{"id":2438,"date":"2017-07-06T21:42:57","date_gmt":"2017-07-06T21:42:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/rashidmod.com\/?p=2438"},"modified":"2017-07-06T21:44:30","modified_gmt":"2017-07-06T21:44:30","slug":"texas-prisoner-suffering-stroke-denied-medical-care-and-left-for-dead-on-cell-floor-for-over-twelve-house-by-prison-guards","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rashidmod.com\/?p=2438","title":{"rendered":"Texas Prisoner Suffering Stroke, Denied Medical Care and Left for Dead on Cell Floor for Over Twelve House by Prison Guards"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"texas\"<\/a>by Jason Renard Walker, Deputy Minister of Labor, NABPP<\/p>\n

Many courts have held that a serious medical need is \u201cone that is so obvious that even a lay person would easily recognize the necessity of a doctor\u2019<\/em>s attention.<\/em>\u201d See Brown v Johnson, 387 F.3d 516, 522 (7th Circuit, 2008)<\/em><\/p>\n

Being denied medical care at the Clements Unit Maximum Security Prison in remote Amarillo, Texas is so common that the average prisoner here can expect to be denied some form of medical care during their stay. False claims of prisoners being disruptive during the visit, or in disagreement with negligent care are some of the excuses medical staff use to deny needed assistance.<\/p>\n

In other cases, we are outright denied care and not seen at all; but the returned sick call request will state that we were seen and our problem addressed. This happened to me when I tried to seek follow-up care for a food poisoning event on May 6, 2017 that affected around 50 of us. (King and Grantham denied me care).<\/p>\n

In a returned sick-call I submitted on May 9, 2017, LVN Tammy Williams replied \u201creply addressed today.\u201d The received date was May 11, 2017. In a second sick-call I wrote on May 22, 2017, explaining that I hadn\u2019t been seen, during the visit with RN Maria Carrizales I was told to drink sips of water.<\/p>\n

Many prisoners have suffered permanent damage and have even died due to this systemic indifference.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve been writing articles on such a thing for several years and it wasn\u2019t until June 21, 2017 that I would be a direct witness to denied medical care, comparable to the death of Christopher Woolverton, who was gassed, seen by medical staff, denied care, placed in a cell on the floor, only to be left to die in 2013.[1]<\/sup><\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n

Another Prisoner Suffers From Denied Medical Care<\/strong><\/h3>\n

A thirty something year old Black prisoner by the name of Anthony \u201clil Ant\u201d Chambers #1340564 was in obvious medical distress, immobilized and cognitively impaired, and denied medical care for a worsening serious medical need despite me protesting his condition to every officer who passed our cells during count time, walk thru, and cell checks.<\/p>\n

His last 12 hours of being housed next door to me was done lying on the cold cell floor only wearing a pair of boxers and tennis shoes. On June 21, 2017 around 5:00 pm, Chambers knocked on the wall separating our cells. It sounded like he was trying to muffle out, \u201cHelp me,\u201d so I knocked back only to received muffled cries.<\/p>\n

Several minutes later I heard a loud thump, the noise sounding like he fell out. I then heard faint knocks on my wall and his cell door. I looked out of my cell window and saw a coax cable from his radio sticking out underneath his door, waving side to side, like a distress signal. At this point he was still cognitive and seeking help.<\/p>\n

This is when I realized something was wrong. I contacted the pod officer, Courtney N. Jarman around 5:45 pm. She brushed off my concern and never once did she check on him or try to get him to respond during count time or any other time. Those cross counting (counting an adjacent pod, then ours, and vice versa) ignored him as well, despite me telling them something was wrong.<\/p>\n

One after the other\u2014Sgt. Dwayne Grantham, Sgt. Timothy King, Lt. Jeffrey W. Compson and Cpt. Franklin Briant simultaneously did their walk-throughs, which was all they did. I explained what was going on with Chambers but they all showed little regard and never checked on him.<\/p>\n

Prior to the death of a former Clements Unit prisoner, Alton Rodgers[2]<\/sup><\/sup><\/a>, these checks\u2014which require them to check each prisoner and make sure they are alive and well\u2014were avoided entirely by ranking staff, and it wasn\u2019t odd for weeks to go by without seeing any of them. The checks are now being done as a corner-cutting damage control tool.<\/p>\n

I stated to King that I thought Chambers may have had a stroke and needed help. King responded by telling me to give him a sick call. I told him it sounded like he\u2019s fallen and couldn\u2019t get up. King stated, \u201cI guess he won\u2019t need one then.\u201d<\/p>\n

Around 1:30 am Officer Gary L. Linton was counting. He never really looked in any of the cells, only checked the list off as if the occupant was ok. I asked him if he could at least get Chambers to say something because I felt he\u2019d had a stroke. He denied my request and carried on.<\/p>\n

As Officer Austin G. Hodges cross counted, I explained to him what I explained to the others. He said that the cell was dark, so he used his flashlight to see. He looked back at me in shock and said \u201cMan [stuff] is everywhere and he\u2019s laying on the ground fucked up.\u201d He asked Chambers what was wrong. He said Chambers didn\u2019t reply, but tried to point to his head. Hodges wrote his cell number down then proceeded to finish counting. I demanded that he call for help right then, which he did.<\/p>\n

