My name is Jose G. Garcia. I am a 26-year-old male inmate, small in physical stature, that was recently sexually assaulted. I am a survivor. Prison officials forced me to share a prison cell with a sexual predator much larger than myself while I was supposed to be under the state’s protective custody. The assailant held a syringe to my neck & sodomized me.

Post assault, which occurred 08/03/02 at AZ state prison’s highly touted most secure prison SMU Eyman Complex, I felt very depressed & humiliated. I’m still afraid that I may have contracted (STD) from the assault. “ADOC” refuses to test me for sexually transmitted diseases, stating it’s against Arizona Department of Corrections policy. I am also afraid that prison officials will subject me to further baneful outcome if I do nothing & allow nature to take its course.

I have received opposition from state prison officials who hinder my legal mail & threaten my inmate friend with intimidation & disciplinary for assisting me with my case. It seems as if prison officials have assaulted me all over again by their insidious methods of dealing with rape victims. My confidential legal mail opened & inspected (read) by Sgt. Rodriguez, addressed to AZ ACLU! I have very limited resources & intellect. But what I do know is, & would like to share with others, is it is incumbent on us all not to succumb to intimidation & threats.

I personally make sacrifices by allocating my resources & small income towards Xeroxing & postage, writing material. I have organized, & I document everything. I keep a duplicate copy some place other than my cell. I located an AZ state Bar directory. I identified injury attorneys & I mail them information concerning my case. Sometimes I receive positive feedback, other times I receive no response at all. I did receive a ‘link’ to American Civil Liberties Union Ronald Garcia, LLB, Special Investigator, … whose letter before the holidays made me feel very optimistic & made me feel I was not alone. … Whether you were assaulted like me, or if you have experienced some other experience that’s horrific, the world needs to know. Don’t be a victim twice. More people need to believe in themselves, follow their intuition, take back their personal power, & believe, & then know, that all the power of the universe & GOD is within them. Till paper & pen meet again!

Hi, it’s me Jose G. Garcia again. I am a recent survivor of a sexual assault that occurred ASP Complex-Eyman Complex, the highly touted Most Secure Prison in the Country USA. I feel very optimistic this new year, and I hope all the readers are too. I prepare for the worst, and hope for the best. Thank you so much for the opportunity to share this information with you. I have attempted to elevate the consequences of rape with Department of Corrections officials via Inmate Grievance System DD802 (see at http://www.adc.state.az.us/policies/802.htm). I filed a informal attempt to resolve with ASP Complex-Eyman Complex CDIII Hughs within 10 days of the incident. Warden Gay of Eyman Complex ordered CDIII Hughs to move me out of Eyman Complex to Complex Morey-Red which he did post-assault immediately thereafter. CDIII Hughs never responded to my informal grievance within the required 10 days. Biweekly I made inquiries to my new counselor at More-Red, CDIII Hardgrove, into the missing unaccounted for inmate response from CDIII Hughs at Eyman Complex. I was bamboozled by DDIII Hardgrove who told me to be patient for the delinquent response, that it would take longer than usual due to my movement to Morey-Red Complex-Lewis.

On October 23, 2003, I submitted another informal grievance in regards to prison officials eschewing the first informal (Nexus) sexual assault. I proceeded as policy requires to exhaust the grievance, appeal to warden Haley, appeal to “ADOC” director. At each stage prison officials chose not to respond. Some of my proposed remedies in my grievance were psychological counseling; and (STD) testing. DOC responded by wanting to place me on a powerful mind altering drug, and “ADOC” Complex Lewis Medical Department wrote me a letter stating (STD) testing was against ADOC policy. I was advised by “ADOC” counseler for Morey-Red Complex-Lewis Mr. CDIII Hardgrove for the first time on 1-21-03 that CDIII Hughs at Eyman Complex never received my informal attempt to resolve, so therefore I forfieted my rights at “ADOC,” and that I should hire outside counsel and sue “ADOC.” Mr. Hardgrove further advised me that the assault that took place at Eyman Complex against my person was my fault, and that I was somehow responsible.

HOSPITAL RECORDS

“ADOC” has a medical contract with St. Marys Hospital Tucson, AZ. The morning following the assault I was taken to St. Marys ER. According to the St. Mary’s Hosptial Records as was told to someone I appointed as power attorney for the purpose of obtaining record: Inmate Jose G. Garcia #119870 was never treated, or evaluated at the hospital on the day in question.

F.Y.I. I still have not heard from the Civil Liberties Union Washington D.C., USA, or AZCLU. Special investigator Ronald Garcia has forwarded my case to the above legal organization who specialize in cases like mine. Special investigator Ronald Garcia has informed me to be patient. At first I was frustrated, and disappointed, then I realized that the world does not revolve around me. It’s easy to get caught up in the cliché: “As long as there is movement, the game continues.”

Of course what has happened to me is not a game. I’d like to that all the Mr. Ronald Garcia types out there in society, who are not seeking material rewards. Whos compensation is knowledge – and the occasional satisfaction of righting a wrong.

Till paper, and pen meet again.