and possible second lockdown-related death

One of the letters we received mentioned a hunger strike by Odell Miller (ID#537774). The writer didn't say what Odell's demands were, but said he's 30 years old and has been hunger striking for nearly two months. 

Earlier this week an FFUP newsletter was returned unopened from CCI with "convict dead" written across the top of it. The person it had been sent to is no longer in the DOC database (which is what they do when someone dies, making it harder for the public to know what happened). It seems likely this person died at CCI during the lockdown, likely do to medical neglect. He was around 60 years old and had been locked up a while. 

We are trying to find out when and how he died, and to contact his next of kin, but the DOC is very reticent to release information about the people they kill.

Response from DAI 

On December 12, Makda Fessahaye replied to a December 4 email from FFUP about Mr Bracey's death (though at that time, we didn't know it was him or have details). She said his death is being investigated and emphasized a list of positive things or lefted restrictions that "did occur during this time." Some of the things she listed contradict reports from our friends in CCI, so we will check on them before sharing them.

Fessahaye's message ended with the following assurances:

The DOC is committed to working with law enforcement on their investigations and returning CCI to normal movement as soon as possible while maintaining the safety of those in our care and our staff.

Our staff share your passion for the safety and security of those in our custody. We encourage all of the people in our care to report any acts of misconduct through our inmate complaint process. Every inmate complete is investigated.

The Department of Corrections is committed to maintaining an environment free from discrimination, harassment, and retaliation. Any individuals who are found to have violated work rules will be held accountable.

We have concerns about these statements. First, it sounds like up to 50 people are being retaliated against for complaining. If Ms Fessahaye really wants to encourage people to file complaints, she needs to stop Warden Novak from retaliating against people for filing them.

Second, if the complaints investigations are being done by investigation supervisor Captain Pigeon, then there's no reason to have faith in them. Captain Pigeon has already obstructed sheriff's investigation by as reported by William Ledford here.

Third, there's a long history absent accountability for staff at CCI. If Fessahaye's assurance that people who violated work rules or engaged in discrimination, harassment and retaliation was acted on, many staff at CCI would face discipline or firing. The DOC considers CCI understaffed despite having a 1:3 staff to captive ratio, and staff are already threatening a mass walk-out over the people who took action to defend themselves against staff abuse, discrimination and harassment. It would be unreasonably optimistic to think that the DOC will hold their staff accountable on their own. We must demand it.

Demand Warden Susan Novak's termination

There are a number of staff problems at Columbia Correctional Institution, but the person ultimately responsible for conditions is Warden Susan Novak. A number of people who've written us say that she either originates the issues, or tolerates, allows and covers for staff abuse and neglect.

FFUP is joining in the calls from people held at CCI for Warden Novak's termination. We've organized a call-in event for Monday targeting Ms Fessahaye's office and demanding Novak be replaced. Please join this event, share it with friends, call in yourself and demonstrate that abuse, racism, retaliation, and killing people through medical neglect will not be tolerated in Wisconsin.

Warden Delaying Flu shots at CCI

Columbia Correctional Warden Susan Novak delayed flu vaccine to people at high risk. As of Dec 8, people, including aged people, diabetics and others with compromised immune systems had not received the flu shot they typically get in September. There was a vaccine shortage this year, but prisons are incubators for viruses because they confine many people in close quarters with low quality medical care and nutrition. If public safety was a genuine concern, distribution to prisons would be a priority, especially to high-risk people.

Even worse, it seems the facility had the vaccine by November 24 but did not administer it by orders of Warden Novak. Below is a transcription of William Ledford's letter detailing the situation.