The wheels of indifference go round and round<\/strong><\/h3>\n

In response to the call, Grantham, King, Compson, officer John N. Lewallen and a fat white officer showed up. After I explained to Grantham that I believed Chambers had a stroke and he\u2019d been laying on the ground since 5pm, a cover-up began.<\/p>\n

Grantham claimed that Chambers\u2019 eyes were \u201cglazed over\u201d which meant he\u2019d overdosed on pills. I debunked this claim. Then Grantham claimed that he\u2019d tried to hang himself, but no hanging device was in the cell. He refused to elaborate on the possibility of a stroke since he and the others who did the walk-thru would be held responsible, as well as the counters. \u201cYou still ain\u2019t learned how to mind your business,\u201d King said.<\/p>\n

They kind of hung around outside the cell for about five minutes, their interest seeming to be if Chambers would heal himself, coupled with jokes. When it became clear that Chambers needed serious medical attention, medical staff were called and LVN Rosanne Armijo responded. It took roughly 15 minutes before they opened the cell door and carried Chambers out on a gurney. He had a droopy face and slobber hung out of his mouth, not to mention that he seemed paralyzed in one arm and leg. His medical condition became obvious\u2014a stroke.<\/p>\n

He was escorted to the medical unit, located in lo building where\u2014according to one of the escorts, Officer Strohl\u2014he was seen by a short white doctor with glasses. King stated that LVN Mary Ellis and LVN Jeff Harvell were also present. According to Strohl, the entire medical staff\u2019s initial response (before they ran a single test) was that Chambers was faking. King stated that medical staff didn\u2019t document that Chambers was seen.<\/p>\n

When they did initiate a stroke test, since he didn\u2019t respond to any of the doctor\u2019s orders, he failed and the escorts were told to take him back. \u201cHe could barely talk and it looked like the whole left side of his body was paralyzed,\u201d Strohl said. \u201cThey said he\u2019ll make a full recovery, but he has brain damage,\u201d he further suggested.<\/p>\n

After being gone for nearly 10 minutes Chambers was brought back to his cell in a wheel chair. I\u2019m no medical specialist, but he looked like he had severe brain damage\u2014very little cognitive brain activity with eyes darting around. He wasn\u2019t able to walk, so officers lifted him from the wheelchair and practically dragged him into the cell. A witness (who I will keep anonymous) stated that they left him on the cell floor.<\/p>\n

Chambers is Left for Dead on his Cell Floor by Prison Guards<\/strong><\/h3>\n

From around 12:00 am until 5:30 am a newly hired officer, Leslie B. Martin, worked the pod. I asked her more than once if she could get Chambers some real medical assistance. She claimed that Briant told her that he was faking and to simply ignore him. She confirmed that he was laying on the ground by the door, eyes moving \u201ceverywhere, but looking at nothing.\u201d<\/p>\n

After passing him up during breakfast and observing him several hours later, she commented to me about his worsening condition. \u201cI don\u2019t know about that,\u201d she told me in response to her last observation. She said she knew something wasn\u2019t right but didn\u2019t want to risk getting fired for disobeying Briant\u2019s invented orders.<\/p>\n

Martin even went as far as to falsify the meal log at Lewallen\u2019s request, claiming Chambers verbally refused. \u201cJust say he verbally refused,\u201d Lewallen told Martin after she told him Chambers wouldn\u2019t acknowledge her.<\/p>\n

Around 5:30 am Martin went home without letting her relief, Officer Morales and Timothy A. Linnville, know about Chambers\u2019 condition, just as everyone else refused to do.<\/p>\n

During bed book count around 6:45 am I told Linnville about Chambers but he refused to check on him. Officer Morales came by and I told him. He immediately recognized something was wrong and called for help. Sgt. Chance J. Hayes, Officer Andres X. Diaz, Sgt. Victorio R. Gallegos, Jr. and LVN Tammy Williams responded.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe looks dead,\u201d Hayes said while peering inside the cell. Despite this comment he requested \u201cnon emergency\u201d response assistance. Chambers was carried out of the cell, laid on a gurney, and sent to medical. I explained to everyone present that Chambers had been in that state since 5:00 pm the previous day.<\/p>\n

Diaz stated that the nurses were laughing at Chambers and lollygagging because he was such a terrible actor. According to him they deliberately provided repugnant care because they knew he\u2019d respond the same no matter how absurd the question.<\/p>\n

King said that once Chambers went back to the building, different medical staff ran a test and realized that he needed emergency care. He was rushed to the hospital and sent to the intensive care unit. The 13 hour delay may have caused some permanent damage, including facial and body paralysis.[3]<\/sup><\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n

What caused Chambers Injury?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

A number of things could have caused Chambers\u2019 injury. The most logical scenario is that he overheated while working out. Since we only get recreation two or three times a month, prisoners who work out have to do it in their cells. The Administrative Segregation cells here aren\u2019t very cardio-vascular friendly.<\/p>\n

