Stop Abu Ghraib like Abuse, Medical Neglect, Torture, and Battery in US Prisons and Jails

It is so important to act and not just talk. We live in a totalitarian police state because people have NOT spoken up and acted. Are you willing to help me write a white paper saying what is wrong with the prison system and what we think should be done?

I know of the lawsuit by Everett Hadix against the Michigan prison system for extreme systemic medical neglect and abuse causing for example the death of TH from dehydration while in restraints, or of another prisoner for failure to provide thyroid medication, and others from medical neglect, torture, and abuse. We have a similar situation in Illinois but no indictments yet. Read the US Atty report - http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/iln/pr/chicago/2008/pr0717_01a.pdf.

There is also the gross case of death by ammonia inhalant of a Florida teen in a boot camp where the guards and nurse forced an ammonia inhalant on this prisoner because he wasn't running fast enough. He went into laryngospasm and died. The nurse and guards were tried for murder and acquitted!! But by the grace of God go I !!!

I have been wrongfully incarcerated, suffered asthma attacks and ammonia inhalants forced on me until I passed out in laryngospasm because they said I was "faking" and "malingering" and they had to "deal with my dramatics"!! I thought I was going to die several times.

I also was tied down and illegally shot up with psychotropic drugs to shut me up so I wouldn't ask for grievance forms, paper and pen to access the courts, or tell other prisoners their writes. This is while I was severely dehydrated on a dry hunger strike and despite the fact I go into very severe flashbacks from being tied down and suffocated in the past.

I have been viciously beaten by guards and black and blue all over in retaliation for my complaints or resisting a psychotropic drug, un-needed and given illegally. Again these illegal acts were done in retaliation for my complaints and civil rights activities!!

My goal is nothing short of congressional hearings on these topics. This is much worse than Abu Ghraib and is standard practice in US prisons and jails. It is so barbaric and cruel it makes me puke and I constantly suffer from PTSD. I cry and shake when even thinking about this stuff as I am doing now while writing this.

We need to raise a lot of funds so we can hire good attorneys to do class actions and lobby for congressional hearings. We need much more press attention. I have been trying to do this unsuccessfully. I am destitute now and fortunately have a relative who has taken me in.

We need an organization to fight this and a celebrity spokesman to help promote the cause.I would appreciate the guidance and assistance of this group in achieving these goals. Perhaps we can form a coalition with other mental health advocacy, disability advocacy, and prison reform groups, as well as with anti-torture groups.

Please contact me with ideas in this regard, tell me if you have the skills or resources to help, and if you are willing to volunteer in some regard.

Dr. Linda Lorincz Shelton