MADDCity Prison Diary

[maddcityprisondiary]

OFFICERS AT THE FEDERAL PRISON IN LEAVENWORTH PLAY YOUR PERSONAL CALLS OVER A SPEAKER FOR THE PUBLIC TO HEAR

By MaddCity Prison News

March 8, 2018

    Leavenworth, Kansas -- If you have a relative or friend who is currently being held inside of the United States Penitentiary located in Leavenworth, Kansas, be forewarned that your conversations may become subject to being shared with the public.  By "public" I'm referring to the member of the general prison population.     Every prisoner and person who a prisoner speaks with over the telephone realizes that their calls are subject to security policies.  Your conversations are not merely listened to, but they are also maintained within a digital archive.  But it's a prison in 2018 right?  So this should not be a complete surprise.  But what is taking place unbeknownst to most parties to these calls, especially within "free" society, is that certain officers monitor or listen to the recordings to these calls using a speaker that, at times, is played so loudly that prisoners locked within their rooms at night can hear what you and your loved ones are discussing.

     As recently as December of this past year, one Officer Rollins (though the actual name could be spelled differently) broadcasts your conversations over a speaker with seemingly no regard to the rights that you do have to a certain degree of personal privacy.  He's often described as simply being one hateful, angry individual.  Several months prior to this, it is told that Officer Rodney Folsof (who is believed to have been reassigned to other tasks due to unrelated abuses of authority or policy violations) played live conversations over a speaker during the day.  It has been suggested that this guy actually stood there making crass comments about these personal conversations to other prisoners inside of the unit.

    This is an unprecedented level of abuse and infringement of your personal privacy rights.  And only God knows what other risks these practices or abuses, which coincidentally may actually violate federal laws themselves, could be exposing you and your incarcerated loved ones to.     At some point, you can't just excuse this conduct as "Well, that's prison."  At some point, this violative conduct has to stop!  Do you really think it's fair that your personal conversations with your father should be made public simply because the administration constructively condones or encourages this type of inimical behavior?  Is it right for your personal and often momentary disagreements with your husband, boyfriend, or brother be ridiculed publicly by these officers and any trifling prisoner who cares to placate these officer's abhorrent behavior?  What about those moments where you quietly express loving sentiments?  You are aware that it may be monitored but it's not a part of the agreement for it to be broadcasted to the public simply because an officer has an issue with the prisoner or your relationship because he's a prisoner.     Realize that, in more case than not, it will not matter how loudly or how often  prisoners complain about this.  Most officers revere these men as subhuman anyway, despite the rights that they each have sworn to uphold under the United States Constitution.  The idea of that is laughable!  But this is also why these type of incidents are generally despised by prisoners but just as quickly disregarded.  It's because most understand that nothing will change unless someone outside of these prison walls gets involved.     If you don't complain on behalf of the prisoner, I challenge you to at least stand up for yourself.  It is YOUR right!

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P.S. A young man was found dead today.  It is said that he was somewhere between 22 and 23.  It is rumored that he hung himself.  Honestly, I’m not certain if any of us truly knows what happened.  In any event, remember that there are things that people are exposed to in here that far exceed roaches and rats in the cafeteria ("chow hall").  Cases of food that is claimed to read "Not for human consumption" or "For Institutional Use Only."  Who are we to warrant such "special" meals?  I'm just saying.  This is really happening!  But I'll leave that for another time...

[maddcityprisondiary]

THIS GUY IS REALLY CRAZY! Folsof Is Trying To Set Me Up

September 23, 2017

      Leavenworth, Kansas -- This guy Folsof just won't stop. I came back from the movie at approximately 9:15 AM, and Folsof had posted a sign that a lot of the others were reading.  I am used to him posting his typical racially charged articles and cartoons so I just kept walking.  But one of the guys stopped me and asked, "Did you see what Folsof put up. It's talking about 'checking paperwork.'"   Some people may request paperwork if they feel that a person has a questionable charge or background.  Anyway, I walked over and glanced at the paper.  They guy made it sound like it was something that I needed to look at. Before I could read the document, Folsof crassly announced, "Yes!  That is directed towards you!"  I said, "What?"  He then proceeded to tell me that he has allegedly had "3 people" that have told him that I'm "demanding" to check other people's paperwork when they move into the room.  Anyone who knows me would find this an incredibly foolish assertion.

    I immediately told him that I am not demanding to see people's paperwork.  Then he says, "Will if you are you need to stop it."  I told this idiot again, "I am not demanding to check people's paperwork.  I don't know what you are talking about."  He then replies again, "I'm not saying that you are.  But if you are, STOP IT!"  (He just told me that he was accusing me and now he's saying he isn't.  Which is it?) Recognizing that he was doing nothing but setting me up to get into trouble that I was not trying to sign up for, I simply walked off.

