More on the Ely State Prison Murders

On July 30, after three inmates were killed, the tally of Ely State Prison murders jumped to four in a four-month period, as one inmate was also killed on April 16. At least six more inmates were injured, with two of the six having to be life-flighted out as they were listed in critical condition.  All four of these murders occurred at this facility on Unit 7 (A and B side). I am housed on Unit 7 and unfortunately witnessed these slayings.

The question needs to be asked, “What’s wrong with the E.S.P.? And why is it still allowed to be in operation?”

I have been documenting these horrendous conditions of confinement as well as reporting them to numerous places (e.g., Prison Writers, NV-CURE, NV-ACLU, Return Strong, American Prison Writing Archive) for years.

Pleas have gone ignored. But now that three of the Ely State Prison murder victims were white, this story is finally receiving press coverage. Now it’s of major concern and importance that things will have to change. If it doesn’t, these deaths mean nothing.

What can’t be continued to be ignored is that this makes it seven — or is it now eight?— murders here at the E.S.P. in a little over two years.

So again, “What’s wrong with the E.S.P.? And why is it still allowed to be in operation?”

In early April (right before the other inmate was killed on this unit in the showers), I personally spoke with Deputy Director of Programs, Brian S. Williams, Sr., when he visited this unit on his biweekly trip to the E.S.P.  He is in charge of the so-called “programs” that are supposed to be offered by the prison to benefit prisoners who want help rehabilitating. I told him that “the program” here amounted to not much more than us (the inmates) coming out to the tier and waiting for (bad) things to happen.

I explained that there is zero initiative at the E.S.P. for one to want a positive program. I told him that we are literal hostages here as we don’t get to go beyond the gate at the end of our tier.  There are no off-tier activities such as job assignments, religious services, recreation/exercise in the main yard, trips to the law library or educational programs.

Mr. Williams told me, “There are going to be changes soon.” I attempted to get Mr. Williams to elaborate on his version of “soon” because we inmates and family members/loved ones have been hearing this same rhetoric for years, but he declined to answer. I even asked Mr. Williams if this was just lip service to placate us, as the E.S.P. administration is infamous for doing, and he said that he doesn’t do lip service. He urged me to be patient, because together with his team, they were going to make significant changes.

Shortly after his appearance to our unit, an inmate was murdered on April 16. No changes.

On July 30, three more murders on this unit. Still no changes.

And this doesn’t include the dozens of assaults and stabbings in this two-year time span of seven or eight murders.

How do you explain to the victims’ family members (and to some extent the alleged murderers’ families) that their son, father, brother, husband won’t be going home because the “changes” never came soon enough? I hope the NDOC admits that they failed and pays the millions of dollars in civil fees that these families rightfully deserve.

It’s going to be difficult to explain to a jury panel why inmates — who are months away from going home or being released to a program/center — are being slaughtered here. One of the previous victims (not of the April/July incidents) was three weeks from going home before he was killed on this unit.

It’s also going to raise even more questions when it’s discovered that the alleged offenders in some of these murders were less than a year from being released themselves. Some of these offenders were minimum custody inmates, but — due to the NDOC targeting specific social identities (SIG labeled) — were sent to the E.S.P. where it’s common knowledge not only among the inmate population but among staff and other NDOC employees as well (by their own admission) that the E.S.P. is a “killing field.” That you either come here to die or be forced (or choose) to kill.

Again, what’s wrong with the E.S.P.? Why is it allowed to remain in operation?

For years I have been writing that rehabilitation, redemption, and reform are not relevant goals for the NDOC or its policymakers and practitioners. The E.S.P. is the poster child for that statement. Nothing is done here to change offenders’ system of decision making. Nothing is provided to us to have an environment in which we don’t have to constantly worry about being beaten or attacked by other offenders and/or guards.

Nobody in the administration is held accountable for their own actions, but we get punished (e.g., locked down) when others mess up. During our prison terms, we offenders aren’t shown ways to make the outside world an experience they can be in control of, one of pleasure and possibility, so that when we are released, it’s something we pursue rather than fear, thus modifying the long-term behavior that landed us in prison. Above all, there is nothing that shows inmates someone cares about them and is committed to offering them strategies that will steer their life in a new direction.

Not all offenders are ready for change, but those who are, clearly deserve support.

All behaviors can be changed by changing beliefs, values, rules, and identity.

None of the above-mentioned are present at the E.S.P.

The gladiators/slaves are just being warehoused until the next event.

How many more will die here, or need to, before the right people force the closing down of the E.S.P.? Burn this place down.

Let it burn.

---

Gilbert Paliotta #46244
Ely State Prison
P.O. Box 1989
Ely, NV 89301

The post More on the Ely State Prison Murders first appeared on Prison Writers.