Plea from a Gay Prisoner

by John Stites

NEWS RELEASE

Myra Jackson
Christmas Town Communications
P. O. Box 1993
Shelton, WA 98584-1993

[email protected]

I am writing this to let people in the free world know about the things that are going on in Walla Walla, Washington State Penitentiary (WSP).  I am a 23 year old gay male currently serving time at WSP.  The correctional officers that work here have found out that I am gay by reading my mail before they give it to me.

Editor's note: All mail to inmates is read prior to it being delivered to them.

Since they have found out I have been the victim of constant severe, non-stop harrasment which is against all prison regulations and state and federal law.

I have written the superintendent of the prison, John Lambert, and the only response that he gave me was a short note telling me not to write him.

The abuse that I have been experiencing has taken many forms.  The officers in the mail room frequently deface my mail by writing defamatory anti-gay slurs all over my letters.  I sometimes am awakened in the middle of the night by an officer opening my tray port and spitting on me and telling me that "faggots get what they deserve."  When my meals are brought to me the officers will often knock my tray out of my hand and call me a "clumsy faggot" and tell me I'm not getting another tray and that I have to eat the food that spilled on the floor.  Needless to say I often go without food.

I am also beaten by the officers here.  When they bring me out of my cell to go to yard I am hand-cuffed, and when an officer is mad at me he will claim that I am trying to attack him and he will strike me and throw me to the ground.

I have tried to get this abuse to stop, but I can get no help from the supervisors here at the prison, so the only thing I can do is make my story known to others, in the hope that exposing what goes on here will make them stop.

I would appreciate any support in helping me to do this, and I
welcome all letters.

John Stites #805669
Clallam Bay Corrections Center
1830 Eaglecrest Way
Clallam Bay, WA 98326

[FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:

Secretary of Corrections
Joseph D. Lehman
P. O. Box 41101
Olympia, WA 98504-1101
(360) 753-2500
[email protected]

(This news release and more information about WSP can be read at
http://www.ourchurch.com/member/s/simonthecyrene -- click on "Walla
Walla's Abuse of Gay Prisoners" in the index bar.) ]

Editor's note: Mr. Stites is a prisoner with whom I have personally communicated. He was moved prior to last April to Clallam Bay Correctional Center. The chances are good that he is still being persecuted there because he is homosexual so we need to demand that he be treated with just as much dignity at Clallam Bay as we would have if he had still been incarcerated at WSP. Thank you.