    Here's the reality:  Folsof placed this guy into the room with me to antagonize me.  Then HE began disclosing this guy's information to others in an attempt to gloat about what he'd done.  Yes, he's really sick like this!  He apparently was looking for me to react to what he'd done.  I have no idea what he expected, possibly for me to complain about the guy or move out completely.  Who knows what's going on inside of this psycho's head.  But, in short, I didn't.  This all took place Wednesday.  (See previous posts).  So when he saw that I had in fact done nothing, he put up this note because he's all too aware of what he'd done regarding the sharing of this guy's criminal history to the other prisoners.  Sounds crazy?!  Remember that his name is Officer Rodney Folsof.  That's crazy!

    I've personally overheard this guy talk about the backgrounds, the emails, and the personal telephone calls of other guys in the unit. Everyone has.  People have complained about it and the staff does nothing. A number of others have come to me to share what he has said at times about me.  The bottom line is that for some reason this guy is gunning for me. But while he is coming after me or sharing the information of others, he is simultaneously placing the lives of people who have questionable charges into mortal danger.  The wrong person getting wind of certain charges can get get a person seriously harmed or worse in this environment.  And when this information, whether true, exaggerated or false, comes from an officer, to many of these guys, it places a stamp of authenticity on the rumor.  Even though everyone KNOWS that the officers lie as much if not more than the prisoners, for some strange reason, they still accept whatever these people say.

    I write this, as I have mentioned in the past, to make certain that people know what is taking place inside of USP Leavenworth as well as other federal institutions just in case you have a loved one or friend inside of one of these places.  I also write because I have personally experienced how these officers can come after you once you are placed into their sights.  History has already proven that reporting this to the staff is typically a joke.  They appear to be willing to cover up for fools like this even if it results in the death of another human being who just happens to be incarcerated.

   So for the record, contrary to the malicious rumors that Folsof is attempting to use to cover up his own criminal actions, I do not "demand" people's paperwork.  Folsof, individually, put this guy's personal business out there for some petty reason. He is a liar, and he is being allowed to get away with it.  I'm fairly certain that Folsof thought that was really smart and cool when he attempted to set me up by placing this guy into the room with me.  And telling other about the guy was probably hilarious to his sick mind.  The sad part is that what Folsof is doing is not merely immoral and unprofessional, it's psychotic.  He is a danger to the staff and to the people within this facility.

    Contacting the staff is futile.  So I'll contact the Office of the Inspector General.  But even that has a tendency of being a waste of time.  These messages and the deadly problems that he may be causing are a joke to him.

    Later that same day, the guy whose criminal history Folsof politely spread around explained that Folsof called him to the front desk and asked if he wanted to move.  Before he could answer, Folsof told him, "Let me tell you something.  I know everything that goes on inside of 'my unit.'"  (Yes, as with many of the officers, he actually takes personal ownership of the dorm. But he's not alone.  There are officers who refer to the bricks surrounding the building and in the main corridor as "my bricks," or the taxpayer food that we are served as "my food."  It's strange.)  Folsof continued, "So I'll answer that for you.  If someone has a problem with you (meaning me) because they are asking about your paperwork then they (again, meaning me) can go back to A-3 (the unit that I was previously assigned) where they came from."  It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure Folsof's vacuous genius (that's called an oxymoron) out.

    The guy explained that he responded by simply saying, "Man, I have no idea what you are talking about."

    Folsof is said to have responded, "Well, if you want to move, let me know.  No one checks paperwork in here.  If you have a problem, let ME know."

    What this fool seems to fail to understand, or maybe he does, is that by publicly addressing this guy out in the open like this, someone who he himself seemingly exposed in the first place, he was actually bringing more attention to this guy's possibly questionable background.  Again, by Folsof taking a shot at me he further victimized this other guy, placing him further in harm's way.  The sick part about it all, Folsof does not care. We're two men of color, remember he had nowhere else to put him because he was black.  One of us he's clearly trying to attack; the other he's quietly trying to further expose to make me look like...whatever.  To him, he's probably killing to black or brown birds with one stone. The man is sick, and this is just sad.

