To: dean Stensberg, Edward Wall, The Wisconsin State House, and The Wisconsin State Senate
Plea for Treatment and Parole for Luis Ramirez
Luis Ramirez
D.O.C. #244212
Prison: WCI
This man has a tragic story that is all too common in our prisons today. He is now sitting in segregation, we believe facing criminal charges for stabbing a guard with a pencil. The guard was back at work the next day with no serious injuries. Luis' behavior was predictable: he is a product of years and years of solitary confinement and begging for treatment that never came. He was released from segregation and he says suffered much harassment from one guard. He filed a John Doe against the harassment but it was ignored. He does not remember the incident as he blacked out, something he does when under pressure. He is told he did the stabbing. We now know of several prisoners who have done what prisoners call “snapped out” because of endless segregation. Many prisoners first go to segregation because of a rule infraction Once there for a long period, they harm themselves and then the cycle begins: they get conduct reports for harming themselves and go on administrative confinement ( long term-A/C) ) and keep getting conduct reports and length of solitary confinements lengthen because of self harm incidents. Ramirez appears very sane in his writings and responds well to nurturing. He was instrumental in helping put together a report on segregation at CCI and gave very good advice for improvements that could be done without spending a dime. Solitary confinement in this case, we believe, caused his mental illness.
Luis Ramirez was sentenced in 1998 to 40 years in prison for armed robbery. No one was hurt. He was first eligible for parole in 2008 and has been denied because he has not completed programming. He is not allowed programming while on A/C although he begs for it.
This man is caught in a deadly trap. There needs to be a thorough investigation of the stabbing incident. Also, he needs to get out of the system and go to Mendota Mental health Clinic, which is well set up for actual treatment of Wisconsin prisoners. We believe he would probably do well if he were released on parole also, to get his programming in the community, because his “snapping out” is the result of the conditions he is kept in and we have seen other supposedly dangerously mentally ill people do fine back home, where there is nurturing and healthy structure. The prison’s solution just to entomb him longer is vicious.
Why is this important?
"Luis is a loving, kind and intelligent man. He has been through a lot and has made his share of mistakes. However, he really is trying to be rehabilitated so he may come home to his family. He and I are planning to marry and start a family once he is paroled and able. He is tired of the prison life, the criminal lifestyle and negative energy from prison administration, guards and other prisoners. He made a mistake but should not have to pay for it with his life. Many of us have made mistakes in life or done things we are ashamed of, the only difference between us and people who are incarcerated is they got caught. Please support this petition so Luis may get the help he needs to be a productive member of society and he can come home to his family."