A 20-minute video recorded on a contraband phone and posted to Facebook Live Friday purports to show the hellish conditions at Elkton federal prison in Lisbon, Ohio.
The man in the video has been identified by Vice News as 31-year-old inmate Aaron DeShawn Campbell. He pleads with viewers to get the word out about the situation at Elkton, where as of this weekend three inmates have died from the Coronavirus, 15 are in isolation with symptoms and more than 80 are in quarantine.
Campbell describes the absurdity of “social distancing” in the prison environment and makes it sound as though all but a few inmates are likely infected with COVID-19. (He says that he, for the moment, is symptom-free.) He says he took the risk of punishment by recording the video because so many people are getting sick, and because he felt publicizing the conditions there was so important.
His message is both an echo and a validation of pleas that inmate advocates have been making for days. Even the Plain Dealer editorial board has now called on Gov. Mike DeWine to act “forcefully and broadly” to decarcerate state prisons, where inmates have already become infected.
Friday, DeWine recommended releasing only 38 of the state’s 48,991 prisoners, pregnant women and those over 60 with fewer than 60 days left to serve. DeWine is a classic ‘law-and-order’ Republican and said he wanted to be “very respectful” of the local courts, the local victims and public safety.
Advocates regard these recommendations as a cruel quarter-measure. They say nothing less than extreme decarceral policies at the local, state and federal levels will prevent a disastrous spread of COVID-19.
The situation at Elkton is among the worst in the nation. On Thursday, three inmates died of COVID-19: 53-year-old Woodrow Taylor, 65-year-old Margarito Garcia-Fragoso and 76-year-old Frank McCoy. Only Oakdale Federal Correctional Institution in Louisiana has seen more deaths than Elkton (5).
In the video above, Campbell says that guards have provided inmates with cloth masks and a small bottle of soap, (which is replenished every two weeks), but that, in general, the health and well-being of the inmates are not being taken seriously.
“They are literally leaving us in here to die,” he says early on.
More than once, he references the profit motives of the prison industry. “They got this shit called compassionate release,” says Campbell, who says he has less than a year left to serve on a drug sentence. “But they ain’t gonna let me out because they ain’t gonna make no money.”
Some of the information in the video has been disputed by Joseph Mayle, the president of the union which represents prison guards at Elkton.
Campbell records a tent that has been set up outside on the facility’s basketball court and says it has been erected to store bodies of the dead. Mayle told Vice that the tent was set up to be a testing area but is now empty. He also said that Campbell’s roommate, whom Campbell repeatedly says is “dying” of the Coronavirus, is “fine.”
Elkton houses nearly 2,500 inmates. It is located in Columbiana County, just south of Youngstown and Mahoning County. That eastern area of Ohio is among the state’s COVID-19 hot spots.
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This article appears in Apr 1-7, 2020.
Why are you mentioning DeWine in an article about Federal prisons? He has zero say over what happens in a Federal prison.
Dudes in a bad spot right now, along with the other almost 50,000 inmates in the state , I bet he ain’t got a room mate any longer , that fker locked up in the hole right now for having that damn phone 😡!!!! Feds ain’t fkn with his ass, but he did make the news !!!😎🤟🇺🇸
they are still people at the end of the day, and no one should be in these condition. FOH with the do the crime you do the time bs because last time i checked punishment isnt getting infected and dying from a virus
Mayle saying that the inmate is “fine” when clearly in the video he isn’t. 🤦♀️ They really just don’t care.
this just in the media & the government agree on one thing they’d rather a prisoner die, then have a phone to expose them fucking trash from the bottom down from the right to the left…
It doesn’t matter what crime they’ve committed there still human just like us..They need to be treated equally the same..I wouldn’t wish death on anyone or anything.. Their treating them like animals..I’m sorry I pray you got out
..Much love to all the inmates… I’m definitely praying ND sharing..May God be with you all…. Blessings
Prayers Please! The young man lying in the bed is my 2yr old grandaughter’s fathers. He is diabetic, has high blood pressure and other ailments. He has a mother in S. Carolina who is a nervous reck because there’s nothing she can physically do to help her son. My daughter works in a nursing facility she still has to work to take care of her family. She hasn’t spoken with him dince this day and he calls everday to speak to his 2 yr old mu daughter. My grandbaby loves her father. So please Lord heal his body.
If it ain’t violent or anything sexual let people out
Anytime prison officials get caught off guard they are quick to hide all evidence by providing the public with false information so that there is no public outcry, and so that they do not lose the funding of the shareholders. Many prisons throughout the U.S are spawning grounds for infectious diseases and the sad scenario is that most superintendents of these facilities are aware of the deplorable conditions, but at the end of the day they are in it to insure the profit margins do not decline. Prisons are not a means to rehabilitate because the convicted person is looked upon as never been habilitated in society; so there is no chance that those profiting from the warehousing of prisoners, will want to have their margins depleted in this multi-billion dollar enterprise. Everyone wants to profit, while a prisoner, no matter how insignificant his/her crime is, is left to suffer. Even though they are human beings, the stigma attached to them gives them a label of “sub-human”, and that is the most pathetic mindset we have in society today. The world got caught in an out of control experiment because of it. It is time to stop think backwards for a change.
