On September 19th I locked my cell door at [time omitted] expecting it to be unlocked again the following morning as usual at 5:30 a.m. I wasn’t released until 11 p.m. on the 22nd. They locked us down and did a complete shakedown of the facility. At around 9 a.m. on the 20th, the cert-team from M.S.P. came into our 40-man block. When they marched out and across the road in riot gear later on I counted 34-of them. When I was unlocked, I, as all of us, were subjected to total strip searches in our open doorways in front of some woman who appeared there for no more reason than to check out and compare male body parts. They did nothing but gawk at everyone. We were allowed to put on boxers, tee-shirts, and shower shoes, then had to keep our hands behind our backs as we were marched out into the stairwell and up to the third floor. We were sat in plastic chairs with our hands behind us, and facing each other in a big circle, for an hour and twenty minutes. Then we were marched downstairs so the woman could get one more look at the fine specimens that we were. The majority of us Irish. Only one Frenchman in the lot. She had a good day.
The devastation to our cells was complete. I had a $16 flex light for reading. they took the flexible shaft and clip saying my name was not on them. The storeroom only puts it on the light itself they don’t usually separate the light from its clip. Now the next search they’ll take the light saying it’s contraband without the clip. Welcome to Ponte’s Playland…
They have us completely stripping and waxing every floor, even cells, and all of the cells are being painted. Even the brass door handles are begin polished they fixed our shower curtain and cleaning-sink faucet, the faucet didn’t work at all and the shower is a sadistic nightmare to begin with. All of this because of some inspection on Tuesday, the 4th [of October], something to do with a lawsuit. I wish to hell it were mine!!
Letter from Maine Correctional Center
Windham, Maine
[name omitted for safety of inmate]
