27 Years in Solitary Confinement, Then Another Plea for Help in Texas

[WhiskeyGrinder]

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/14/us/supreme-court-solitary-confinement.html

WASHINGTON — Dennis Hope has spent 27 years in solitary confinement in a Texas prison, in a cell that is 9 feet long and 6 feet wide — smaller than a compact parking space.

(snip)

His only human contact is with the guards who strip-search and handcuff him before taking him to another enclosure to exercise, alone. He has had one personal phone call since 1994, when his mother died in 2013. He suffers from depression and paranoia and fears he is going insane.

Last month, Mr. Hope asked the Supreme Court to consider whether such prolonged isolation can violate the Eighth Amendment, which bars cruel and unusual punishments.

Prison officials in Texas do not seem concerned about Mr. Hope’s lawsuit. Last week, they told the Supreme Court that they waived their right to respond to his petition seeking review in his case, Hope v. Harris, No. 21-1065. In their appeals court brief, the officials wrote that “Hope has no plausible Eighth Amendment claim.”

[Chainfire]

1. Of course it is cruel and unusual

But that is OK in the Texas legal and political system. That is the kind of country the right wants for us all.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

2. More than the right. Eric Adams is a fan of solitary.

[Lucky Luciano]

3. The Jan 6 creatures need this imposed on them.

[Chainfire]

4. Solitary confinement is torture.

I don't wish that on my enemies. Torture is as demeaning to the giver as the receiver. I want no part of it.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

6. People shouldn't torture anyone.

[Archae]

5. Why is he in solitary?

I can't read the article, ad-blocker.

And I don't trust ANY ads in the NY Times' web site since the time they tried putting malware in my computer.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

7. Because the Texas prison system likes to put people in solitary, and for long periods of time.

He was in prison in the first place for several armed robberies. He escaped prison, stole a car and did some more robberies, and was put in solitary more than 20 years ago.

[Archae]

10. Something more specific.

Like what rules is he accused of breaking?

Your "answer" is just an accusation.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

11. Not sure what more I can tell you. Where's the accusation?

[Archae]

14. You're implying Texas puts people in solitary on a whim.

While the time in solitary was too long, his crimes were serious enough for the initial jailing in solitary.

The guy is not some "Political/innocent," he's a thug.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

17. Oh, it's not a whim at all. They like to put people in solitary for long, long terms. They lead the

nation in doing so, so it's clear they've put a lot of thought into it.

The guy is not some "Political/innocent," he's a thug.

None of which is something I've asserted, all though all prisoners are certainly subject to the political system they live in. No matter who he is, torture should not be on the table.

[brooklynite]

12. Answer: prison escape

Mr. Hope was sentenced to 80 years in 1990 for a series of armed robberies and landed in solitary after he escaped from prison in 1994. He eluded capture for about two months, during which he stole a car at knife point from an 83-year-old man and robbed four grocery stores.

[Archae]

13. Ah, thanks.

While his crimes I don't think deserve 27 years in solitary, he did deserve at least some time for what he did.

[Catherine Vincent]

8. Law and Order-SVU

There was an episode that focused on this topic. A prisoner was in solitary confinement for years and he was finally released. He attempted to kill a cop and was sent back to solitary confinement.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

9. What was the takeaway from that episode?

[Catherine Vincent]

16. The detective (Stabler) he tried to kill

...went to the prison to find out how he would react if he were in sc. He knew the guard. They agreed he should be there for the weekend. When the guard got him out, he was upset wanting to fight and thought he was in there for a week or so. He was actually starting to go crazy or insane.

Stabler talked to the prosecutor and persuaded her to release the prisoner into regular population.

It was a good episode.

[Torchlight]

15. I'm saddened to think there are a lot of people

who are secretly cheering this type of treatment on.

More and more, I believe we're socially devolving in this area of justice, and are more interested seeing prison applied as a method of vengeance or revenge instead of its intended usage by modern western jurisprudence- incapacitation, deterrence and rehabilitation.

[Brainfodder]

18. They could mention WHY he is there, like in the first paragraph?

I do see that: THROW AWAY THE KEY on people line a lot on D.U. and here ya go!?!

[Solly Mack]

19. K&R