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Details on Dzokhar Tsarnaev's Solitary Confinement

RiaNovosti in Russia recently interviewed Devens Medical Center spokesman John Colautti about Dzokhar Tsarnaev's conditions of confinement.

Jahar is locked down 23 hours a day 5 days a week and 24 hours a day on weekends. He has no TV. He could listen to a walkman radio if he had $45 to buy it. His meals are brought to his cell. A book cart is brought by his cell a few days a week. He eats every meal alone in his cell. He gets three showers a week -- in his cell. He's not allowed contact with other prisons. Even if his injuries improve and he is moved to another facility, it's unlikely his living conditions will be any different -- he'll be deemed to be a "celebrity" inmate who needs to be segregated from general population. This could easily go on for a year.

The only people he sees besides medical staff are his lawyers, and they are 30 miles away. He still can't have visitors because it takes a while. He has to submit the names of visitors -- they have to be people he knew before being arrested -- and then a thorough background check is done on them.

His cell is about 10 feet by 10 feet and contains only a bed bolted to the floor, a sink and a toilet. When he is taken out for exercise, he is shackled at the hands and feet by two guards, and brought to a cage type place outdoors where he can exercise. If weather is inclement, there's an indoor room where he could exercise alone. If the prison gets put on lockdown, or staff is short (e.g. from furloughs), he doesn't get to go.

More details here.

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    So sad nobody has bothered to comment on this. (none / 0) (#1)
    by gbrbsb on Sun May 12, 2013 at 03:27:36 PM EST
    I expect I will be accused of being a total softie, an idealist, a stupid lefty, but i find myself overwhelmed by the fact that such a young apparently "good" lad (he was a voluntary mentor to learning disabled adults and my partner has two sons with severe learning disabilities) finds himself in such an inhumane detention.

    I mean, where is his possibility of redemption in all of this? His opportunity for repentance and in consequently forgiveness if not by himself by others? I am an atheist, but I was brought up a Christian being taught that christianity was all about forgiveness, (forgive thine enemies), and turning the other cheek, (do as thy would be done by), and never ever about revenge, cruelty or hatred.

    I freely admit I have difficulty assimilating that such a young US nurtured lad was so corroded by hate against the West that he chose to bomb innocent people, that is unless he is a psycho, or suffering another mental state which accounts for his alleged participation in the Boston bombings. I find it difficult to associate what for all intents and purposes appears to have been a very "normal" happy young lad with the wanton destruction of innocent people and it disturbs me profoundly.

    I don't know the solution for changing those that decide to wrong others out of hatred and revenge into law abiding caring citizens but there must be a better way than inhumane prison conditions, but maybe that way should at least include no more drones, no more Guantanamo, and a once and for all just solution for the Palestinian problem whether the pro Israeli lobbies like it or not.

    Cruel (none / 0) (#12)
    by Donna1220 on Mon May 13, 2013 at 03:23:50 AM EST
    Not to be read his Miranda rights after the request was made 3 times for a lawyer  .  A serious ill person being question for 16 hours ! As the rest of the world watched us do this to him  . No one knowing how they got any information from him . Did they hold back the pain medication from him ? Then for them to come back with a confession ? I thought all they  were suppose to find out if we were in danger from another attack . They said they didn't have to read him his Miranda rights but to break the justice system after he asked for a lawyer . When he asked for a lawyer that should have been the end of the questioning . What they learned they could have learned the same thing with a lawyer present . That is just breaking justice all together . I say this 19 year old's rights were broken in many ways and was treated cruelly then just being in a 10x -10x cell by himself . I thought Americans are suppose to stand for humanity . He was still just a suspect and for him to confess I would say he was forced and traumatize  . I wish I could just send him the 70.00 for a CD player . He is American citize