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OPEN LETTER TO GOVERNOR MIKE PENCE

OPEN LETTER TO GOVERNOR PENCE: 
Please call him  and ask him to be responsive 317-232-4567. I know he is looking at being president but right now he needs to take care of business here in Indiana. Wouldn't you agree? Please make the call.
Governor Mike Pence:
 
I am really concern with the attached letter that Kofi M. Ajabu received form the GEO Group, Inc. which is contracted by the state to run some of Indiana's prisons. Kofi, my son, is presently in solitary and has been in there for over a decade. Senator Greg Taylor has been made aware that the United Nations has held that anyone held in solitary for more than 15 days is a violation of international law and is considered to being subjected to torture. We have requested you to call a moratorium on prison use of extended solitary until Senator Taylor gets a legal opinion from the Indiana Attorney General concerning international law's impact on Indiana state law. As of this writing we have received a response from your office but it doesn't address the request for a moratorium. Kofi is presently in the STAND program. The STAND program is supposed to be a "step down" program that when successfully completed allows an inmate to move from solitary to general population.  On August 19, 2014 Kofi requested the executive directive from New Castle Correctional Facility Superintendent Kevin Butts so he would know the criteria of the STAND program that he would have to fulfill in order to be placed back in general population. On August 20, 2014 Kofi receives a letter from Harrison Wheeler, GEO's legal counsel stating:
 
"Inmates at the facility are under the custody of the Indiana Department of Corrections. Accordingly, your request is properly construed under the Indiana Access to Public Records Act (APRA). . . Please be advise that under APRA, Indiana Code 5-14-3-2.1, GEO does not meet the definition of a "Public Agency" and is therefor exempted from the requirements of the APRA. Accordingly, we respectfully decline your records request."
 
GEO is basically telling my son that because it is a private company it does not have to tell him, and many others, why they are being held in solitary!! It is being speculated that your remarks about foreign policy at the Opening Session of the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) Radio Show at the Indiana Convention Center is an indication you have aspirations to run for President of this country in 2016. I for one will not speculate about your future, but I do know right now you are the governor of the state of Indiana. As a father, the Founder of the organization After Naked Truth (ANT), and a citizen of this country, and a resident of this state i request the following:
A direct response to our request that you call a moratorium on Indiana's use of solitary confinement until the Attorney General issues its legal opinion of how international law impacts state law and whether Indiana is in violation of International law by holding inmates in solitary for more than 15 days.
Demand that GEO as a contractor to and for the State of Indiana give inmates what should be Indiana State "executive directive" documents that depict the requirements of the STAND Program or any other program requested that it is being implemented on behalf of the citizens of Indiana because of the contract with the Department of Corrections. 
Thanks in advance for your timely response and if your future does have in it a run for the presidency I wish you well.
 
Sincerely,
 
Rev. Mmoja Ajabu, Founder
AFTER NAKED TRUTH (ANT)

 

Posted on Thursday, September 11, 2014 at 05:59PM by Registered CommenterRev. Ajabu | Comments8 Comments

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Reader Comments (8)

Executive Directive documents concerning STAND are available to anyone with a legitimate purpose. In the case of current inmates, or their families, these documents will not be made available. Exceptions will be made on a need to know basis. See Manual of Policies and Procedures 02-03-115

September 12, 2014 | Unregistered CommenterE.Samuels

E. Samuels:

Went to the meeting. Found out an Executive Directive does not exist for the STAND program. You sound like Charlene Burkette. Here are the notes from the meeting:

Senator Taylor,

Thank you again for convening this meeting. Out of this meeting the following was revealed and agreed to:

