Women in Texas prison decry abuse, banning of Bay View: ‘There’s no exaggerating the inhumane treatment that saturates Miserable Murray’

by Britney Gulley

A few months ago, I exposed the corruption of this particular unit and others across Gatesville, Texas,* striving for justice, peace and respect to no avail. (See “I am fighting for women in Texas prisons.”) In response to the grievances, articles and complaints the women here have written, we’ve been subjected to more abuse.

Out of retribution, the mailroom has banned the San Francisco Bay View newspaper from subscribers to receive and also ransacked several dorms to confiscate all newspapers any offenders were in possession of.

Their excuse for us not being able to receive the Bay View newspaper was because it “contains material that a reasonable person would construe as written solely for the purpose of communicating information designed to achieve a breakdown of prisons through offender disruption such as strikes, riots or security threat group activity” and also that the Bay View is “trying to promote work stoppage, false rape allegations and deceptive accusations to ignite investigations.”

These are all lies to stop, nullify and silence our voices. This underhanded act of retaliation shows the guilt of prison officials and their unscrupulous behavior, dishonesty, unprofessionalism and corruption.

Bogus disciplinary cases have been written and threats of violence, inappropriate and sexually perverse body strip searches, hostile cell inspections and raids, mail stoppage, damaging and destruction of personal property; confiscation of personal and legal mail and extremely excessive use of force have all been utilized to discourage the women of Lane Murray Unit from reporting and making complaints of abuse, injuries and harm.

The corruption of Lane Murray Unit prison officials has in fact increased substantially due to our reports seeking justice for the mistreatment we’re victims of. The abuse we suffer is forcing many to terminate their complaints out of fear of further or harsher abuse.

The number of women who are suicidal has increased along with many claiming depression.

This unfair treatment is cruel and unusual punishment. These acts of hostility are an everyday ordeal here at the infamous “Miserable Murray,” known for “crossing out” offenders. The strategies utilized by prison officials to prevent women from filing claims of sexual harassment, rape and other abuse is unconstitutional.

The corruption of Lane Murray Unit prison officials has in fact increased substantially due to our reports seeking justice for the mistreatment we’re victims of.

Underhanded tactics to “keep these dumb bitches from talking,” as a high ranking male officer said, has caused a quiet fortification spiritually to help other women scared to admit the abuse we suffer from. This struggle is only part of our problems.

One major tactic utilized to dismiss our complaints is “prolonged solitary confinement.” Lane Murray Unit is especially incriminated. Ad-seg (administrative segregation, another term for solitary confinement) is utilized here not for security reasons but to torture and mentally destruct.

Prolonged solitary confinement exists when an offender is held past the required amount of time for discipline, investigation or crisis surveillance, if any. Placing an offender in ad-seg is clearly an act of extreme retaliation and extraordinary circumstances, considering there are no moral reasons for offenders to be held in ad-seg when they meet requirements to be released from ad-seg and placed in general population.

Ad-seg here is filthy, atrocious and dark from no light. We call J2 (ad-seg) “the dungeon.” It is utilized by prison officials intending on inflicting mental and emotional distress and injury and to cause psychological damage. Many offenders housed in ad-seg have been disciplinary case free for two years or more, yet we are held captive in prolonged solitary confinement without probable cause.

Most of the prison officials here on Lane Murray Unit have no ethical or respectable integrity or morals, and they constantly harass, discriminate, bully, antagonize, abuse their authority and retaliate. There’s no exaggerating the inhumane treatment that saturates Miserable Murray.

Ad-seg here is filthy, atrocious and dark from no light. We call J2 (ad-seg) “the dungeon.” It is utilized by prison officials intending on inflicting mental and emotional distress and injury and to cause psychological damage.

As an activist, I fight for the justification, equality, peace, respect and justice women in Texas prisons deserve. I’ve been housed in ad-seg four and a half years, three years case free, and I’m a Stat 4 Level One. I’ve been held captive in Miserable Murray’s dungeon for raising my voice and utilizing my constitutional right to freedom of speech.

The women of Lane Murray Unit and others across Gatesville, Texas, need your help! This abuse must end! If we can’t make complaints, file grievances or write of our mistreatment in mail to our families and friends, what else is there left to do? Please help the women in Texas prisons any way you can.

Send our sister some love and light: Britney Gulley, 1601283, Lane Murray Unit, 1916 N. Hwy 36 Bypass, Gatesville TX 76596.

*In Texas, prisons are called “units,” and prisoners are called “offenders.” Five of Texas’s eight prisons for women are located in Gatesville.