[maddcityprisondiary]

A FEDERAL OFFICER'S ILLEGAL DISCLOSURE OF PRISONER'S INFORMATION CREATES A DEADLY SCENARIO BOP Officer Rodney Folsof Is Possibly Getting Away With Murder

September 22, 2017

      Leavenworth, Kansas -- So the guy that Folsof assigned to the room on Saturday for Monday, relocated to another room on Wednesday. Supposedly it was my fault if you listen to Officer Rodney Folsof.  Everyone that hears this finds it at the very least comical and at best just plain old ridiculous.  I'm one of the most laid back, just trying to finish my time out and go home dudes that you will come across in here.  Heck, I virtually live in the law library.  I'm never in the dorm.  Honestly, I was surprised when I was told that the guy was moving by someone else no less.  I had no idea.  So it would seem as if Folsof used someone with a potentially "extremely" questionable background to retaliate against me.  Before the day was out, he replaced the first guy with another guy with what sounded like major "issues."  This was his way of paying me back.

    But here's the beauty of Folsof's psychosis.  Shortly after placing the guy into the room with me, I guess that he wanted everyone to know what he had done.  Idiot.  Folsof appears to have gone around and purposely gloated to key loud mouths in the dorm about the guy's past that he had just thrown into the cell with me. Yes!  Here's Folsof AGAIN disclosing this man's adverse criminal history. This was Folsof's pathetic way of getting back at me.  I'm certain that he found this hilarious.  And by the time that I got back to the dorm from where else but the library, it seemed as if everyone new about this guy but me.  As I walked in I heard from several people, "You heard what Folsof is saying about your new cellie?"

    Okay.  Here's the danger in what this "Federal" officer did.  By disclosing this guy's background in a "prison" environment in his attempt to take a "shot" at me, Folsof consequently placed this guy's life in mortal danger.  Not by me of course.  While I may take issue with the past lives of some people, though we all have issues some more serious than others, my focus is getting home to my family. Period.  I wouldn't dare.  But whoever else at the facility who is certain to hear the news that Folsof put out there regarding this guy's prior charge and takes personal offense to it, they may want to take matters into their own hands.  They may not be as focused on going home as I am.  Oh, and by the way, I have not personally heard about anything being planned or from anyone planning to do anything to this man.  But I and especially Folsof deeply understand this culture.  You probably understand this culture if you have ever watched any prison movie. Folsof, a federal correctional officer, just put this man's life in jeopardy and the staff notoriously turns a blind eye.

    Here's the hard truth:  If this guy is harmed in any way, even if it isn't by Officer Folsof's own hand, it will be done as a result of Folsof's unprofessionalism and childlike vindictiveness.  Again, the institution may try to place the blame on the prison community, while covering up for their fellow officer.  But it's these types of absurdities that could get someone mortally wounded in this environment.

    Case and point, back around the early part of 2014, it is said that word got out about another individual.  It was suggested that this guy was a sex offender.  This guy was eventually killed.  Yes, killed, as in no longer breathing.  What's even sadder is that it turned out that the guy wasn't even a sex offender.  That information had simply been put out there.  And who do you suppose put got that flow of information going?  One of the guys who assaulted the deceased is said to have been sentenced to life imprisonment.  It is my understanding that not a single officer was charged or even seriously questioned other than providing a sanitized version of what happed minus any possible influence of the officers themselves.

   I realize that the staff will not do anything about people like this Officer Rodney Folsof.  If anything happens to this guy, blame should fall on the staff and this particular officer as much, if not even more than the likely oblivious individual inside of this place that may actually act on that news.

[maddcityprisondiary]

WHAT DO YOU EXPECT ME TO DO??? YOU”RE THE ONLY BLACK. The Beauty Of Bigotry In 2017

September 16, 2017

      Leavenworth, Kansas -- Now THIS is crazy! "You're the 'ONLY' black." And he actually had the audacity to say this in 2017.  Welcome to my world where it's January 1, 1967 every day.

    His name is Rodney Folsof, a federal prison officer at the United States Penitentiary located in Leavenworth, Kansas.  While I've written other pieces about this dude, this one possibly takes the cake.

    Other than Jim Carrey's character "Fire Marshal Bill" back in the early 1990's television show, "In Living Color," never in my life have I ever seen a more ridiculous individual who, by the way, is seemingly as racist as David Duke.  What makes me even more annoyed are those men of color in particular who actually "jeff" around for people like this clown just to get an extra piece of chicken.

    Folsof was attempting to move another person of color inside of the dorm.  He summoned me to speak with him.  When I approached his desk, he noted that he needed to place the guy into the room with me. He, with the grimmest, most horrific smile that I've ever seen in life, explained that he needed to move him in with me because "You are the only black with an available bunk."  He went on to say that "Look, everyone else is white...white...white," as he flipped through the pages of other individuals.  "I have to put him in with you.  There's no where else to put him."

    He went on further to explain that his supervisor had personally requested for him, old Rodney, to place him inside of the unit, which could very well be false because this guy appears to notoriously lie.  But you'd never know because every other officer from here to Bug Tussle would cover up for him.

