Today, we are going to explore some history- some of my own history and some of my dad’s.

Hello again Free Rocky Nation!  I’m your host Amanda, and I have some exciting news to share with you all!  SB2129 might bring my dad home!  What is SB 2129?  Well, let me tell you.  SB 2129 lets an inmate petition the current State’s Attorney from the sentencing county for immediate release based on time served. 

My father called me on the 30th of August.  He told me that he is still healing from his colorectal surgery.  One of the other inmates staying in the Infirmary is healing from surgery also.  A third patient is being treated for cancer.  On this same day, Nurse Miller moved a fourth inmate from COVID quarantine in 2-House to the Infirmary.

Right, Illinois River employs 4 nurses- when they are supposed to have a staff of 22 nurses.

What can I do to help?  Not much, but I did make some phone calls.  I called The Office of Constituent Affairs at 312-814-2121.  You can call that number also. 

WARNING: SOME ADULT LANGUAGE
In the last episode, the struggle was real.  The struggle bus has an assigned seat for my dad, so it seems.  Today’s episode: Medical Mayhem.

Remember the case Lippett v. Godinez where two different medical teams investigated the Illinois Department of Corrections?  I mentioned the case and the investigators’ findings in Season 1, Episode 16: Wexford Health Sources, Inc. and IDOC.  Doctors and nurses at IDOC are operating outside their scopes of care, negligently, and have lost several patients.  The investigators also stated that the medical beds were often broken and/or unable to be sanitized.  Lo and behold, Illinois River is NO exception.  My father’s sent emails about his treatment to prepare for major abdominal surgery and his treatment since he has returned.  Here are his emails.

If you find my father’s treatment, as well as what Lippett v. Godinez documented, horrific, you can always write to U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth and Dick Durbin or IDOC Director Rob Jeffreys.  If you want to complain about Dr. Osmundson and the nurses that operate under him, you can write to the Division of Professional Regulation Locations;  (Enforcement, Complaints, Investigations); 100 West Randolph, 9th Floor; Chicago, IL 60601.  You can also call in a complaint at the Complaint Intake Unit: 1-312-814-6910.  Please know that every email, letter, and phone call that you make on behalf of my dad is greatly appreciated.  You can find the resources and hyperlinks I have mentioned in the transcript of this podcast.

Prison staff have to call inmates by name.

The Illinois River Commissary is going back to slow-motion.

Pritzker claims the Illinois budget is balanced, while increasing gas taxes AGAIN.

When will Illinois stop hemorrhaging money and attempting to use tax dollars as a band-aid?

My father arrived at the Illinois River C.C. on February 5th, 2020.  If the promises of getting Dad into an Industry Job and peaceful living were honored, Dad was willing to let the nonsense at East Moline go.  Dad knew he had a potential lawsuit that was so similar to the Danville lawsuit that it was an almost guaranteed win.

Dad’s time at Illinois River has not been all we had hoped. 

WARNING: SOME ADULT LANGUAGE
Thanks for coming back, Free Rocky Nation!  At this point in Season 2, I hope that you understand that retaliation for First Amendment activity is illegal.  "Whistle Blower" reporting of malfeasance and corruption is a protected First Amendment right.  In IDOC, most prisoners will not stand up to the administration and rights violations.  My father stands on his rights.  He does not ask for anything he does not have coming by law.   He refuses to bow down and become subservient.  The inmates need a guy with backbone to keep the playing field fair.  While my dad advocates on the inside, I advocate on the outside.  Now, prepare yourselves for Season 2, Episode 11: From East Moline to Pinckneyville.

Welcome back, Free Rocky nation!  Today you will hear Season 2, Episode 10: The Horrors of East Moline Part 7.  If you remember from Part 6, East Moline wrote Dad a ticket for allegedly putting out a hit on the warden and on the gang members that robbed him.  An officer wrote that confidential informants informed him of this incident on September 29th, even though that officer was NOT at work.

A second problem with this ticket arose.  Of course, my dad fought this “Threats and Intimidation” ticket.  On October 2nd, the Adjustment Committee found him guilty anyway.  They sent dad a copy of their verdict.  It was dated for September 29th, before the hearing had even been held! 

Welcome back, Free Rocky Nation!  Let’s explore the fallout of Dad’s property theft in today’s episode: Season 2, Episode 9: The Horrors of East Moline Part 6.

Season 2, Episode 8: The Horrors of East Moline Part 5
On August 27, 2019, Dad shopped at the commissary.  When he returned to his cell, he met his new cellmate- a black guy with an attitude.  He was the opposite of Dad’s former cellmate, Ike.  Although he was a gang member like Ike had been, he had no interest in protecting my dad’s property the way Ike had done.  In fact, the new guy was sizing up my dad’s property.  Dad immediately wrote a letter  to Placement requesting to be moved to another cell or wing.

The next morning, Dad locked up his property in his property box and went to work.  He located Pete, his boss.  He explained how he felt that his cellie was going to rob him, or let someone else rob him.  Then, he gave Pete the letter requesting to be moved.  Pete took the letter to Placement, but Placement refused to move Dad.  Pete went to Internal Affairs trying to get my Dad moved to a safer cell, but I.A. also refused to move Dad.