📞⚡ Monday 3/18 – Friday 3/22
Call anytime between: 9am – 5pm est / 6am – 2pm pst
Send reportbacks to: abolitionist-study@protonmail.com
or DM on twitter: @abolitionstudy
phone numbers are located after the reportback section below
Trigger warning: Mentions racist violence by guards at SCI Rockview
About
In November 2023, a group of guards hung two nooses in the office (bubble) at SCI Rockview – a location visible to roughly a hundred prisoners. Prisoners who witnessed the nooses have been outraged by this disturbing racist act, and have since demanded that these guards face consequences. In January we launched a two week phone zap campaign that forced PA-DOC main offices to contact the warden. While many Black prisoners remain tormented by this racist act, the guards responsible have enjoyed impunity, with officials in the facility even making attempts to silence anyone on the inside who speaks out. One captive comrade was actually transferred out of state because of their agitation around this issue, while another captive comrade’s grievances have been outright rejected by the administration.
We have little reason to believe an internal investigation will achieve what the prisoners have been demanding, which includes the following:
- Investigate the hanging of nooses as a “hate crime” and take their impact seriously
- Terminate Sgt. Mosser and c/o Richards
- Mandatory therapy for c/o Kirchner
SCI Rockview has seen 11 deaths (that we know of) in 2023 and a severe pattern of racist discriminatory practices. Please join us in calling PA-DOC offices and officials, to further expose this incident and amplify the demands of our captive comrades.
Script for Calling
I am calling on behalf of a community of people who are distressed by a recent incident of antiBlack harassment by a group of CO’s at SCI Rockview, who have faced no consequences for their racist actions. On 11/24/23, prisoners at SCI Rockview found two nooses made from extension cords hung by guards in the office (bubble). Two internal grievances have been submitted by prisoners who witnessed the incident, and prison officials have rejected both. We would like to make you aware that the facility admin has rejected both internal grievances, submitted by prisoners through the proper channels. The guards have faced no consequences. We have little reason to believe an internal investigation will achieve what the prisoners have been demanding, which includes the following:
- Investigate the hanging of nooses as a “hate crime” and take its impact seriously
- Terminate Sgt. Mosser and c/o Richards
- Mandatory therapy for c/o Kirchner
The hanging of two nooses is understood by many people imprisoned at SCI Rockview to be a hostile act and deeply offensive. Some are disclosing how these acts are part of a larger pattern of discriminatory practices used by correctional officers at this specific facility. If this was any other workplace, the act of hanging nooses would lead to severe consequences. The admin at SCi Rockview have not only displayed indifference to the racist act, but some even have made efforts to silence prisoners in distress by the incident. We urge PA-DOC officials to recognize the significance of the prisoner demands, which are derived from the exhausted grievances.
Updates
Calls began Monday morning, reports include:
-“called the pa doc for laurel harry and it went to voicemail, left a message with the script”
-“called a US attorney’s office #, but they said they’re federal and to instead call State attorney general 717-787-3391 (Harrisburg)”
-“I called PA-DOC Eastern: Morris Houser, Acting Deputy Secretary Eastern Region 717.728.4122 – a secretary picked up. i left a message with her and she forwarded me to Samuel Condo, Staff Assistant 717.728.4747 of PADOC eastern? I left a message with reading the script”
-“Ppl have contacted all PA-DOC main offices this morning now. We could use a few more ppl tapping in. All of them went to voicemail or secretary seny us to Samuel Condo’s voicemail (who won’t pick up). Kept emphasizing how we have no faith in the internal investigation process.”
– From our collective: “Most calls Monday were directed at PADOC main offices. We are asking if people who are not directly connected to a person inside SCI Rockview can call the facility, ask for different extensions, & bug the shit out of the staff.”
– Tuesday 3/19: “E-mails have been sent from so-called Australia utilising the phone script as a template.”
– “After calling the Abuse Report Line for the incident at SCI rockview (717-728-2033) I got most of the way through the provided script when the person on the phone informed me that they were aware of the incident and it was being handled. I then inquired how it was being handled and she told me to call this number : 7177284025. No one answered this number and I left a voicemail instead, but I’m not exactly sure who it is going to and I didn’t see it as a number listed in the original post so just wanted to report back.”