In some cells the air conditioning and exhaust vents don\u2019t work or are so low that no cool air circulates. Any excess body heat, steam from the in-cell shower and humidity can cause the door windows to fog and walls to sweat. In a matter of minutes,\u00a0 a cell can turn into a hot box if the venting isn\u2019t working properly and steam builds up.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve almost passed out myself several times while cleaning water off my floor, following a shower. In fact, Chambers has complained about this very same ordeal in the past. In a Step 1 grievance (grievance #2016205175) he filed on August 31, 2016, he stated that Maintenance knocked off the ventilation tube making it impossible for air to blow in his cell.<\/p>\n

He stated that after complaining to Officer Diaz on August 30, 2016 about his in-cell ventilation not working, instead of this problem being fixed (since maintenance were on the pod), he was punished and denied commissary items he\u2019d already paid for but was waiting to get.<\/p>\n

Diaz was the culprit behind this and due to his retaliatory tactics towards complainers being documented on a variety of prisoners\u2019 grievances Chambers told me he avoided writing anything that would compel Diaz to do something else. This is what his Step 1 did say:<\/p>\n

\u201cOn 8-29-16 I talk [sic] to the black [lieutenant] that work the night shift. I don\u2019t know his name but I talk to him when he did his walk through on the cell block about my air conditioning vent in my cell because the week prior the [maintenance] had come inside my pipe chase for some unknown reason. They knock the ventilation tube off to where no air is blowing inside my cell…my cell sweat because of no air circulation. On 8-30-16…I tried to get the [maintenance] officer\u2019s attention numerous times but he continued to blow me off…I waited and when commissary made it to my door and seeing that [maintenance] was still right across the runway I tried to tell Officer Diaz abut my problem…but things didn\u2019t go as expected. I was denied commissary and my vent is still off. I been trying to go about the situation the right way but nothing has been working for me…\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Since Chambers did note that the hose connecting to his vent was obstructed this could have occurred again. And due to staff retaliating when he complained in the past he may have chosen not to complain to avoid retribution.<\/p>\n

Chambers did have a portable fan but the electrical outlets the fan plugs in to are routinely blown out by defective appliances, excess moisture from shower steam and deliberately turned off by vindictive guards. Normally, it takes many hours before it is turned back on.<\/p>\n

One or many of these issues could have contributed to his injury, and if treated as soon as it was brought to staff\u2019s attention the outcome wouldn\u2019t have been as bad.<\/p>\n

To those reading this article, please help launch an internal investigation into systemic medical neglect and deliberate indifference Chambers was forced to bear. The unit is trying to whitewash the crime scene, scapegoat a few quackish medical staff, and protect the responsible ranking staff.<\/p>\n

On 6-22-17 during the initial investigation, Captain Patricia Flowers had me and two others pulled out to write witness statements. Apparently our facts were outweighed by the guilty. King approached me on his next shift and said he was glad that security staff were cleared. But several nurses may be fired.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019d like to help please send all complaints to the Ombudsman\u2019s Office: ombudsman@tdcj.texas.gov<\/a> and health.services@tdcj.state.tx.us<\/a><\/p>\n

Ombudsman tends to be in collusion with TDCJ but this is a start!<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Dare to struggle, Dare to Win. All Power to the People!<\/p>\n

Jason Renard Walker #1532092
\nClements Unit
\n9601 Spur 591
\nAmarillo, TX 79107<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

[1]<\/sup><\/sup><\/a> \u201cAsthmatic prisoner Doused with Pepper Spray, Refused Medical Care, Dies\u201d rashidmod.com\/?p=917<\/p>\n

[2]<\/sup><\/sup><\/a> \u201cKilling Time: Lawsuit Reveals Officials Killed Prisoner, Framed Cellmate, and Lied to Media (2016)\u201d rashidmod.com\/?p:2232. Also see \u201cHow the Mysterious Death of One Prisoner Results in a Course of Action to Torture Others.\u201d rashidmod.com\/?p:2076<\/p>\n

[3]<\/sup><\/sup><\/a> Immediately after Chambers was hospitalized guards began circulating rumors. Some say he died, some say he suffered a serious stroke and is still alive. But the facts are clear: security and medical staff are responsible for any subsequent damage resulting from the initial injury.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

by Jason Renard Walker, Deputy Minister of Labor, NABPP Many courts have held that a serious medical need is \u201cone that is so obvious that even a lay person would easily recognize the necessity of a doctor\u2019s attention.\u201d See Brown v Johnson, 387 F.3d 516, 522 (7th Circuit, 2008) Being …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":659,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,18],"tags":[14],"class_list":["post-2438","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-articles","category-united-panther-movement","tag-texas-prison-conditions","has-thumbnail"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/rashidmod.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2438","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/rashidmod.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/rashidmod.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rashidmod.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/9"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rashidmod.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2438"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/rashidmod.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2438\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2439,"href":"https:\/\/rashidmod.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2438\/revisions\/2439"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rashidmod.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/659"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/rashidmod.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2438"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rashidmod.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2438"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rashidmod.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2438"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}