PONTIAC PRISONER MURDERED!!

[InmateHelper]

:fb:

BELOW IS A LETTER I RECEIVED FROM A PRISONER AT PONTIAC CORRECTIONAL CENTER. PLEASE READ IT, AND IF YOU HAVE ANY SUGGESTIONS AS TO WHAT SHOULD BE DONE ABOUT IT, PLEASE REPLY.

LETHAL FORCE


On October 18, 2003, between 7-7:30 a.m., at Pontiac prison, 34-yeaer old Preston McDowell was extracted from inside his cell for allegedly holding his cellie hostage. Several staff sources and prison records reveal that, the evening before the morning of the 18th, Mr. McDowell made numerous request to prison guards for medical treatment for an unknown ailment, and was escorted to the prison hospital at least three times; and each time was returned to his cell house and locked in his cell.

It is believed that because Mr. McDowell may have been in some sort of serious pain; either physically, mentally, or emotionally, he possibly assured his 53-year old cellie, known as Mr. Johnson, that he was going to stage a hostage situation to draw attention to his immediate need for medical treatment. Pontiac prison hospital has a long standing record/practice of not providing its’ prisoners with adequate medical treatment.

Illinois Department of Correction protocol for physically removing any prisoner from inside his cell, during a perceived heated or hostile situation, is to call the Administratively titled “ORANGE CRUSH”, which is the prisons version of a S.O.R.T. (Special Operations and Response Team) group, who, when arriving, gives a prisoner a command to cuff up to be extracted from his cell, or be forcefully extracted if he refuses. The entire extraction process is video recorded for any further investigation or court proceedings.

However, October 18th was the day that cell house prison officials decided they would breach protocol, and perform the extraction themselves, without recording equipment. Lieutenant Dalbaugh; the Commanding Officer, instructed regular gallery officers/turn keys: Roberts (290 lbs.), Merquan (315 lbs.), Gilbert (210 lbs), Deal (145 lbs.) and Nodine (165 lbs.), all to perform the extraction on 140 lb Preston McDowell.

The extraction process began with three five-inch (5”) cans of CO2 gas, being sprayed inside the cell, directly on McDowell and Mr. Johnson. Subsequently, a large, eighteen-inch (18”) canister of CO2 gas was brought to the gallery to effectuate the extraction. CO2 is a chemical agent (not unlike other chemical agents used by the U.S. Military) and require specific knowledge of its’ use to effect a specific square footage of area. In this case, living areas where every prisoner was locked inside his cell and most likely asleep. Within seconds, the gas had spread throughout the entire cell house and 500 prisoners were gagging and coughing in distress from the unnecessary over-exposure to a chemical agent.

Moments later, Major Kennedy arrived at the cell house and ordered Dalbaugh and his officers to breach the cell and remove both prisoners. At that point, the CO2 gas had depleted any inclination of resistance from McDowell. Dalbaugh ordered McDowell’s cellie to step to the front of the cell to be removed first. As Mr. Johnson moved toward the front of the cell to comply with the order, the cell door quickly slid open and Mr. Johnson was brutally rushed to the back of the cell, slamming him against his cellie, McDowell, and the wall. Mr. Johnson had been used as a human shield and battering ram for the guards.

Mr. Johnson was immediately and violently jerked out of the cell as the rest of the prison guards rushed in kicking and beating McDowell about the head, face, shoulders, and chest with pairs of handcuffs. McDowell was then seen by m any prisoners being dragged out of his cell, down the gallery. It was later discovered that he was also dragged down three (3) flights of stairs. Minutes later, the siren of a Pontiac City Ambulance was heard, arriving directly at the doorstep of the cell house. Mr. McDowell was in such bad shape from the beating, that he was not taken to the prison hospital; a layman was able to determine that his wounds required treatment that the prison hospital was not equipped to provide. Moments thereafter, the Illinois State Police arrived at the cell house, and on the gallery where McDowell and Mr. Johnson lived, declaring their cell to be a crime scene. Several days later, Mr. McDowell was pronounced dead.

One of the most important things about this travesty is that Mr. McDowell was housed in a special housing unit, Protective Custody. Mc Dowell obviously had a legitimate medical concern and a reasonable expectation to medical treatment. His medical concern and expectation cost him his life.