A comrade who filed grievances was thrown in the hole Tuesday night around 11pm. We learned he may be moved soon. This is the second person to be placed in the hole (solitary) as retaliation for our phone zaps. The first time this happened a comrade was abruptly moved out of state. We received official notice that SCI Rockview has been specifically monitoring this comrade’s every call, virtual visit, and email. His charge right now is “encouraging (inciting) group activity.” They are trying to make an example of him for bringing attention to not only the “noose incident,” but also the ELEVEN PREVENTABLE DEATHS (deemed accidents) which occurred last year at SCI Rockview.
SCI Rockview is attempting to disrupt the cohesion of inside organizing by removing people who they think are its catalyst. They are simultaneously trying to force our energy as outside support into individually supporting comrades as they are isolated and targeted for reprisal.
The struggle from here now takes two lines… On the one hand we have defensive work: making sure the comrades who are singled out and face accelerated repression are materially supported and the prison knows we have all eyes on the unfolding situation. And on the other hand we also have offensive work: adjusting strategy to force PADOC to not only recognize the prisoner demands but to fulfill the requested terms of relief from which such demands emerge.
– A comrade on Wednesday 3/21 called in for the phone zap and reports that he had a 15 minute convo w/ superintendent assistant at SCI Rockview -a Lt. Paul. Here is a reportback:
We caught them lying on several accounts: including denying that they have put anyone in the hole (solitary) in retaliation for organizing to get 2 guards fired and for 1 to do mandatory therapy. We know for a fact that at 11pm last night, a second comrade was thrown in the hole. They said they did an internal investigation, and found no evidence to substantiate the claims made in the Centre Daily article. While this is also a lie, the Centre Daily also did not cite any of the official prisoner grievances but only state-filtered testimony. One telling quote from our comrade’s conversation is: “so basically y’all investigates yourselves and found you did nothing wrong,” and the Lt. Paul replied: “yes if that’s how you want to say it.” Paul also said the prison will not release any camera footage of the incident. We let them know that this is a big sign that they are trying to cover things up. We want to see the video, we want to see an outside investigation conducted. Cops investigating cops leads to outcomes favorable to cops. And in response to us calling this out, the Lt. Assistant began using doublespeak: saying correctional officers are “not technically law enforcement,” even tho they work in a prison & operate w/ same level of impunity.
– Thursday 3/21: “Called Condo. He wasn’t in so I left a message. Said I was a FI centre county resident who is concerned about the issue (racist intimidating actions by COs to incarcerated folks). I told him that if I was there, I’d be terrified of the COs as they already have so much control over Incarcerated folks lives. And that I hope he or someone at Rockview will do something about this incident because the only actions taken so far have been reprisals against the incarcerated folks who are just trying to organize around this issue for their own safety. I told him to expect more calls and emails until action is taken around this.”
We’re asking everyone to help us flood the phone lines of PA-DOC to demand that Charles Gilyard (# AY3679) be released from the hole at SCI Rockview. Charles has been thrown in the hole as retaliation for demanding a group of guards who hung nooses in the facility be made to face consequences for their actions. This is the second comrade to be thrown in the hole for speaking out about this situation, following our phone zaps. Charles is one of several prisoners who have spoken out about this issue, but his persistence has resulted in retaliation.
– When calling the staff at Rockview, they will likely lie to you and say he is not in the hole, and they will deny the threat of transfer. When calling other PADOC offices tell them that Rockview staff have been lying to us on a number of accounts.
– Apparently the person our comrade caught in lies on the phone on 3/20 was the same officer who rejected the Charles’ grievance back in February, Nicki Paul. In the call she says she is the Superintendent’s Assistant but she is also the “grievance coordinator officer”? This is a conflict of interest. How can you be the Lt.’s assistant and be the person holding guards accountable? They do this shit all the time. The grievance coordinator should be a third party with no conflict of interest.
As of 3/21 – 9pm:
We are still trying to figure out what is going on inside SCI Rockview. Because the prison cut off all our communication with everyone yesterday and we suspect they are blocking outgoing emails. We do know that Charles is in Restrictive housing ~ “G Block.” But when we call in, the officers keep denying that anyone was put in the hole as retaliation. That’s b.s. because this is the second person put in the hole as reprisal for speaking out about the noose incident.
