When I was in school I learned about events like the Black Plague in history class. I never thought that such an event would happen in my life time. Then came the COVID-19 pandemic. It now dictates just about every aspect of life and pretty much all that is talked about on the news these days. One may think that an offender in prison wouldn’t be effected by COVID-19, but that’s the furtherest from the truth. Every day on the news I hear about more cases being reported and more people losing there life because of COVID-19. I continually worry about my family and friends, wondering if they are okay. There are 76 offenders on this floor alone with three phones and one kiosk in high demand. It’s hard to keep in touch with those on the outside. Visitation is currently suspended in the Virginia DOC, so we are unable to see our family and friends.
Even as offenders in prison, our lives have been changed dramatically during this COVID-19 pandemic. With 76 offenders in the pod, it’s impossible to practice social distancing in here. Our pod it pretty much the size of a high school hallway with tables in the middle. We have been given masks, but these came with a notice that the mask should not be used as a substitute for Personal Protection Equipment (PPE). This is not exactly what I want to hear. The masks that we have been given are not comfortable and I find hard to breath through. Yet I have to wear it every time I leave my cell.
I have asthma so contracting COVID-19 would be more serious than most. In addition, although my prostate cancer is currently in remission, I am still undergoing treatment. This treatment can weaken the immune system, which can make me more acceptable to contracting COVID-19. I feel like a sitting duck just waiting to get shot. I recent had to go to VCU Hospital for a checkup. I was taken in a van by myself. There was a separate van for State Farm Infirmity and State Farm Correctional Center. Yet when we arrived at the hospital all of us were put in the same room to wait for our appointments. This makes no sense. Of course I’ve always said that the Department of Correction should be called the Department of Confusion. The trip to the hospital is already uncomfortable being in handcuffs and shackles the whole time as well as the long wait. Now I have to worry about contracting COVID-19. I know there has been cases of CIVID-19 at three DOC facilities and at each of those facilities there has been a death because of it. I have to wonder how long it will be until a case of COVID-19 will be at StateFarm Enterprise Unit. It will be a correctional officer, staff, or someone in the administration who will carry the COVID-19 in.The officers don’t necessarily work in the same area each day and interact among each other during breaks. I’m afraid that once COVID-19 is here, it will spread rapidly and will be a death sentence for many of us. I was not sentenced to death.
State Farm Enterprise Unit has also taken the measures of keeping each floor separated. We are not going to the chow hall to eat, but rather being fed in our cell. Even during outside recreation it is done two floors at a time and each floor is on a separate yard. This is very hard on offenders because we can’t socialize with our friends on another floor.This is particularly hard on me . I am on the second floor and my partner Jimmy is on the third floor. I only get to see Jimmy briefly when he goes to pill call or if he transports trays to and from the kitchen. If Jimmy and I are really lucky we have outside recreation at the same time and can talk through the fence. Of course we can’t have any kind of intimate conversation like this. We even try to talk through the window if just one of us is outside, but it’s hard to hear each other. Jimmy has always been one to uplift and encourage me. I now don’t have that. Those days that I don’t get to see or talk to Jimmy I worry about him and wonder if he is alright. This causes me stress. Despite the fact that the floors are being kept separate as a precaution, the administration has been doing a mass movement of cell changes. Their logic is to get as many of the workers together in hopes of keeping Enterprise in operation. However, in doing this, it has made keeping the floors separated pointless because offenders have been moved from one floor to another. For the administration and those running Enterprise it’s all about the money that would be lost if Enterprise had to close, not about offender safety. They just want to apeal like they want to keep us safe from COVID-19. The other week an offender went to sick call because he didn’t feel well. He and his cellmate were put in isolation and the whole second floor was locked down for two days. We are already miserable due to the added restrictions, being locked in a cell all day makes it even worse. Plus it doesn’t do much good because everyone on the second floor has a cellmate and there aren’t even any glass in the cell doors so COVID-19 can still rapidly spread.
I have always found great comfort and encouragement in attending the Christian Service here on Sunday night. However all programs and religious services have been suspended until further notice. There is no library at this time so reading material is limited. This takes away an activity that will occupy an offenders mind, can be educational, and pass time. We don’t even have law library so offenders are having a hard time working on legal work.I’ve gotten tired of watching television and playing games on my player at this point. What makes things worse is that no one knows when this will end.
Recently the Governor of Virginia with the approval of the Legislators gave authorization to Harold Clark, the Director of the Department of Corrections, to release offenders with less than a year to serve to be released as long as they meet certain criteria. Once again the Department of Corrections has discriminated by excluding anyone with a Class I felony or a sex offense. Those with a sex offense that is considered a sexually violent predator predicate offense, making them eligible for civil commitment (another highly prejudicial practice) especially makes an offender ineligible for early release. My release date is on December 30, 2020, but I have the conviction of Carnal Knowledge which is considered for civil commitment. This conviction was from 20000 and I have had no convictions since 2000. Yet I am having to possibly face civil commitment and not eligible for early release. I find this to be very frustration and stressful. Even though I committed a crime 20 years ago I am still a human being and this exclusion makes me feel like I’m being told that my medical issues don’t matter, that my life doesn’t mater. There is an appeal process which I’m currently doing. I feel like I am having to fight for my freedom and my life. When I was sentenced I wasn’t given the death sentence or even life sentence. However, that is now what I’m possibly facing.
Despite these unpredictable times with the COVID-19 pandemic and all that I’m going through, each day I try to keep my head high. I try to keep a smile on my face and hope that it brightens someone’s day.I find joy in e-mailing jokes to my friends so they will smile and have happiness. These are trying times, but we must stand together and be strong. Even though we may be far apart right now we must stay closer. Together we will survive this. Just remember that I am here and that I am human.