Check out the living conditions at the Beaumont MEDIUM Federal Correctional Institute!!!
The facility was not evacuated.
The water is contaminated.
The toilets are not working properly because of the water pressure. The water is supposed to be shut off again. It was first turned back on last night.
The inmates were given “shit” bags and since the guards did not want to pick them up .. Some of them were tossed in the hallways. They have NOT disinfected the place. A lot of the guys have hepatitis and this is a major health problem … an epidemic could occur.
The temperatures are running in the 100 degree range with no air …. The walls and ceilings are dripping due to condensation …. Their sheets, towels, clothes pillows are soaked due to the high humidity ….. A very serious problem of black mold will show up any day now…. The moisture will stay in the building for months……..
The inmates have had a loaf of bread on Friday and Saturday ….. Fema brought a meal on Sunday and Monday and 1-2 bottles of water for each. They have not had showers since Thursday!!! Dehydration is setting in …… the nurses are worried ….. Some guys are already showing signs of weakening …. THEY ARE GOING TO START DROPPING ANYTIME!!!!!!!!!!


THESE GUYS NEED TO BE EVACUATED!!!!!!!!!! Just because they are serving time does not mean they need to be treated like animals. The humane society for animals would press charges against people if animals were treated this way!!!!!!!!!!!!!


I have contacted Gov. Perry’s office …… Kay Bailey Hutchinson’s office ….. But I don’t think I have been able to get through to anyone. I ALSO sent an email to VP CHENEY just for grins ....

If anyone hears anything new please let me know.
Marla

Sounds familar... have you read about the jails in New Orleans when Katrina came? Left inmates there in chest deep water, no food, etc for 4 days!! The guards evacuated, but left prisioners to die! I hope they all sue and get rich, maybe it will be a "learning experience" for the governments!! It really makes me sick!

I have heard about same going on at the camp. The just moved them back over this afternoon. I sent and email and placed a call to Shelia Jackson Lee.

This is total BS. I can only imagine what it would be like in there without power and water.. Been there when everything was up and working but thinking about it without power and the rest...is its own kinda hell..

Marla, do you know if they had backup power at all and for any amount of time? I know they have backup generators there but I am sure fuel would be an issue.. Though something I am sure by now they could have replenished if they wanted to do so.

Please keep us up to date on the situation there and anyone else with loved ones at the Federal Correctional Complex - Beaumont, please let us know what you know.

Thanks,
David

Does anyone have a loved one in Huntsville? I have not heard from my fiance since Katrina & I use to receive atleast one letter a day..

drpbonnet,
Have you tried calling there? That is what I would do.

You might try calling the closest office of the American Civil Liberties Union and perhaps one of their lawyers would want a project to work on. If not, contact the National office of the ACLU. They'll find someone to work on it - they have a national prison project division. Zelda

Has violence broken out? How did you find out about this TXyellowrose? This is not incredible - I'll believe anything from the BOP.

Does anyone have a loved one in Huntsville? I have not heard from my fiance since Katrina & I use to receive atleast one letter a day..

You may want to ask in the Texas Regional forum.

The official BOP statement is that they are using backup generators. That the inmates are being given water daily, two hot meals and a cold meal each day and that they are being provided with "portable toilets." That the only thing not working is the phones. Maybe you'd like to contact a journalist in the area from a major newspaper and suggest they go there and check it out. I assume you must have received the "inside" information by mail. Perhaps forward the letter to a journalist. Heck, the journalists are rescuing puppies and dolphins - maybe they'd be willing to check on some human beings. Zelda

Thanks for the suggestion. Yes ... I had a 15 minute talk with my son on tuesday and have not heard from him since. I have been trying everyone that I can think of. I even got on a WOAI call in line to talk about the problems in the area and they bleeped me and did not air me. IT's like they dont want to confront the federal government. We have left message after message with the governors office...the senators office ... woai - numerous times .... several other radio stations ... the infectious disease center .... the bop regional office in dallas .... tried calling the beaumont radio station numerous times but it always shows busy .... woai actually told me they heard that the prisons were evacuated .... I'M NOT SURE HOW TO GET AHOLD OF A JOURNALIST .... any suggestions? No one will call me or email me back! OH The bop regional office did call me back but he basically said the same thing ... i challenged him to go and check it out himself but he said that wasnt his job ... lol.