During the week of the incident, Illinois Police set up offices inside the prison to proceed with its investigation. Some prisoners have came forward and provided information on what they heard or saw during the guard’s criminal act. Other “inmates/residents” have chosen to remain silent. And sadly, these guards may get away with MURDER! Sources have also revealed that prison guards are twisting the investigation to elude the fact that McDowell’s cellie, Mr. Johnson is responsible for his death. Mr. Johnson is 6 feet 2 inches (6’2”), one hundred and ten (110 lbs), (maybe 20) pounds, and couldn’t defend himself against an 8-year-old child, if his life depended upon it. For certain, he is an elderly brother. Mr. Johnson was immediately taken to the hospital for treatment for over-exposure to CO2 gas; he remained there for 2 weeks.

In an attempt to conceal their involvement in this violent act, guards broke into the officers clothing room to rid themselves of blood stained clothing, connecting them to the death of Mr. McDowell. What they did not count on was that one of their counter-parts would write an incident report on the break-in and theft, which through diligent convict investigation, I have managed to procure a copy of the written incident report. The report is also in the hands of the Illinois State Police, and possibly will be disclosed to D.E.N.I.S. staff for authenticity and possible disclosure to D.E.N.I.S. readers.

The violent act against Preston McDowell is more than just a criminal act; it is a civil rights violation, and needs to be investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI). Because there is a disparity in hiring majority white prison guards over African and Latino prison guards, prisoners are looked upon as human and are treated much less than human by command staff, at all Level One Prisons (Max Joints).

The following day after the brutal beating of Preston McDowell, each guard involved was placed back inside the cell house. No attention was given to the beating or even the violation of departmental protocol… no suspensions, no time off. Were it not for the Protective Custody, prisoners vehemently complaining of the callous disregard for what previously occurred, the guards would have remained inside the cell house with a tacitly established belief system that they could continue disrespecting prisoners as less than human…with impunity!

The death of Preston McDowell is getting little to no media coverage, and for the matter, many prisoners here at Pontiac believe that Preston McDowell’s family may not even be aware of how the investigation is being handled. Preston McDowell is but one of the many violent acts, and/or deaths visited upon prisoners by prison guards. So, I urge anyone who may know Preston McDowell’s family that it would be prudent to contact them and let them know the position they should be taking, regarding this matter. One or all the guards involved should be charged with murder and accountability to murder.

Concerned Prisoner – Pontiac C.C.

[InmateHelper]

I'm really surprised that, to date, there were 116 views of this posting, and not one reply.

Since posting this information, I have found attorneys and others who are interested in justice. An investigation into the matter has lead to some explosive information.

1. Preston McDowell wrote a letter to his sister a few days before his murder, telling her that the guards had put a hit out on him.

2. Another prisoner called his mother the next day and told her about Mr. McDowell's murder. She is in the habit of taping their conversations for her son's protection. Therefore, there is a tape to prove that the guards murdered him.

3. The cellmate wrote Chicago Tribune and told what happened, denying having anything to do with his murder.

4. It has also been discovered that Mr. McDowell had previously sued this institution for the same reason: Being beaten by guards. He was given $500 for his trouble.

5. The Chicago Tribune, Peoria Journal Star and Rockford Register Star, all have published articles about this man's murder.

We are still in the investigatory phase, but it is ABSOLUTELY CLEAR that the guards murdered this man.

I can't understand people not caring enough to at least make a comment. Almost everyone on this site has a loved one who is incarcerated. THIS COULD HAVE HAPPENED TO YOUR LOVED ONE!

INMATEHELPERissed:

[Rostonhall]

I've have read this and I'm horrified but something is puzzling me greatly. Am I missing something really important here?

How can a spray can of CO2 be so harmful? CO2 is exhaled by us is great quantities every day with no harmful effects. Yes, if there is only CO2 present then we will die but I can't for the life of me see how cans of CO2 can be so harmful and even affect others in cells away from where the cans are being sprayed. CO2 is present all around and a concentration, as in a can, surely can only make us sleepy. Even in a closed environment there would have to be no oxygen present at all for it to have any effects, and even then the first thing to happen would be everyone would fall asleep.

If CO2 is being used anywhere I fail to see that it can be life threatening. I'm sure if I'm wrong someone will tell me but for it to be threatening or a killer the area it is sprayed it would surely have to be sealed completely so no 'fresh' air could get in. If it spread to the whole cell house then it's affects would have been watered down, and I can't see how anyone would even know of it's existence as it is exhaled by all animal life forms and a contentration of it would only make people feel sleepy. They certainly wouldn't react in any other way and probably wouldn't even know the concentrations were higher than normal.



