Alabama Prison Returns Inmate Writer to General Population
State officials deny massive internet-spawned protest a factor
by A.J. Hardcastle
CNG2 HUNTSVILLE, AL (June 29, 1998) According to a spokesman for the Alabama Department of Corrections, a federal probe into an alleged threat by an Alabama state prisoner is now concluded. Tom Gullekson, the corrections spokesman, said "We had initially placed a prisoner, Patrick Swiney into close custody after we received a call from the U.S. Marshal's Service." Swiney, 53, is reportedly serving a life-sentence without parole possibility following an Alabama state murder conviction.
Swiney, a former police officer who has turned to writing while in prison, wrote a June 11, 1998 article that was widely disseminated via the Internet. The article was critical of societal attitudes about corrections and especially critical of Alabama prison conditions.
"I speak to you from the absolute pits of hell, an Alabama Prison. Historically, the State of Alabama has been notorious for its atrocities within its prisons," said Swiney in a editorial piece that appeared on at least Internet web sites.
"To put things into perspective, I'm a 53-year-old man in very poor health, a former police officer of 13 years. I have been held in this septic tank (Holman Prison in Alabama) for 10 years on a wrongful conviction. The major point I submit to you is that I can see both sides of the coin. Actually, I can see all sides of that coin, for much more than two sides exist," wrote Swiney, who Alabama prison officials term "a man that probably has writer's cramp."
Swiney was placed into solitary confinement last week on what Alabama authorities say was a request from the U.S. Marshal's Service, who said they were investigating a possible threat by Swiney against an unnamed federal judge. U.S. Marshal's Service staff were unavailable for comment shortly before this release.
Alabama Prison officials were unsure when contacted, whether a letter was actually mailed to a federal judge, or, whether a federal judge took exception to a general reference made by Swiney in his opinion-editorial piece, "I hear corrupt politicians promise you to lock them up and throw away the keys. I also hear your cheers! They - our only defender - knowingly overcrowd the prisons dangerously. The Federal Courts say nothing! I also hear your cries to pack them in like sardines - for who cares? News leaks out about the atrocities: the physical, mental, emotional - all types of Human Rights abuses. The courts turn their heads. Again, I hear your cheers, as though to say: Crucify them! Crucify them! I've read these words all my life."
Swiney, in the same article, made specific allegations against at least one Alabama Deputy Warden and his spouse, "Here at Holman Prison, we have had a large breakout of TB. Some have died, others transferred never to be heard of again. Respiratory ailments are our "normal" or our most common. Medical care is almost a joke. Our Deputy Warden (Jerry Farrell) is charged with the responsibility of seeing we get proper medical care. Only thing is his wife is an Administrator with Correctional Medical Services (CMS). This is the company holding the contract for medical services (much like the company holding the contract for telephone services). Mrs. Farrell has a vested interest in saving costs for her company. Every dollar she does not spend on our medical care is profit in her company's pocket. Thus, you have a direct conflict with medical care and the Deputy Warden. Does this project overtones of corruption?"
Alabama officials, in a telephone interview Monday Afternoon, said they had been contacted by the same U.S. Marshals who had requested Swiney's close-quarters detention. "They said it was alright for us to turn him back into population," said Gullekson. "We are in the process of doing that right now."
Other Alabama state officials, speaking on background, confirmed that hundreds of phone calls and faxes had been received by them in the previous seventy-two hours regarding the detention of Swiney. The calls apparently came as a result of a protest organized by Candyce Hawk, who works with a prison watchdog-activist group, the Prison Activist Resource Center. Prison officials deny that the public response had any bearing on their decision to release Swiney back into general population at Holman Prison.nnnn
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