Shawn: Use my story to help others

I am currently an inmate at the Milwaukee Secure Detention Facility (MSDF). I am writing you just to inform you of the atrocities I have experienced in the past week.

For a little over a month now I have been prescribed five different psychotic medications. All of which I am currently taking: 1) venlafaxine, 2) Prazosin, 3) Trazodone, 4) Citalopram, 5) Clonidine. This is my first time on any medication.

On 10/17/17 at or about 7:30 p.m. I took 5 mgs of Prazosin, 150 mgs of Trazodone and 3 mgs of clonidine. All of these medications are prescribed by psychiatrist Dr. [] and dispensed here at MSDF.

On 10/17/17 at or about 9:15 p.m., when it was time for standing count, I felt light-headed and very dizzy. I tried to lean up against the wall behind me but passed out completely. Totally blacked out and barely conscious. 15-20 minutes later I came to while be administered to by one of the nurses. My blood pressure was 60 over something. I can’t recall what the bottom number was.

The nurse made the necessary calls to get me to the hospital. When I got down to intake to get chained up I was still very dizzy. Got chained up and told Cpt. [ ] that one of the cuffs was cutting my circulation off, showed him it was making/cutting marks into my wrist, and it hadn’t even been on a minute. He stated that was protocol. I asked could he just loosen it a little. He said no. I also had leg shackles on and a chain around my waist. I told him, I’m not asking to have the cuff removed, just loosened a little. Again he replied, no. So I told him that if as a condition to receive medical treatment was to be shackled like  slave, then I’ll just go back to my cell and lie down.

The first department and ambulance were standing there waiting. After a long pause, he said, I had two options: 1) Go to the hospital as is or go to temporary lock-up (TLU). I replied, whichever is going to get these cuffs off the quickest. I guess TLU was the quickest.

Upon arriving at TLU I was stripped naked and given some cloak like gown to hide my private parts. Then they handcuffed a leather dog leash to me and I was led barefooted across the cold dirty concrete floor to a cell. I asked for clothes, a mattress, and something to cover up with. I was told that those “privileges” were now to be decided, to given to me by the security director and nursing staff. I have never ever stated to harm myself or anyone else.

Throughout the night, I was led by this dog leash, barefooted across a dirty cold concrete floor to a nurse station. Once in the cell, I urinated a few times on myself just to keep warm. Sometime during the middle of the night I was given a mattress, blanket, a sheet, and clothing. But each time the nurse wanted to check my vitals, I was put on the leash.

On 10/18/17, I was seen by Dr. []. My blood pressure was still low and he ordered that I be sent to the hospital. A different crew cuffed me after a nurse told them to be so tight was not necessary. I should have been at the hospital the day before.

Capt [ ] took it upon himself to inflict “protocol” upon a mentally ill patient. This behavior of his is not protocol it is injustice! I wasn’t misbehaving, being inappropriate, nor disrespectful. I wasn’t even written a conduct report. Yet I was treated like a slave!

Am I next on the list to have the “privilege” to die at hotel MSDF? Where you walk standing up on 2 (feet) but are carried out by 6 (men)?

Use my story to shed light on the continuous mistreatment of individuals incarcerated here. Thank you!