Rose

[ridehardlivfree]

Prisoner's death raises questions
November 13, 2003
http://www.pjstar.com/news/luciano/b1aa7e8m033.html


Inmate's death being investigated
By Sheila Shelton/Staff Reporter
http://www.pontiacdailyleader.com/ar...news/news3.txt

PONTIAC - The state is investigating whether guards at Pontiac Correctional Center severely beat an inmate last weekend, the Journal Star has learned
http://www.sexcriminals.com/news-arc...nfo-16020.html

Sounds like another Kenneth Trentadue.

[ridehardlivfree]

At very high levels, 30,000 ppm and above, CO2 can cause asphyxiation as it replaces oxygen in our blood. Other health effects at high levels (> 30,000 ppm) include: headache, loss of judgment, dizziness, drowsiness, and rapid breathing. It is rare to experience this level of CO2 in residential and office environments.

[Rostonhall]

I realize it can kill otherwise people wouldn't die when oxygen is depleted from the air, as in an airtight room for example. But sprayed in a draughty prison environment I still can't see how many cells away people would be feeling the effects.

Don't get me wrong, I think what has happened needs explaining in exactly the same way as the death in Menard on Christmas Day should be, but I still fail to see how CO2 sprays can have such a devastating effect.

Rose.

[ridehardlivfree]

I'm with you RH, I hope the McDowell family seeks and demands the full truth.

As far as the co2 goes, it's 50% heavier than air so it settles to the floor. The floor is where these two inmates first went. I'm certain that Mr. McDowell was full of adrenalin and taking some deep breaths as these thugs held him down. With each breath he took i'm sure he got a full hit of the gas. During some of these breaths he may have been in such a compromised position that exhaling and receiving a needed breath of fresh air was impossible.

Carbon dioxide makes acid in the presence of moisture, and since there is moisture everywhere, it is considered an acid in the gaseous form. The lungs are full of moister and with McDowell taking direct hits of the gas the acid would quickly begin to injure his lungs. Not to mention his eyes, throat and skin in general.

Being heavier than air the co2 would follow the floor and disperse as it traveled and elevated in height.

The bottom line in all of this is that it is totally unnecessary to storm a cell in that manner. As we have all seen before, the DOC is busy with it's cover-up.

[Rostonhall]

Thanks for explaining to me, now it all makes sense.

[Patty]

http://www.rrstar.com/localnews/your...106-5842.shtml

Preston McDowell's story was in our local paper this week. My heart goes out to the family. We live in scary times, not nearly as frightening as our incarcerated loved ones.

Patty

[Dougsgirl]

my husband is there and they were talking to every inmate to see if they knew anything. I was shocked to hear something like that because that really scares me! It all happened before he was moved there though!
mande

[StacysWar030]

OMG what a terrible tragedy. Myprayers are with this man's family. I pray justice is served in this matter and quickly b4 more lives are taken!!

Stacy

[InmateHelper]

The three cans (2-5oz and 1-18oz) of CO2 was sprayed in the small 8x10 cell. This all happened on 6 Gallery. The cellmate, an elderly man stayed in the hospital for two weeks, and is now having breathing problems. Another prisoner wrote me and said that once they beat him and took him to 1 Gallery, they sprayed the mace in his mouth.

InmateHelper

[TheManBeast]

Well I have been incarcerated in Pontiac and it is by far THE WORST PRISON IN ILLINOIS
the guards are just as bad as some of the inmates in there the staff dont care whatsoever about anyones well being my prayers go out to the family and i hope it will be dealt with but from past experience of the place it probably wont

[brobins]

i read about mr mcdowell death after my son was killed by his cellmate in western illinois in 3/2004 when i wrote the governor i sent him the article about the 4 inmates who died within 8 mos in illinois prisons i will keep sending letters to the governor they will assemble in january 2005 i hope the parents or family of mr mcdowell are doing something to get justice done for him and others in illinois prisons because no one cares and this has to stop start writing letters now the family has my prays

[Roger's Girl]

Please look at the start date of this thread. There has been no recent news of an inmate being hurt at Pontiac.

If you would like to continue this discussion please start another thread.