• Mr. Bassinger would look at Kofi's file and determine the original reason why he was placed in segregation
• I am aware that the initial reason for Kofi being segregated is because he was accused of beating Officer Semler. Although the Madison County Superior prosecutor found no evidence to substantiate the accusation the administrative disciplinary process of Pendleton Correctional Facility found him guilty of the same facts in spite of the Court's ruling. In fact, the court found evidence that points to my son couldn't have laid a hand on Officer Semlar at time he was assaulted. Electronic evidence places my son on the other side of the prison at the time of Semler's assault, plus, the physical layout of the prison would have prevented Kofi from having opportunity to place a hand on Semler. In the face of Court found evidence that points to Kofi's innocence the prison still holds him as being guilty. And, Mr. Bassinger holds that since the Court's level of proof is higher that the prison's then the prison disciplinary conclusions are not affected by court rulings. Courts are to interpret the law and determine whether a law has been broken. If the court can determine no law has been broken then how does the prison rule the law has been broken which is counter to a court's ruling? Senator Taylor, I would again ask for a legal opinion from the attorney general concerning the prison's position. Please advise when this request can be honored.
• Consequently, Mr. Butts was superintendent at Pendleton when my son was placed in segregation for practicing martial art. At this time DOC had no policy against inmates practicing martial arts. Mr. Butts authorized the art as being in violation of Pendleton's policy which caused my son to be placed in segregation.
• Mr. Bassinger stated he would implement a moratorium on DOC use of segregation is so instructed by the governor
• GEO is subjected to the same restraints as DOC. However it would be best for Kofi to submit to Commissioner Bruce Lemmon his open records request for the Executive Directive for the STAND program. However, there is a document that exists that delineates the full requirements of the STAND Program. Mr. Butts, as an employee of GEO, says that document cannot be shared because it contains security information. Therefore, my son, or anyone else in the program never knows what it takes to complete the program. This is unfair and unprofessional. I would suggest that as State Senator you request a copy of this document to be shared with Senate and House committees that deal with DOC policy so the state is aware of the parameters of the program and can generate a document that can be shared with the public and inmates in the program.
• No Executive Directive presently exists for the STAND Program. So when Ombudsman Charlene Burkette told Senator Taylor that my son had a copy of it her statement was untrue. This lack of truthfulness cannot be tolerated. I call for her to resign immediately. If she doesn't resign, then I call for her to be fired. I look to you Senator Taylor to guide me on how I lodge a formal complaint so this mission can be accomplished.
• Mr. Butts will research why my daughter's JPAY call to Kofi was cancelled.
• On October 16th, 2014 there will be a forum at the Indiana University Law School with the title "International Law's Impact on Indiana's Use of Segregated Confinement." There will be a United nations representative at this forum. All at this meeting, to also include all elected state congressional people are invited. Senator Taylor has requested a legal opinion from the state attorney general which he expects to have by next week.
Right now this is my summary. If anyone wants to add to it, please do and share with all involved.

Sincerely,

Rev. Mmoja Ajabu

September 19, 2014 | Registered CommenterRev. Ajabu

JPAY calls are a privilege which maybe withdrawn at the discretion of IDOC officers or GEO administrators.
See Manual of Policies and Procedures 02-03-115

September 19, 2014 | Unregistered CommenterE. Samuels

E. Samuels:

You don't seem to be a good resource. You talked about the Executive Directive for the STAND Program and thing don't exist.

September 19, 2014 | Registered CommenterRev. Ajabu

IDOC/GEO policies are designed to provide the safest and most rehabilitative environment for our clients.
Input from the public is welcome, and will be considered if submitted through the proscribed channels and deemed appropriate and possible.
Thank you for your suggestions.

September 22, 2014 | Unregistered CommenterE. Samuels

E. Samuels:

You speak as if you are affiliated with IDOC or Geo. Is that true? What are the proscribed channels? Please share.

September 23, 2014 | Registered CommenterRev. Ajabu

Our policy is to respond to all media inquiries, even if we cannot accommodate their specific requests, due to security, confidentiality, or client requirements. The following information is designed to better guide media representatives to the best information source for any inquiries.
Interviews

Corporate Office: Inquiries to GEO's Corporate Office regarding overall company operations, management, and/or investor relations should be submitted in writing to media@geogroup.com.
Facilities: Inquiries regarding information on a specific GEO-operated facility should be submitted in writing to media@geogroup.com.
Approval must be granted by the governing agency of jurisdiction, GEO, and the offender in writing. A written request must be submitted to the appropriate government jurisdiction, with a copy submitted to the facility's Warden or Administrator.

September 24, 2014 | Unregistered CommenterE. Samuels

Hummm

September 25, 2014 | Registered CommenterRev. Ajabu

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