Respectfully
Vietnam Veteran &
“EX” D.O.C. Prisoner
Let the people go if it isn’t murder or sexual with minors or elders let THEM GO…. YOU HIGHER POWER HAVE FAMILIES.. PUT THE SHOE ON YO OWN FOOT THAT SOME ARE WHERE U PROBABLY KICK THE DAM SHOE OFF SO LET THE PEOPLE GO THAT NEEDS TO LET LOSE… HOW CAN Y’ALL HIGHER PEOPLE SLEEP GEESH… YALL JUST NEVER KNOW WHEN THE TABLES CAN TURN ITS A HIGHER POWER THEN CALL I CALL HIM JESUS SO BECARFUL!!! MAY GOD BE WITH YALL..
I do not have a problem with anyone who was nonviolent or pedophile out of prison in the times we are facing, however; I would only pray that these inmates are moved to one location for 14 days with possibly doing a test to ensure they are good to go before putting them into the population. We have enough Americans not doing their part so the states in which they are released from should be held accountable for the testing of each one. In my little town in Corbin ,Ky. I have been out of the house twice for groceries and only once for an elderly friends groceries and there was non contact between us, both with gloves n masks. So sad the times we live in and the technology we have and humans are dumber with it. (opinion). God be with anyone who reads this PRAY, we going to need it. AMEM!
Dear God Ruler over everything. I need you to come in and show out!!! Please my Lord, let there be compassion where there is none. We need you Lord… We need you. Help your creation here on Earth., In these prisons where compassion is lacked. Give them help Almighty Savour! In you commandments you said we are to love each other as we love ourselves. Almighty God I love others as I Love my self and in loving them I plead Almighty God that you send them the help they need and ask that you release those that need and should be released. In the Mighty name of Jesus Christ I count it done!
My heart is filled Lord with love for you babies… Let them not go thru this one more day Almighty!! I ask that this be done swiftly In Jesus name. Amen
Reason # 973,57 to stop committing crimes.
“… where as of this weekend three inmates have died”
Three = “F***** Everybody”
You are where you belong.
And Cleveland Scene is wondering why the need to beg for money to stay afloat.
Lets give some page space to a convicted crack dealer with an epic exaggeration problem.
how do u know your Negative …you have to keep your hands away from surfaces touched by sick ppl….and Now were being told THIS WEEK its also airborne..i do hope they have sense enough to help you all…You do need home confinement AMERIKKA is ON some murderous plots and plans….soap and water can wash the germs from your hands butt they should be disinfectingthe AIR and isolating those who are sick the GAURDS should be helping to complain also they should WALK OUT becus CLEARLY they will get sick as well THIS IS THE WORST ….praying for you
MyDeepest Condolences to the Families who have had these losses..wheres the ventilators ??? why isn’t that sick guy in medical Ward?? Thes PPL in power KNOW full well… this isn’t rght.! sending prayers
So sad get them help who has not did a violent crime get them up out of there if not there Blood is on your hands 😞😞😞😞
I find it difficult to empathize with the incarcerated folks. I’m sure some of them were calling me a pussy, when I followed the advice my daddy gave me as a young man, to obey the laws. I did, and am able to stay out of prison. Reading the posts above, trying to humanize and personalize them; He’s a grandpa, that people too. Sure, but you know what else they are? CRIMINALS, and that is why they are in there.
As far as COVID goes, I consider them quarantining with the other infected inmates in the prison. The sympathy I feel is for the correction officers, who have to work in those conditions.
Where is the help? Who is supposed to be enforcing home confinement? Elton was told they were on top of the list for the 3 most highly infected prisons. To let the prisoners go, those who were most vulnerable and with compromised immune system, those at high-risk for
severe illness from COVID-19 are: people with lung disease, diabetes, heart disease, liver disease, asthma and chronic conditions. So why have they only let 6 go home, 6! And according to them 76 with covid19, 37 in the hospital and 16 in ICU. The BOP & the union give 2 different numbers. Whom should we believe? The truth of the matter is that it’s neither here nor there, IT DOESN’T MATTER, JUST, let those at risk, be release to home confinement, with a monitor or whatever you want but don’t let them die! Don’t let them die Alone and be sent to a “common grave”, literally, be thrown with everyone else who’s infected in same big grave; altogether. Not getting a proper burial. That’s not good. Yes, it’s the right thing but imagine how it’ll affect the family? No one deserves to die like that, eaten up by a virus! My brother is a first time offender, non-violent. One of those that people use as mules & didn’t even know. He had a clean record, oh and they didn’t even read him his miranda rights. He was given 25 years! Ist offender. Couldn’t afford a lawyer. He’s in there, at Elkton ; with diabetes, going blind, high blood pressure, 2 strokes etc… Mother is extremely worried and her having diabetes, heart condition & high blood pressure we are all worried about her , too. Somebody please, tell us what we can do. I don’t know what else to do.