I just read your message David ..... YES ... there are back up generators ... they are not strong enough to run the a/c though.... They must only run the lights? My son said they are only on sometimes because they dont have enough power. I did read in an article on yahoo ... i think on sunday ... that gov perry said they were trying to get fema out there to deliver more generators....THAT IS ALL I HAVE READ ANYWHERE! I am assuming since the generators do not run all the time that is why they cant fix food? We could only talk for 15 minutes and I was so busy taking notes on what he was telling me that I didnt really have time for questions ... (and this was while I was eating lunch in a restaurant) and afterwards I sure didnt have much of an appetite! I FELT guilty even eating! HAS ANYONE ELSE TALKED TO ANYONE INSIDE?
I'm kind of worried now that i did not hear from my son yesterday or today! He did say he got a letter sent but I havent received it yet.

I KEEP THINKING OF MORE THINGS. MY son also said that he heard from several of the guards that the Warden wanted to evacuate before the hurricane AND after it hit but both times the regional office said 'NO'! Also, the guards and personnel were orginally going to lock the guys up and leave ... and they were given orders to stay and they had to bring in sleeping bags and cots to stay with the inmates!! It sounds like the warden does have a 'heart'!

My son is in USP Beaumont -does this apply to all parts of prisons in Beaumont-I got a letter end of last week and there was no mention of any problems-I am severely worried and of course no word-he just wanted to let me know he was allright as I hadn't a phone call or ltr. for almost 2 wks-we always talk on Mondays-he explained he was in the SHU and tht is why he couldn't call! Not a good time to be there I am sure-probably last considerations being given to those!
Any info will be greatly appreciated!
Thanks to all for posting.
Bonnie

I'm thinking if this is still going on we can approach Ray Hill at the "Prison Show" and talk about it. It will be on tonight. Maybe I will give him a call and maybe go down there.

http://www.rayhill.info/PrisonShow.html

Here is a link to the Beaumonst Enterprise that appears to be suggest that things are improving. Improvment is always relative however.

http://www.southeasttexaslive.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=15311146&BRD=2287&PAG=461&dept_id=512588&rfi=6

I still have not heard from my son since tuesday .... has anyone heard anything new yet?

About contacting a journalist...
How about Amy Goodman and "Democracy Now"? She might be interested in checking out this story.
You can find the contact information at http://www.democracynow.org/contactus.pl
alice

My son is in FCI Seagoville. He just called me tonight and mentioned they were really crowed putting 3 to a cell (usually 2) because about 50 guys from the Beaumont prison were moved to Seagoville. He said these guys are ones that are scheduled to be released in the next 30 days. He said they all had pretty horrible stories about the Beaumont facility.

HI Caddo,
Do you think you could get your Son to get some specific details from them about the conditions at Beaumont? That would be a big help!
Thanks,
David

Here is the link to Amy Goodman's work on Katrina..
http://www.prisontalk.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1423894 (http://www.prisontalk.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1423894#post1423894)

Hey thanks .... I just sent her an email .... maybe she will call me.

I JUST CHECKED THE BOP SITE THIS MINUTE AND IT SHOWS MY SON IS IN LEAVENWORTH KANSAS !!!!! He had put in for a transfer before the hurricane hit but they would not give me any information on the transfer. This is the first time I checked. I know my son told me the transfer usually shows up on the BOP site before it actually takes place so I dont know if he is there (probably not) in transit or still in Beaumont ...so I will keep everyone posted. I dont know if you all know but Leavenworth has been changed from a USP to a Medium security unit and they were taking volunteers across the country from inmates that had no violations and from ones who were working in Unicor .......... My son decided to put in for it just to see if he could get it .... He said this would be his last move before he is transferred back to TEXAS to a LOW facility which is where he is suppose to be anyway.
Anyway ......... I'm still trying to find information out about the Beaumont FCC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Here is the link to the other thread Marla started on this:
http://www.prisontalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=151774

I posted the following there but it probably should be noted here.

Only the Medium facility has been evacuated, according to the C.O. I just spoke with at the USP there in Beaumont. She stated that the other prisons (camp,low & USP) were not slated to be evacuated at this time..

I guess the water there has not reached the ((Red Alert)) toxic levels yet... We'll see what ends up happening since she stated the power is still off throughout the complex. She was nice but matter-of-fact.. There is no power.. And I am guessing probably no water still..

