On May 11, we called on our volunteers, supporters, and sympathizers to phone and email Miami Correctional Facility administrators to demand an end to the cruel treatment of Kevin J. Taylor #87072. Over the following several days, our people responded to that call in at least the necessary numbers required to force the IDOC to take action.
On May 17, Taylor’s sister, Kim Gray, informed the Indianapolis Liberator she recently got off the phone with Kevin. “My brother sounded like he was in good spirits,” she said. The reason why?
The night before, two Correctional Captains spoke with Taylor. After introducing themselves, they asked him what happened. Taylor, a disabled Black man, told them how a nurse left him in scalding-hot water for so long that he is recovering from second-degree burns, how the unwrapped bandages were thrown onto the floor, how his thin bed sheets were stolen from him, about the denial of casts and immobilizers his body needs to reduce pain and inflammation, and more.
According to Gray, the Captains apologized for what happened and said it never should have happened. We are still waiting to see if they will be properly reprimanded and are, unfortunately, almost certain this won’t be the last of the cruelty he faces.
Gray was certain, however, that “the Liberation Center made some calls” that let them know “hey, all eyes on us.” More importantly, Gray told us going public with Taylor’s mistreatment started breaking a cycle of enforced silence.
Breaking a cycle of fear and silence
“For years,” she said, “we’ve been at this point where we’re afraid to say anything because we don’t want anything bad to happen to him.” It is precisely that understandable fear, however, that perpetuates and even emboldens the torturous conditions in prisons, jails, and detention centers in the U.S.
Gray’s fear stems from an incident where her brother was attacked by a racist inmate. After defending himself from and chasing off an attacker, a female guard entered Taylor’s cell and maced him. Vulnerable, a skinhead entered and stabbed Taylor. Nearly missing his spine, the skinhead left Taylor unable to move his legs.
Forging ties between those outside and inside of prison walls is the only way to start fighting back against the regular and well-documented history of torturous conditions in the IDOC. We want to thank Kevin, Kim, and the entire Gray and Taylor families for their bravery. We also want to express our sincere gratitude to every person who responded to the call for action, and who did so promptly.
Now, we can break the silence of inaction and passivity while our people on the inside are subjected to inhumane conditions.