#6Prisoner with Mental Illness Lock in Solitary Filth in Private Jail

http://solitarywatch.com/2011/04/21/prisoner-with-mental-illness-lives-in-solitary-filth-in-private-jail/

Prisoners of solitary confinement are on strict lock down during the times they are in cell blocks and on warnings. Even though they are unable to do most activities and have communication with anyone they still need to be fed,showered, and  daily exercise/ sunlight. It is inhuman to have a human in a dark cell block for months on end even if the prisoner does not want to move. Being in solitary confinement does not mean they have the right to choose to sit in the cell block because if they were in a normal regulated prison cell they would still be forced to shower and not ignored. The guards began to ignore Frank Horton at a privately run Nashville jail where he was denied health care, no showering, exercise, or leave his cell for nine months.Frank had been convicted on drug charges and was arrested and hailed on a nonviolent parole violation. His papers showed a history of mental illness including probable schizophrenia. He was put in solitary confinement after a fight with his inmate after his inmate said Frank was "hearing voices" and thought people were "trying to kill him". After time in solitary confinement Frank refused to leave his cell and the guards did not mind it. The guards would, "...go to Frank’s door, look in on Frank, Fran, you all right?…But, you know, at that point, I think as long as Frank moved, they kept moving; as long as he was living and breathing in that cell, they kept moving." For 9 months Frank struggled with his mental state and could not remain stable. The guards were unable to give him the attention and care he needed. He was let to suffer until  CCA employee Patrick Perry blew the whistle on his employer by reporting Horton’s conditions to the Metro Nashville Health Department, records show. Perry, according to the documents, was fired the same day. It sad to know only one man was willing to stick up for Frank and to know when a human being is being tortured by a mental illness that is eating them alive. The fact the Perry was fired is horrible because what he did was the right thing. Franks family continues to fight for him and his mental illness.