My spouse is housed in the low in Beaumont and he tells me the conditions are still horrible. I too tried to call Gov Rick Perry, Senator Cornyn and Rep Sheila Jackson-Lee. I was able to speak with one of Lee's assistants who told me they were not aware of the conditions in the federal or state facilities in Beaumont and that he would look into it and get back with me, this was last Wednesday. I tried to go the news stations like ABC, NBC, CBS and CNN-Larry King, with no luck. I have talked to my spouse in spurts, five minute phone calls, where he tells me that the water is on but it is brown, still no power and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. He told me the kitchen caught on fire but he was unable to say how bad. According to the info he was able to give he did say that some legal things are going on with a UNION, I guess for the guards due to they also are being housed in the same conditions. I do have family who went to aid in the clean up efforts from San Antonio and they have said that what we see/saw on TV was way better than what is really being shown. It's just not right how our prison population are treated by the media and govt with no concern or regard to the fact that they are still someone's loved one. Every one has fallen short and done something they regret, its just some of us haven't got caught.

When will this nightmare end? I cannot believe that some of these things have not been taken care of properly.

I feel it is perhaps the authorities are leaving the inmates as their last concern for getting aid to them.

Keeping everyone in my prayers and hoping for better conditions very soon for all of the inmates having to endure these terrible conditions.

Good luck everyone. I hope you both succeed and get some press.
This is all so awful. When I first found out what was happening in Orleans Parish Prison
I was so disgusted.

http://www.prisontalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=149508

As Fed-X said in that thread

"I think at the very least, if they are guilty of abandoning these guys in the face of this hurricane or in its aftermath, they should most definitely lose their freedom.. And for a very long time."

Okay-here is an update as of this morning re: USP Beaumont and some of the conditions there.
I finally got a call from my son this a.m. and was a very happy mom just to hear his voice!

He says they really didn't get any water inside the USP from Rita but due to the fact that the A/C had been off for DAYS-and only recently came back on
that the walls were literally pouring water due to the humidity within the walls. He told me he was not sleeping due to the 100+ degree temperatures inside and that he had used ANY available clothing-towels-etc. to try to dry off enough to possibly sleep but that it was still impossible cause you can't sleep with swear pouring into your eyes as you are trying to get that sleep-he sounded like HELL and very ragged sounding also but I am sure that is due to the conditions.

He told me they get a pastry in the morning and a BAG of milk!
A warm meal at lunch and a BAG of water.
Dinner is a PB&J sandwich and another bag of water!
Not very good eats for grown men and believe me you can hear it in the voice!

He also said the water that is coming out of the taps is very dirty and smells horribly (stools were down and not flushing for several days-don't know if that is fixed yet! He told me of finally giving in and taking a quick shower as were others and now he is "getting some type of white bumps" on him--I said forget the showers till the water is fixed!

I asked him if they were experiencing a lot of "unrest" and problems with the men in general due to the conditions etc. and he said, "Oh NO!!" They have a special force of armed guards brought in from all over the States to contain any type of problems. Some of the guards are from New York and also some from Leavenworth!!! There is a particular name for this group of guards and I don't remember what they are called but when you hear it you know that it means they will take NO BS in doing whatever they need to do to keep things calm!

Also told me that he and his cellie watched the hurricane pass directly over the prison -they had their heads stuck thru the bars so they could see as much as possible and he said it was like a huge tornado with tons of water slamming into the bldgs. He and I are from Kansas and although I've never been close to a tornado he has so I'm takin' his word for it!

He says there is still no mail coming in as yet and they don't know when. I told him that the mail supposedly had begun to go thru about 3 days ago and he said not so you could tell there-seen none of it anywhere.

He has Hep C so I am very concerned with these "bumps' and his already weakened immune system! Anyone have any ideas on these "bumps"??

That's all I can remember right now, if I think of anything else I will post it later, 15 minutes goes by way too fast as all of you are aware!

Still my prayers were answered as it had been 3 weeks since I had heard from him!

God Bless You All and keep those prayers coming for our loved ones who are going thru these hellish conditions right now!


Love,
Bonnie

Thanks for the information. Please keep us updated of any new info you get.

You're very welcome and I will do just that-he may call again in the next couple days and I will post again if he does.

Bonnie

Similar conditions in Dayton

he is "getting some type of white bumps" on him--
Bonnie

I am not a medical doctor but the bumps may be LICHEN PLANUS which can be associated with hepatitus C. He should definitely have it checked as soon as he can but it may not be an especially bad sign.
There is plenty on the web re hepatitus c (use google).
Good luck