    But it was the "you're the only black" thing that threw me for a loop.  And then he smiled, as if his grotesque, crooked grey teeth made everything better. He wasn't straight up calling me the "N-word" - you know that euphemism that Americans have seemed to adopt since O.J. to supposedly, I guess, lessen the blow.  Nope.  He never used the word in my face.  But underlining that subtle pseudo-politically correct exterior, Federal Officer Folsof appeared to clearly be saying "We can't have this nigga mixed up with better white prisoners," and that's a word that I personally NEVER employ.  But in this context, simply calling it the "N-word" would somehow give some people reason to feel as if that couldn't possibly be what he actually meant or, worse yet, he wasn't trying to be offensive.  But here's a newsflash:  Not saying the word doesn't make it any better, except for those who actually don't customarily use the word.  For those who do, trust me.  When the cameras go off and they don't believe there is anyone else around who may say anything, the "N-word" is NOT their word of choice. Oh it's "nigga, nigga, nigga!"

    For anyone who has been fortunate enough NOT to live in a federal prison, be thankful.  In prisons around the country, especially within Midwest America, blatant racism and segregation are so prevalent that you would swear you were caught in a time warp where every day was 1967 all over again.  Officers like this Folsof are openly able to demoralize and demean men as if the Constitution and American civil rights are just a cute proposal. True enough, there are those unwritten codes of course, which, by and large tend to be imbecilic for the most part. But it's this system that seems to be actively and intentionally perpetuating a part of American history that the country as a majority is trying to break away from.

    Watching a recorded concert of Dave Chappelle once, I remember him posing the question, "Have you ever seen something so racist that you couldn't even get mad?"  I'm paraphrasing of course, but when Folsof actually said, "You're the only black" and followed this up by counting off the "whites" on his list, I was in such shock that I couldn't even think of a good come back. My thinking was, "Did this dude really just say that?!"

    I'm a Gen-X American male from the southeastern region of the United States. I'm talking way below the Mason Dixie line.  And do you know that it's been years since even I have witnessed the level of divisiveness, segregation, discrimination, and blatant racism that I witness daily at this federal facility.  And the administration allows it to germinate like weeds choking all of the life out of anyone even attempting to think of people, regardless of the color of their skin or national origin, as just...well...people.

    A couple of weeks ago, this Officer Folsof posted behind the desk inside of a predominantly African American and Latino dormitory, a caricature of General Robert E. Lee, mocking the argument against tearing the statues of these popular bigots and separatists down.  This racist makes certain to print and post articles from the Internet about Latinos and African Americans who are arrested or, conversely, of white police officers who have been unfortunately harmed by, seemingly, African American or Latino people as if these are the only stories his version of Google is capable of retrieving.  (Question:  Is there a special version of Google for racists?)  But, ironically, he is remiss to post anything that is even remotely associated with the incessant deluge of murders committed regularly by predominantly white officers against American citizens.

    Folsof told me that "I'd rather hit you in the gut instead of in the back," meaning, I'm assuming, that he was trying to be upfront. So I guess I should have appreciated that, right?  Yeah, about as much as a bout of dysentery during your honeymoon.  The truth is that it appears Folsof spends more of his "paid" work day gossiping to other prisoner behind the back and about the lives of, who else, other prisoners.  In fact, it is said that he personally refers to me, behind my back no less, as a "wannabe intellectual," perhaps because I tend to encourage others or maybe because I have more than a 10-word vocabulary, as he possibly expects most people of color, mainly African Americans but also Latinos, to have.  Well here's the thing, as spoken by a true "wannabe intellectual",  when you pretend to be one way when your actions are clearly contrary, that is typically referred to as oxymoronic behavior MORON!

    Men inside of prisons don't always speak up because it would not fair well for them.  But what they can do is vent to their families, friends, and to anyone who may care to read!  They can share or expose the type of immoral and discriminatory practices that they are subjected to inside of these places, and name the officers who are responsible for the maltreatment.  They can express their opinions in writing as long as they do not make threats against staff.

    So since these people enjoy lying so much and misrepresenting intentions, allow me to make something crystal clear:  I do not have any intention of physically harming anyone. But I do have every intention of exposing the abject behavior that any federal officer may commit against another citizen or current resident of this country, imprisoned or free!

    Yes!  While they celebrate and bask in the beauty of bigotry, I will be certain to place on blast the ridiculous, sadistic, and racist actions and comments like those made by this psychotic Officer Folsof.  And by the way, my disclosing your insane behavior applies to the treatment of  "whites," Latinos, Asians, Christian and Muslim, and, dare I forget, the "blacks."  In reality, the very fact that guys like this are employed by our United States government is absurd.  But maybe that says something about the real intentions of our American government.