<% IssueDate = "09/16/02" IssueCategory = "Pen Points" %>

Pen Points A Brush with Officials of Death: Ron Rousseau Survives By David Forbush Assaulted in the evening by a lock attached to the end of a belt ("lock in a sock"), Ron's temporal artery was severed, and he received a concussion. It rained blood. His mattress, bedding and some of his clothes had to be thrown away. To close the wound required 11 stitches (3 of them deep). After his return from the hospital, he was finally placed in protective custody. However, he had to beg to receive Tylenol. No prescription pain killers were provided. He continues to suffer. Ron is an inmate who is being held by the Michigan Department of Corrections. It was Ron and the author of this report who initiated Triangle Foundation's Prison Outreach Project. Because of his involvement with the Project, we believe that he was singled out for extra abuse over and above what is inflicted on the other gay inmates. As a result and against his wishes, we have forced him out of the Project. It appeared that retaliation by prison officials would not end, and we were worried that he might not survive. Our concern had considerable merit. Ron Rousseau: Surviving abuse in Michigan's prison system Upon reaching the Saginaw Correctional Facility, he was incarcerated in the same cell with a predator. He filed a grievance and we complained. Jeffery Montgomery, executive director of Triangle called the prison and spoke with the Warden. Lee Hart of the Prison Outreach Project addressed the concerns with a Deputy Warden. The author sent a letter and made calls both to the facility and to Lansing, headquarters for the MDOC. Ron was moved several times. Each time it was into the cell of an even more viciously assaultive predator. At one point he refused a move and was ticketed, and then placed in segregation for a while. Then, they told us that "they had accommodated his request for a move 5 times." We warned them that moving him into increasingly hazardous situations was not "accommodating his wishes." We continued to warn them that something would happen to him and it didn't take long. First, his TV (B&W 13" - $120), tape player ($50), headphones ($25), and radio (?) were stolen. Ron pleaded to be placed in protective custody and they refused. He even grieved their denial of protection. They required that he point the finger at the person that was threatening him. He did. It was the staff at Saginaw Correctional Facility. Triangle Foundation's Jeff Montgomery and Ron Rousseau On August 25 in the evening, he was lying on his bunk. It was swelteringly hot in the cell, and so the door was slightly cracked, helping provide at least some ventilation. Someone either slipped through the door or had been already inside the cell. That someone attempted to murder Ron. Finally, he was placed in protective custody. On Wednesday September 10, Ron was moved to one of the worst prisons in the system, Ryan Correctional Facility. This prison and its sister institution, along with the Jackson Facilities are considered the most dangerous of all of the Level II facilities. Despite dizzy spells ("I feel like I am walking sideways all the time."), nausea, double vision, memory loss, etc., Ron was placed 3 floors up and on a top bunk. The required health screening was not performed at his admission to the facility. The nurse drifted in and he tried to explain what had happened. She replied, "I'll have to check the record." She then drifted back out and has yet to be re-appear. Ron is filing daily kites with health services, and to date they are totally ignoring him. It comes as no surprise that he is now in a cell with a 250# Lifer (murder, firearms). (Ron is serving a 1 ½ to 20 year sentence. He has currently served 8 years). Further, when Ron unpacked his belongings, his glasses were missing ($370) as were the blood soaked clothing. The MDOC is billing him for the missing clothing. The average inmate if he can get a job makes about 74 cents a day. From the 74 cents he must buy his toiletries (shampoo, razors, soap, etc), snacks, stamped envelopes, etc. Imagine having to work ½ a day to mail a letter! On September 11, Keith Seabold, an English friend, and I, visited Ron. He was incredibly good spirits even while explaining the symptoms, probability of permanent damage, and the lack of treatment. Ron loves mail. You can write to him at: Ron Rousseau #171281 Ryan Correctional Facility 17600 Ryan Road Detroit, MI 48212 His resolve and mental well being is a direct result of the outside support that he has received. Unfortunately, the Prison Outreach Project is at a pivotal point. It has received negligible outside funding. 95% of the support for this project has come from the author of this report. Lee Hart and I have worked without pay. If a source of funding is not soon located the Project will be forced to close. Ron Rousseau, seated with the Triangle Foundation's Jeff Montgomery, David Forbush and Keith Seabold

For More ... Related Stories Torture and Cruelty in the Michigan Prison System Stop Homophobic Prison Guards Killer of Gay Prisoner - Cellmate Guilty of 2nd Degree Murder Related Sites Triangle Foundation Michigan man reaches out to prison inmate

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