Prisoners at David Wade Correctional facility went on hunger strike to protest conditions, alleged

[TexasTowelie]

Prisoners at David Wade Correctional facility went on hunger strike to protest conditions, alleged overuse of restrictive housing


Several prisoners last week took part in a hunger strike at David Wade Correctional Center, a state prison in Claiborne Parish, Louisiana, where they say they have been held in restrictive housing for nearly two years — locked in their cells for over 23 hours a day, let out only to shower. During that time, they say that they have been mentally and physically abused, had their personal property taken and destroyed, been denied video visitation with their attorneys, and had no opportunity to participate in educational or recreational programming.

In a response to questions from The Lens, a spokesperson for the Department of Public Safety and Corrections, Ken Pastorick, said that 15 prisoners who had been transferred to David Wade from another prison, Elayn Hunt Correctional Center, following disciplinary infractions, stopped taking meals a week earlier. Eleven of them continued on the hunger strike through the weekend. One prisoner, Kermit Parker, remained on strike through Thursday.

Parker’s wife, Marsha Parker, said in an interview that she had been told by prison officials that he had been placed on suicide watch in response to his refusal to eat.

In letters obtained by The Lens, many of the prisoners who went on hunger strike said they were told they would only stay 90 days at David Wade. Instead, they remained there, in restrictive housing, for months longer than they anticipated.

Read more: https://thelensnola.org/2021/07/23/prisoners-at-david-wade-correctional-facility-went-on-hunger-strike-to-protest-conditions-alleged-overuse-of-restrictive-housing/