Texas Department of Criminal Justice Institutional Division inter?Office Communications To: Maior Lily/Captain CliftonlWarden Henson Date: December 13, 2016 From:- Dominique A. Mitchell, Program .Supenrisor 1 Subject: Investigation Follow~tmResponse ethics-and character have been called intojquestign duets an email Clifton. lam; willing to fullyr investigatiori's'afsistand submit theconcerns to the Courage-Program. captain. I have been directed by my Super-viSor Director-Rhodes to to Captain Clifton only. I. am not authorized n?o?r? By Director Rhodes. .1 am, only accomiteb?le within?tli?e Texas Depari?ieiiti of Justice 'to report i'ssues not investigate any claims 01' allegations of refusal of services, abuse, mistreatment, or? rec of excessive :force. ge-Programpireetcr to report. he ?h?a's "?iadga of ?any afiheasarif canGems:ilJate?iihaiie t?ila??a' W'i?lin the year. tof'?ie ClemensUnit Wardens: as .116 lies. fatal-hairlenot 15.3811- reported- zed? (satis?es-seerefrenaese ail-ti from-the Warden it is the responsibility and duty of-tlre?Qoug, failed to do as Warden Henson indicated t?a??li?ihad?iiol?i?lc', interest-ariaste?ieelee to assidtagee 't'ql?iaappra?aziate med wron 'd meeting the ere: :repor?tedi itc- anr' 'Dir?brt'ee Mr. geljof?abusehandE?dur'e Tl- of Family and Protective guidelines of abuse, neglect, or expl "tajtie Department - aa'i-msSi'ana MSTzomas r' Warden of Grief C- 1i; is my belief and opinion that ?the email in aa attempt to set-up Captain Clifton; aadMajor Lilly who. he (Director?ho?des) has claimed that. Wardeni-Ien'son has emblems. with. it is also in my opini'cii that the DirectoriR?hodes foiwai-ded iIifOIfnatiOIL 1:0: Idli?Ve-aome of the scrutiny as Eireetor Rhodes has made? :sevaraltii?ga?ve claims that Warden Hanson is i n. 'li?is-Lbusiness- and trying to run his- Beggar-eerie. ?l?n reference-t0 aa?ewereas of?eoneerns addressed. with me? 611 Decemiaer'Q, 2016, grease "the following. fo?llowstip respen'ses: ?My- use- o'f?ithe term ?unattended? is correct and apprep?ate in. the following situation the dayro'om was left run-attended. by Staff-23$ 11.- Captain'Cli?on. ?Ol'n tirade)! in. ques?en, I, Dominique A. Mitchell; Program was leaked in. the dayroam without my lawsuits-age for over twenty minutes with apgrqaimetely 13- offenders elii'l?e - greeiding program services. The Correctional Of?cer on c'lutly: lei]: her duty pest with no other of?cer eri; (:33 row. Offendersend' i screamed down for help Until an ?Officer heazd me calling? up; 'a'edjet- me out. He. questioned: where the-of?cer was and noti?ed officers that I Was al.1012153, lacked in the dayroom' which is a Viol?tiOncf policies and? procedures; 1. noti?ed the .E'ourag'e Riogram Director Rhad? 119011 my- Femi?ii t0 Hie-et?ee if the incident. Director Rhodes failed to notify the. Meier? or Warden so i grati?ed Captain Clifton in person after I found: out the name of the of?cer wheelies responsible for leaving her posit;- Captain Clifton cart verify mitt i imported Ithe .i'iicidf?'?ig My safety was eomp?romised'iby .Contectional staff as I was looked alone with no closed area with aggressive and Adailg'erous youth. to subf'nit to you, Major Lilly?the {name o?f-the Correctional Of?cer Wile left :n'e:alene (33 ?row dayraconi name of?the Con'eetional Of?cer who wiligverify that the" event did happen. Titi?s is not hearsay; butra fact; 2. I have observed? and reported to Sergeant Sanderson on numerous occasions Courage Program oiTe'riders-staged in the day-ream foi- more than two (2) hears- after groups or ?lunch'with only see Correctional Of?cer providing; coverage to both 031.64 "rows. I have often reqpested that lie, Sergeant Sanderson come to C3 Row to have. the doors rolled to let the offenders back-in" their cells as Courage ?Prog-ram Offenders wearing yellow, green, and orange bands are not'allowed in the dayroom togetlnerht?er an extended period and should never be alloWed dayroom time. Texas Department of Criminal Justice institutional Division Inter?Office Communications 3. have observed and heard Correctional Officers, Correctional Of?cers with Rank, and the Courage Program staff use derogatory, offensive language or excessive profanity in reference to and/or towards offenders. In fact, from the Courage Program Office profanity can be heard in the hallways of the Tank housing quarters daily by Correctional Of?cers when calling the offenders out for school, meals, and/or work. As demanded by Assistant Warden Henson, I am willing to submit names of staff with other witnesses who can verify the accounts, but only under con?dential circumstances due to fear of retaliation from Correctional Staff and Clemens Unit Administrators with guidance from Huntsville and/or Regional Ill Administration. 