The Coalition for Truth and Justice

"I shall ask for the abolition of the punishment of death until I have the infallibility of human judgment demonstrated to me".

Thomas Jefferson – President of the United States 1801-1809

 

« Si tu n’espères pas l’inespéré, tu ne le trouveras pas »  Héraclite 

 

THE PERSISTENT ILLUMINATION OF THE CELL  TO DEPRIVE A PERSON OF SLEEP IS A TORTURE TECHNIQUE AND NOT AN ISSUE TO SECURITY.

 

 

 

Diurnal creates though they be, humans crave periods of darkness just as surely as they crave periods of light.  A quote from a prudent judge : District Judge Bennett, N.D. Iowa.

 

It has been known since 1500 at least that deprivation of sleepis the most effective torture and certain to produce any confession desired. Quoting from : Report of Committee on Lawless Enforcement of Law, Section of Criminal Law and Criminology of the American Bar Association, 1 American Journal of Police Science 575, 579-80  (1930).

 

On June 8^th 2009, specialist appeared o Good Morning America and discussed the issue of sleep.  They stated that sleeping in the darkness is a basic human need, because the body restores itself.

 

Sleeping with the lights on is a technique that deprive the individual of sleep.  Thereby causing diabetes.  The University of Chicago Medical Center as linked deprivation to this disease, and heart failure.  Medical Research also illustrates that humans need 8 hours of sleep each day.

 

Prisoners of war are experiencing this torture technique at Guantanamo Bay.  The constant illumination of one’s cell infringes upon the relevant laws, which include international human rights treaties, the Fifth and Eight Amendment cruel and unusual punishment.

 

Right here in Pennsylvania, this sleep deprivation technique is now in effect against Capital cases.  This punitive measure that was enacted under Policy *ADM 6.5.1. on Sept, 2001, and applied only to non-compliant general population prisoners that were/are moved to the holes; are now implemented to a Compliant Misconduct Free Capital case segregated population.  This took effect on May 14^th 2009, 8 years later.

 

This horrific torture policy was/is designed to deter non-compliant general population prisoners from committing infractions against the institution.  Likewise, for Capital cases.  This modification behavioral technique is only employed in a control punitive segregate punitive environment, known as the hole.  Capital cases go to the hole also. The prisoners that are placed in the hole are : disciplinary custody and administrative custody, subjects.  They are permitted to escape the illumination cell technique by modifying their decorum, and released back into general population  Capital cases could escape this once upon a time, now that their cell lights remain on the C.C.U. they are in a quagmire plight.

 

Capital cases had no escape clause, so they were exempt in 2001 and given policy *ADM 6.5.8. which gave those general population privileges like jobs, 2 hour yard, day-room which was never given, and contact visits that were never given.  This policy made it clear tht C.C.U. is separated from all Level-5 disciplinary segregated blocks.

 

The State of Pennsylvania disguises this torture technique as a matter of security.  This falls short, because there isn’t one guard patrolling the block every minute of the day or night. No guard is in front of the cell 24 hours a day to watch.  So why are the lights on ? Torture !   each cell has a window that is 5 feet long and 3 feet wide, that sits in the center, so the daylight overshadow the night light.  They have night lights outside the cell that illuminates the filed and shines bright in the cell.

 

Now they have the night cell light, which consists of a florescent elongated 5 watt bulb (30 lumens) made by Sylvania, which measures 4.2 in., that shines via quarter inch acrylic prismatic lens and disperses the light evenly.  The entire fixture is 4 feet long, thus filling the cell with light.  The paint on the walls consist of a high gloss finish, which contributes  to an amplifying effect with illumination potency.  Therefore, the 5 watt consumption have the effect of a 20 watt incandescent bulb.

 

These bulbs are specifically designed to damage the eyes and cause cancer over a long period of time.  Therefore, the Penal logical interest to constantly have the lights on  in a common, scheme, plan and designed to rob an individual of his mental and physical capacity.

 

The logical rationale, as to why the lights are not on in general population is because it’s not a locked down and cuffed behind the back environment.  Therefore, they can not control a prisoner in general populations if he decides to go postal on the guards for leaving this lights on.  The 24 hour light technique is a designed punishment policy.

 

There isn’t a human-being on Earth that does not sleep in the dark.

 

Sleeping in the dark is a propensity, which is a basic human need.  Capital cases will forever be left with sleepless days and nights if no one will come to their aid.  The only wayto escape this torture policy is to help them bring awareness to this matter, and get the lights off.

 

Contact the following via: fax, e-mail, phone, or letter

 

Laura Moye

Director of the Amnesty International USA Program to Abolish the
Death Penalty

lmoye@aiusa.org

 

Phyllis Pautrat, who is a longtime AIUSA member with a long career in anti-DP efforts in Pennsylvania---

Her email is:  ppautrat@comcast.net

 

Amnesty International USA

Sue Vaughn, Jessica Cohn

600 Pennsylvania Ave, SE

Fifth floor

Washington, DC 20003

Svaugh aiusa org

 

Send them a copy of this document and request them to get the media involved

 

 

Center for Constitutional Rights

666 Broadway, 7^th floor

New York, NY 10012

www.ccrjustice.org

 

Send them a copy of this document and request them to recruit a lawyer, like they done for Guantanamo Bay prisoners of war

On the page R.I.P. Reggie you will find his words to the media, to the family’s witnesses, to Sylvia, Myriam, and a few other persons he wanted to thank.