From: nattyreb@ix.netcom.com
Date: Fri, 21 May 1999 02:07:05
Subject: !*ALERT: Angola Hunger Striker Suffers Heart Attack

FORWARDED ACTION ALERT!
=====================

Date: Tue, 18 May 1999 00:54:20 -0700
From: Angola 3 Support Committee 
Subject: Angola Hunger Striker Suffers Heart Attack

On Sunday, May 16, Barbette Williams, an inmate in the Camp J punishment
unit at the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola, was rushed to a
hospital in Baton Rouge.  Williams had been on a hunger strike for nearly
two weeks, protesting worsening conditions and the inhumane treatment of
Angola authorities.  At the time of this writing, prison and hospital
officials have provided little information, but Camp J inmates believe that
Williams suffered a heart attack.

The Earl K. Long Hospital at the LSU Medical Center in Baton Rouge reported
that Williams was in "fair" and "stable" condition, but would release no
other information.

Williams' had been participating in a hunger strike that began on Monday,
May 3, in the CCR (Closed Cell Restricted) solitary confinement unit at
Angola.  Over 60 men there decided to refuse their meals because the Angola
administration has been curtailing long-standing privileges for CCR
inmates, some of whom have been in solitary confinement for nearly three
decades.  The inmates had one demand:  that Angola's warden, Burl Cain,
come speak with them about their grievances.

On Wednesday, May 5, the CCR men were told that the warden would come to
discuss matters with them and the hunger strike was ended.  The next day,
however, five inmates (Robert King Wilkerson, Herman Wallace, and Albert
Woodfox of the Angola 3, along with Barbette Williams and David Carr) were
segregated and charged with the disciplinary infraction of "inciting a
hunger strike."  Upon being charged, all five men resumed their hunger
strike.

On Friday, May 7, all of the five except for Woodfox were convicted in
disciplinary hearings and sent from CCR (which is supposed to be
"non-punitive" solitary confinement, where inmates are placed because of
their security classification or for protective custody) to Camp J
(disciplinary solitary confinement, where conditions are much harsher and
privileges fewer).

For reasons that are unclear, Woodfox did not receive a hearing at the
time.  He was moved to a segregated section of CCR, to a place inmates
refer to as "the dungeon."  On Saturday, May 8, separated from his comrades
and unable to communicate with them, Woodfox decided to end his fast.

On the same day, Saturday, May 8, family members visited Woodfox and
Wallace.  After Woodfox had visited with his family, guards forced him to
submit to an intrusive strip search.  They told him that several inmate
informants had reported that his family was attempting to smuggle narcotics
to him.  This accusation is absurd, as Woodfox is only allowed non-contact
visits, during which he is separated from his visitors by a thick metal
screen, through which it is impossible to pass anything.  Nevertheless,
Woodfox was searched for drugs.  After the search, a high-ranking guard
named Major Robert Schott gave Woodfox a disciplinary write-up for being
"threatening" and "defiant" during the search.  For unexplained reasons,
the write-up was later torn up and discarded.

Last Friday, May 14, Woodfox was tried before Angola's disciplinary court
on charges of "inciting a hunger strike."  For some reason, the hearing was
not completed on Friday.  It is not known when it will continue or why its
conclusion was delayed.  If Woodfox is convicted, he will probably be sent
to Camp J with the other alleged "leaders" of the CCR hunger strike.

The men who were sent to Camp J will probably be kept there for a minimum
of six months.  Release, however, is entirely at the discretion of Angola
authorities.  Some men have reportedly remained in Camp J for over 15 years.

Please contact the authorities in Louisiana to let them know that people
are paying attention to this situation.  These men have been on a hunger
strike for over two weeks now.  All of them are well over 50 years old.
Wallace, Woodfox, and Wilkerson have already served 27 years in solitary
confinement.  They are risking their lives and they need people on the
outside to support them.  Demand that charges be dropped against the hunger
strikers, especially Albert Woodfox, who has not yet been convicted.  Tell
them to release the hunger strikers from Camp J.


Gov. Mike Foster
P.O. Box 94044
Baton Rouge, LA 70804
phone: (225) 342-7015   fax: (225) 342-7099

Warden Burl Cain
Louisiana State Penitentiary
Angola, LA 70712
phone: (225) 655-4411  fax:(225) 655-2319

This message comes to you from the Angola 3 Support Committee.
P.O. Box 15644
New Orleans, LA 70175
(504) 227-5946
For more info, visit the Angola 3 website at:
http://www.prisonactivist.org/angolatwo