From Ellis Unit to Terrell Unit

Since being transferred here on 03-03-2000 the difference between the two Units are as profound as night and day. We are treated as inmates who are in administeritive segregation and justification for this treatment is yet to be found.

Conditions:

1. We are housed in cells that prevent us from being attended to or addressed by Security Personel, or the Medical Department upon request. Here the guards intentionally denei and delay any access to medical or ranking personel. This is amplified by the fact that if you are ill today or have a minor headach requiring tylend - you must compleite a form - today. They will be picked up tomorrow, and you may be seen next week after 7 or 8 days.

2. When living the cell we are forced to get on our knees with arms streched backward, palms up, body leaning forward. Once you´ve got your wrists through the slot outside the door - Depending on who´s hand cuffing you, the effort has to be great to accomplish this feat, and the pain thats endured is deplorable. Some officers will jeek, pull, and even twist the wrist as if testing their stremth. Several inmates has gotten stuck in the food slot when the automatic door began to open because the officer´s assume that you can get up, pull your cuffed wrists from the slot quickly in one motion.

3. One hour is allowed for time outside the cell which is supposed to be recreation time, the rec. area is extremly small and has the designed effect to cause you to see no difference between the rec. area and the cell, and the desired effect ist many inmates not wanting to recreate at all.

4. We do not have access to barbers regularly, so trying to maintain adequate grooming pratices is a constant struggle, yet an inmate can be forced to shave by threat of removal of current status - to a status that would make you not want a hair cut or shave period. Ever.

5. There are no religions services, activities, or anything planned for the Death Row inmates, that could in some way promote some form of mental stability.

These are brief discriptions of certain conditions we are forced to live under, however: the psychological effects can, and have been awesome in the way that these same conditions that are supposed to be for punitive segregation, short term punishment meant to control and cause the inmate to conform for rule etc. The result is permanant housing in these conditions for the Death Row inmates, thus making the conditiions intentional. Beavior becomes worse, and living under extreme repressive conditions, one is easily provoked and basicly forced to become less likely to conform to prison rules. The honorable William Wayne Justice Senior United States District Judge stated, "Those inmates locked away in administrative segregation, especially those with mental illnesses, are subjected to the extreme defrivations and daily psychological harm. Such practices and conditions cannot stand in our society under our constitution." That was March 1st 1999, since then, things have gotten worse. Morales desparately low, and without some kind of social interaction, the result could be destructive for all involved. The prison administration has an obligation to punish, it may not do so in a manner that threatens the physical and mental health of prisoners - including Death Row. Young, 960 F.2d at 364 (legally). Living conditions for Death Row inmates on the Charles Terrell Unit are inhumane and in violation of the 8th amendment of the U.S. Constitutional. Your help is desparately needed, and so I ask: Will you help us in any way you can, any consideration will be greatly appreciated. I am eagerly awaiting your response and untill than may God bless you.

Respectfully yours

Charles Nealy