I know that you all are talking about a federal prison, but I wanted to let you know that this is going on at Plane State Jail also. Although, these ladies are NOT allowed air conditioning NOR fans of any type. They were on lockdown for about 10 days and had an additional group of ladies moved in with them from Henley. Btw, these ladies slept on the floor. There has been no water.......they have had to use 2 porta potties put outside...........no showers for over a week..............no medicine dispensed............walls have been sweating even before Rita.....they try to strip and lay on floor to try to get cool but since it is so crowded, they haven't been able to.......o, food has been.....a corn tortilla with a cold weiner in it with a squirt of mustard.........that's it......disgusting.....our tax dollars are paying for this......guards moved into the contact visitors area and they are the ones who ate the food that FEMA delivered....at least this unit didn't get it......I think that if these ladies thought that they would have air conditioning when they got electricity, they would have been o.k.............this is in Dayton, Texas.....south Texas also. They also were told that they were going to evuacate and waited until the last minute and then couldn't.......I am so very disgusted with everyone connected with the Texas prison system, both state and Federal; from the president down to the guard.....no one wants to do anything except what is convenient for them at the time......this is my first experience with any prison system and it has been a real eye opener...........I can't stand to see anyone or anything abused and these people are from the moment that they are put behind bars......I have contacted everyone that I can think of and they always say that they will investigate and get back with me.....right?????? I contacted a Houston paper and they went to try to have a look around and were made to leave as they entered the property (last week). The prisons have too much power if they can do that........can someone tell me if I need to post this elsewhere..............I get so confused about what forums to post in and all that.........I can attribute this confusion to my 4 yr. gson whom my husband, papa, and I are raising and we are in our late 50s"......not spring chickens....ha wifeynana

My brother was moved from Leavenworth last week to make room for inmates from Beaumont, so apparently they have now been moved. The good news is he was moved to Hazelton WV just three hours away. Atalie

If anyone is interested there is an update to this listing ...........the heading is listed under the following;
FCI BEAUMONT (Medium) EVACUATED due to toxic water after Rita! Heard from my son

THERE HAS TO BE SOMEONE OUT THERE THAT WILL LISTEN! THESE GUYS CANNOT KEEP GOING ON WITHOUT MORE FOOD AND WATER! It sounds like the other prisons are the same as the medium facility. My son did say brown water was coming out of their faucets and he didnt take a shower once it turned brown. HOW CAN THE GOVT JUST LEAVE INMATES IN THERE? I have not received his letter either that he sent from Beaumont and it has been over a week now.

I am going to list a few of the places I emailed and called ...............

clay.robison@ chron.com --- reporter for the Houston Chronicle
james_christoferson@hutchison.senate.gov,
rickperry@rickperry.org,
vice_president@whitehouse.gov,

cdcinfo@cdc.gov THIS IS THE CENTER FOR INFECTIOUS DISEASES. Check out their website also ... there is a phone number to call.

Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison’s office:
202-224-1689
9/27 … 310pm --talked to tom stapleton …he will check into the problem and call me back. HE NEVER CALLED BACK AND COULD NOT GET AHOLD OF HIM AGAIN

rickperry@rickperry.org


CONSTITUENT SERVICES – 512-463-2000 PERRYS OFFICE

STATE EMERGENCY OFFICE … 512 424 2208

FEDERAL PRISONS …. DALLAS REGIONAL OFFICE…. 214 224 3389

THERE IS ALSO A HOTLINE FOR FEMA BUT I DONT HAVE THE NUMBER RIGHT NOW.

Please keep me posted and I will continue to help .....
Marla

Talked to my son Tuesday and he said they've gotten a bunch of guys from Beaumont. This is a new place and is really laid back, so hope your son is there!
Becky

My son is out of Beaumont. He is in Leavenworth ... It is still under semi-lockdown until the USP fellows are moved out. I did hear from him on Tuesday. I'm still worried about all the other guys at Beaumont. Still sounds horrible.

My daughter's at Carswell (Ft. Worth). She had heard some of these rumors and called in absolute panic. I wished I knew more of what was going on, but I didn't think to look here.

Thanks for the info. (Of course Ft. Worth is quite a ways off from Beaumont.)

This is a rediculous situation. There must be something that can be done. There are enough of us on here that we should be able to get something accomplished and get changes to occur. As far as I know there are several jails that are going through this. Is there something that all of us can do as a group to maybe get something accomplished. Anyone have any ideas??

My husband is at FPC Beaumont, and conditions were similar for awhile.. he was sent to USP before the hurricane hit, he too watched as the hurricane pounded over the prison.. they stayed at USP for a few days, then returned back to camp, where they ate as much of the food as possible before it ruined from no power... they did get water up and running again though, haven't heard whether it is safe to drink or not, but they seem to be back to as "normal" as they possibly can be.. for a few days there, the staff was mentioning that no one scheduled to be released would be able to leave the facilities in the month of October.. this would include my hubby who is up for release on the 25th... but the next day they didn't know anymore.. one man was released to the halfway house in Houston on this past Thursday, so I'm guessing they are releasing after all??? who knows.. the bop never knows what they are doing, that's no surprise to me! -- his uncle is from the Medium in Beaumont, and as far as we know he was sent to Bennettsville, SC, but that's the last we've heard...

i think that we should all email the senators: here is john whitmire email address and his info to contact him :http://www.senate.state.tx.us/75r/senate/members/dist15/dist15.htm

My husband is in beaumont also but he is in state prison that wasnt evacuated but the others around him were.