4. In reference to Youthful Offenders claiming abuse by Correctional Of?cers, i will provide you with the names of all offenders who have requested that Department of Family and Protective Services be contacted and an investigation by OIG. I will also provide the names of offenders who have reported incidents under con?dential clearances to prevent retaliation by staff. One incident that was supposedly witnessed by Director Rhodes involved the Warden and a Lieutenant. Director Rhodes informed the Courage Program staff that the Warden placed his foot on top of the head of the offender while he was already restrained. After the incident when the Offender was placed on C4 row on transient status, witnessed the Lieutenant in question taunting with the offender with offensive language in an attempt to provoke him in which I interjected and words were exchanged between us. The interaction between the staff and is a fact not hearsay. I reported the incident to Captain Cli?on. The Offender reported the incident in a' grievance that was never addressed and his family contacted Huntsville who was investigating. I am willing to submit the family?s name and contact information as veri?cation to any internal or external source. in a separate incident at the Courage Program Of?ce, 1 witnessed a Lieutenant put his hands on a Youthful Offender and threaten him while he was sitting down for Mining to remove a pair of boots off his feet. The offender was neither aggressive nor threatening. The offender did initially refuse to take boots off. There were two staff 'witnessespresent and the incident was reported immediately to Captain Clifton. in the last meeting with Director Rhodes and Case Manage offender would beseriou . . . . . . - - pi, Director Rhodes and Ms.'Smith also indicated that it (Offender killedjhas - take the blame $223.3: . happened before and that it was covered addition, Director Rhodes has indicated on numerous occasions -that staff falsifying documents and writing fake disciplinary cases is nothing new and has been going on for a long time. I also addressed this issue at in- service in November 2016 during the session on ?Core Values? with Warden Munoz. I have addressed the issue of the Courage Program Staff ?turning a blind eye? to poor behavior from staff and offenders numerous times. Some staff members do not report co? workers or offenders who fail to adhere to agency procedures. 5. PrOtective Custody offenders are not being afforded cutof- but {than accordance with the Safe Prison Plan for P7 designated offenders. Offenders assigned a custody level of P7 should receive recreation, dayroom, and telephone privileges. YOuthful Offenders listed as P7 custody have been denied recreation for one (1) year and. have never received dayroorn or telephone privileges. The I Youthful Offenders only exit their cells for showers, medical, and Unit Classi?cation Committee. All of my requests for services were denied for the reason of lack of staf?ng in which Captain Frederick has acknowledged on December 9, 2016: This verifies that the minfonntion thatlpeqcegd in the email is true and accurate ?ilk 4%ng gig, .. Egg/?ts (air-W3 The Clemens Unit Wardens, Majors, and Captains ave 21 been aware oft IS .. .. are issue for more than a year. Him-Recently I have been in communication with Captain Clifton and Major Lilly in an effort to provide an alternative solution. Captain Clifton has been very instrumental in providing follow-up and has created a plan that he is waiting for approval that will ensure compliance with the Safe Prison Plan. polygraph, complete an af?davit, and testify?for and requesting to speak with Representatives 1 have no reason to provide false information as implied and I am willing to submit to a the incidents in which I was personally involved in or have witnessed. i am also willin from OIG, Region Directors, and/or Rehabilitation Division Administrators in order to clear my name. ?g??k-TJ (l ?0 Igloo Exam Shit? toga/i . 1? Dominique A. Mitchell, Program Supervisor I 2 Page