Update: As of late 3/30, Wayland has been released from solitary confinement. He is still being charged with organizing (which is a "crime" in prison) and has been hit with two disciplinary reports for which he may face consequences. Please fill out our contact form to get on our emergency mailing list if there is further retaliation.
Update 3/23, 11:47 AM
As of right now, Wayland is still in solitary and as you know has been refusing any water that is not bottled. He has gone 48 hours without clean water and is in grave danger.
We are asking supporters to please contact Governor Baker’s office, and put pressure on the executive branch, demanding intervention in the DOC’s handling of the water crisis and ensuring Wayland’s safety. Please let the Governor know that we will be in touch frequently until this issue is resolved.
CONTINUE CALLS TO GET WAYLAND OUT OF SOLITARY
Charlie Baker, Governor of Massachusetts: (617) 725-4005
and submit a comment through the mass.gov form here.
Fax Baker’s office at the State House: 617-725-4042
Washington, DC office here: (202) 624 – 7714
MCI Norfolk: 508-660-5900, extension 299 (operator) & ask for deputy superintendent office
Twitter: @MassGovernor, @CharlieBakerMA
Today is the third day Wayland will be on a hunger and water strike in solitary until he is released or provided with clean bottled water. We heard from him yesterday that officers at MCI-Norfolk used force and a chokehold on him while transporting him to solitary. We are now demanding, along with Wayland’s release, a full report of the use of force, including the names of the involved officers.
In 2013, prisoners at Pelican Bay went on hunger strike to protest solitary confinement. They have asked that on the 23rd of each month, people uplift the 23rd as a way to raise awareness about solitary and the 23+ hours people spend in solitary per day. Let’s uplift this today by flooding Governor Baker and MCI-Norfolk with calls, emails, and faxes. Nothing gets done until Wayland gets out!
**Sample script when calling the prison**
Hi, I am [name], and I am a loved one/family member/concerned citizen calling about Wayland Coleman. I am calling with the demand that he be released from solitary confinement and that the DOC documents all use of force, including officer names, in taking Wayland to solitary.
He is being punished for having bottled water in his cell while the prison continues to provide only toxic, discolored water to prisoners.In solitary, he is not allowed access to the canteen to purchase clean bottled water, risking his physical health on top of the mental and emotional fallout from solitary confinement. The DOC is retaliating against this man for exercising his basic rights to drink clean water!
We know that MCI-Norfolk officers used excessive force on Wayland to take him to solitary. We demand that this use of force be documented and the involved officers names be released. We also demand that you release Wayland from solitary immediately and until that time, provide him with 6 bottles per day of clean water to drink. Can you confirm this is being done?
[If it’s a message, leave your call back information]
OTHER NUMBERS TO CALL:
Thomas A. Turco III, Commissioner: (508) 422-3330
Fax: (508) 422-3385
Thomas.Turco@massmail.state.ma.us
Bruce I. Gelb, Deputy Commissioner: (508) 422-3495
Fax: (508) 422-3385
Bruce.Gelb@massmail.state.ma.us
Kevin Anahory, Director of Central Inmate Disciplinary Unit: (508) 660-5981
Christopher Langlois, Deputy Director: (508) 660-5990