We heard from someone at the U.S.P there in Beaumont and they said they do have power and A/C again but like some of the other places, they are bringing them water via bags and such. No ice or anything else like that. They are also not on lock down any longer. They did say that they have people from other prisons with them but I don't know any specifics as I wasn't the one that spoke to them or got to ask questions.

Thanks TX Yellow Rose for the good wishes but unfortunately he has not been moved !! Spoke to him on Thursday and he said he was HUNGRY!! Water is still running out of the taps but undrinkable as it is still running BROWN! He said he guessed they had to wait till the tank cleaned up or something like that. That really sucks to not to be able to even have clean water to drink! I asked about the food and he said not much better . He, unforunately, lost his commisary a few weeks before Rita so he needs store and was without a way to get any so I sent him money so he can get some better eats on Monday. Usually I ask him to NOT use store but there's no other way right now. I also looked up lichen planus as someone sugggested that may be what the white bumps were and he said they are somewhat better but I sent him info from the web on those as it sounds like that may be what they are and told him to get to medical and more money going out tomorrow so he can cover that! I am truly hoping that those can be successfully treated-I read what would help and as a Mom it is killin' me cause I can't send him something to help out-thts what Moms are for! DAMN HIM FOR BEIN IN PRISON AND DAMN PRISONS IN GENERAL!!
Hope to get my regular call on Monday and will update this if there is anything that's improved!!

Take care all!

Bonnie

I didnt find out if my husband was alive for two weeks. I called and called and everyone told me they had to have been evacuated. I knew better and I cant believe they could allow such mistreatment to happen. Im scared enough for him everyday and now I have to worry about the weather killing him. He is in Leavenworth now 1000 miles away from us and they cant even tell him when he can come home. I want to move to Kansas if hes gonna be there, but there are no gaurantees. I dont know what to do. Just going up there for a visit is as much as a months rent, but if I pack my two year old son up and move cross country to a state I know nothing about and no one then they could just be moving him again. Why cant they be alittle helpful to us women, mothers doing this all alone, trying to be there for their loved ones. THere is no compassion in the system from the outrageous phone bills, the cold gaurds that treat my son and I like low lifes, to the uncertainty of the safety of our loved ones; Im sick. Ive lost faith in justice. THe system has ruined me and torn my family apart.
Heather

Check out the living conditions at the Beaumont MEDIUM Federal Correctional Institute!!!
The facility was not evacuated.
The water is contaminated.
The toilets are not working properly because of the water pressure. The water is supposed to be shut off again. It was first turned back on last night.
The inmates were given “shit” bags and since the guards did not want to pick them up .. Some of them were tossed in the hallways. They have NOT disinfected the place. A lot of the guys have hepatitis and this is a major health problem … an epidemic could occur.
The temperatures are running in the 100 degree range with no air …. The walls and ceilings are dripping due to condensation …. Their sheets, towels, clothes pillows are soaked due to the high humidity ….. A very serious problem of black mold will show up any day now…. The moisture will stay in the building for months……..
The inmates have had a loaf of bread on Friday and Saturday ….. Fema brought a meal on Sunday and Monday and 1-2 bottles of water for each. They have not had showers since Thursday!!! Dehydration is setting in …… the nurses are worried ….. Some guys are already showing signs of weakening …. THEY ARE GOING TO START DROPPING ANYTIME!!!!!!!!!!


THESE GUYS NEED TO BE EVACUATED!!!!!!!!!! Just because they are serving time does not mean they need to be treated like animals. The humane society for animals would press charges against people if animals were treated this way!!!!!!!!!!!!!


I have contacted Gov. Perry’s office …… Kay Bailey Hutchinson’s office ….. But I don’t think I have been able to get through to anyone. I ALSO sent an email to VP CHENEY just for grins ....

If anyone hears anything new please let me know.
Marla

i KNOW SOMEONE THAT WAS IN BEAUMONT TX THEY ALL WHERE SENT TO DIFFERENT PRISONS HE IS IN KANASA NOW

My fiance's mother had a nice conversation with Taffy yesterday what a jerk..anyways the camp was evacuated as well, they want to send Wade to TDC in houston