When calling the SCI Rockview facility itself, you can request to speak with the admin or security. If you choose to speak with admin, here are their specs: Superintendent is Bobbi Jo Salamon; Deputy Superintendent of Central Services is Mike Rowe; Deputy Superintendent of Facilities is Scott Woodring; Business Manager is Adam Beck; Superintendent’s Assistant is Nicki Paul (Nicki is also the grievance coordinator – and a big liar!). When you call the prison directly, ask to speak with any of these admin.
Phone Contacts
[use a *67 pre-fix to block your caller ID]
SCI Rockview Main Phone Line:
814.355.4874
Central Office Main Phone Line:
717.728.2573
Abuse Report 24/7 Voicemail Center:
1.800.677.0330
PA-DOC Admin:
Laurel Harry, Secretary of Corrections
717.728.4109
Randee Brant, Chief of Staff
717.728.4107
David Radziewicz, Special Assistant
717.728.4117
Deanna Washington, Executive Secretary,
Deputy Secretary’s Office
717.728.4122
Tim Holmes, Chief Counsel
717.728.7763
PA-DOC Eastern:
Morris Houser, Acting Deputy Secretary Eastern Region
717.728.4122 / 4123
Marilyn Richards, Staff Assistant
717.728.4114
Samuel Condo, Staff Assistant
717.728.4747
Capt. Bly, Inspection Captain
717.728.4126 (number was disconnected)
Emails can be sent to:
General inmate-related issues, send emails to:
ra-contactdoc@pa.gov
Email the DOC Secretary at
ra-crpadocsecretary@pa.gov
PA-DOC Contact Form:
https://py-forms-prod.powerappsportals.us/DOCContactUs/
Press Release – March 13, 2024
Re: Correctional Officers Hang Nooses and SCI Rockview Does Nothing
Bellefonte, Pa. – On November 24, 2023, prisoners at SCI Rockview found two nooses hanging in the CO’s office, displayed visibly for prisoners to see. When the prisoners asked the staff why the nooses were hanging there, they were told it was a joke. By December 4, pris- oners filed a grievance to document what they saw, noting that the hanging of the nooses was “unethical, racially motivated, hateful, [a] deliberate debasement of black inmates” and “unsafe for inmates, staff, [and] the whole prison in general.” (For perspective: Rockview’s pris- oner population is 45% black.) In the grievance, they demanded that Sgt. Mosser and CO Richards be fired and investigated for a hate crime, and for CO Kirchner to get therapy. Cap- tain Andrews, the head of security, denied the grievance over two months later by February 5, 2024 under the guise that it was “being investigated”. However, the sergeant and Cos are still working in the prison to this day, with no repercussions except getting moved to another block.
As of March 10, prisoners have reached out to Pennsylvania officials at the Dept. of Corrections in a letter campaign, sending copies of the grievance. Activists on the outside are joining forces with prisoners to elevate their demands, which continue to be dismissed by the administration at Rockview.
In any other workplace, hanging a noose would be grounds for immediate termination. However, the staff and administration at SCI Rockview continue to dodge public accountability. In fact, the prison has a history of fostering systemic racism, like in 2013 when admin blocked a Muslim prisoner from wearing religious garb. Kerry X. Marshall, then incarcerated at SCI Rockview, sued and six years later the courts determined that the prison had violated his religious freedom.
This incident is coming at a time when in 2023, 11 prisoners died in custody. Seven people died amid an outbreak of legionnaires disease, and four people died while in the RHU (punitive solitary units with very little public oversight). Unfortunately, there is a well-known pattern of premature death at SCI Rockview. Most well known is an incident in 2012, when COs killed the prisoner John Carter during a “cell extraction” while he was in the RHU, in what other prisoners described as “turning his cell into a gas chamber” using ‘non-lethal’ weapon OC pepper spray. Carter’s family never received justice for what the prison did to him, and PA DOC never acknowledged or reprimanded the guards who killed him.
In short, prisoner demands to investigate the hanging of nooses as a hate crime, terminate Sgt. Mosser and CO Richards, and mandatory therapy for CO Kirchner, need be taken seriously.
Dreaming Freedom, Practicing Abolition 