First off, I like to give my appreciation to those on the outside for the doing what you do to help us prisoners, however little or big.
But to introduce myself, my name’s James Ward, but everybody calls me J. I’m 29 years old, and I’ve been locked up since I was 15, unjustly tried as an adult. And since I’ve been in here, I’ve been through many struggles and hardships, with hardly any real outside help, besides a few recent friends. I’ve been beat on by guards, put in solitary confinement for things I didn’t do, and forced to pay debts I can’t pay.
I was also an active participant in the 2018 National Prison Strike. On June 14th, 2018 five COs in SWAT style uniform came in my cell and beat on me, dislocating my left shoulder. Then I was refused medical treatment that was ordered by the outside hospital. I put in a lawsuit concerning all that was involved and as a result, I was beat on again, several months later.
On February 22nd, 2019, while in the infirmary on a hunger strike, protesting my issues, three CO’s came in my cell and jumped me. Which was a planned attack in retaliation for me speaking out against my abusers last year. And to cover their tracks, they claimed I had a razor blade to my neck, to manipulate my history of suicide and get me put on mandatory suicide watch. Van Allen and [inaudible] was put on administrative leave due to an investigation, but [inaudible] recently came back.
Due to the things I’ve been through and seeing others go through the same, it inspired me to stand up. I’m currently working on a big project called Decarcerate Us, to bring all states together on the inside and out to fight against prison injustice as one and expose the truth about what’s really going on in here. I’m looking for people willing to get involved and take action to help in any way. Prison activists, journalists, community leaders, news reporters, etc.
To find out more or get involved, you can set up a free JPay account at JPay.com. It’s an email service for prisoners. Go to add an inmate, then search and provide my information: James Ward, A517461 at Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction in Toledo. You can also see in my phone at call requests on Connect Network by providing the same information or send a message to my Facebook Free James Ward for help if you can’t figure it out.
I really appreciate those who took the time out of their day to listen to what I had to say. Thank you.
(Sound of a cell door closing.) These commentaries are recorded by Noelle Hanrahan of Prison Radio.
