Without exception, mainline prisoners find brief stays in San Quentin’s South Block Administrative Segregation Unit, “The Hole,” are deplorable.
With a large population of North Block prisoners doing life sentences, on occasion a prisoner may find himself in trouble and sent to Carson Section, where The Hole is located, until staff resolves the situation that got him there.
The resounding word that is echoed by prisoners who return from The Hole is how inexcusable the conditions are. Terry Burton, 49, is a prisoner serving 30 years-to-life under California Three Strikes law and incarcerated since 1998. He recently found himself sitting in The Hole for 30 days after being involved in mutual combat. Upon his release, Burton said, “When I was put into the cell it was despicable. There was no ventilation, there was dirt, hairballs, and the bars were all sticky. The mattress was completely ripped up and shredded, the lights didn’t work properly and I never could get them to fix them. I couldn’t even begin to think that staff thought this cell was livable.”
Burton described his arrival in The Hole as complete depravation and said he found it very deflating and depressing. “It felt like being arrested again, like being knocked down,” he said, “My self-worth and self-esteem seemed to go down; it was a very oppressive place.”
Burton was ultimately found not guilty of any rule violations and returned to North Block to resume his normal program.
Alfred “Skip” Fernandes, 55, incarcerated since 1982 on a 16-to-life second degree murder conviction, recently spent 30 days in The Hole. Fernandez said, “The whole time that I was in The Hole I only got one sheet exchanged. Half the time we were supposed to get showers, they got canceled due to a shortage of staff and only one time was a book exchange done. I think it’s degrading the way we are being denied the most basic of rights.”
The administration cleared him of any wrongdoing and sent him back to North Block.
McKinley “Mac” Dupree, 66, a three-striker serving 40 years-to-life, spent seven months in The Hole. He said, “The cell was very dirty; the whole time I was there I couldn’t get any cleaning supplies. I didn’t get a spoon for two days and I was never given a cup to drink with. I only got tooth-powder and a replacement toothbrush two times in the seven months that I was in there. There never was a librarian or a CO that did book exchange, which forced prisoners to ‘fish’ outside the bottom of their cell doors just so we could read a book. I was wanting to speak to a chaplain, but not once did one ever come by.”
Sgt. D. Kilmer, a correctional officer since 1988, is the third watch sergeant in charge of The Hole in Carson Section since January 2008. Kilmer said, “The Enhanced Out Patient (EOP) prisoners need constant care, and it is a constant challenge. San Quentin would be better served if they were at an institution designed specifically to deal with their problems if they were in a hospital it would serve them better.”
When asked about prisoners not receiving supplies and services, Kilmer said that supplies and services are provided to the inmate, if any inmate needs something, all he has to do is ask the tier officer. Kilmer said, “Prior to placing an inmate in a cell the tier officer signs off on the cell file that the lights, toilet, sink, and mattress are all in good order, and the cell is contraband free.” Asked about prisoners complaints about lights not working in the cells, Kilmer said, “The maintenance repair on lights could be better.”
Eugene Pena, 52, a lifer has been incarcerated since 1991. He spent 31 days in The Hole.
Pena said, “I couldn’t get anything from the tier officer, I asked and asked but they ignored me. I couldn’t get a Title 15 (rules book), a writing pen, a spoon, cleaning supplies of any kind, a toothbrush, I mean, nothing.”
Prisoners have told staff and other prisoners of the filthy conditions of the cells, and some incarcerated have returned to North Block with staph infections.
Burton suggested that a way to improve conditions in The Hole is by having “fish kits” issued that contain the legally bare necessities for prisoners in The Hole: toilet paper, soap, toothbrush, tooth powder, eating utensil, cup, writing pen, paper, five indigent envelopes, cleaning powder, two bed sheets, a blanket, a book, earplugs and, if needed, reading glasses.
Additionally, prisoners who have been to The Hole say that all cells need to be inspected to make sure the mattress is in good condition, not ripped open and they are clean and sanitary. The prisoners should not be placed in any cell when the lights, toilet or sink is not working properly.
While most lifer prisoners rarely find themselves in The Hole, prisoners who come back from there describe it as taking one giant leap backward in their programs.
One inmate said, “If you ever go there, you won’t ever want to go back. It is nasty.”
