Transcript:
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Dave Fallon: Over the past three months, four inmates have died at the ACI in Cranston. Advocates for criminal justice reform have written a letter to the Rhode Island Department of Corrections calling for an independent investigation into those fatalities, along with a series of inmate suicides that happened at the ACI last year. One of the signatories of that letter is Melonie Perez. She represents the advocacy group, Direct Action for Rights and Equality, and joins us now on the Public’s Radio. Melonie, thanks so much for joining us.
Melonie Perez: Thank you for having me.
Fallon: Is it unusual to see that many fatalities, four fatalities right away in a state correctional system, especially in a smaller system like Rhode Island?
Perez: We believe so. Last year, there were seven or eight deaths within the whole year, and now within three months, there have been four deaths. So we believe there is definitely a need for concern and a spotlight on what could be happening behind those walls.
Fallon: Now, in a statement released by the Department of Corrections, they said all of these deaths are under a “normal” investigation by Rhode Island State Police. Do you see a problem with that? Because you and the other advocate groups are calling for an independent investigation.
Perez: Yes. Because every time these investigations happen there’s no one being held accountable for these deaths that were preventable. The state police give very little information to the families of those that have departed. There are even cases open from 2017 that are still in the investigation stage. So somebody’s not doing their job and there’s no actual accountability being had for these deaths. Maybe the state police is covering for the Department of Corrections or is not conducting the investigations properly, because it’s taking way too long and there are no outcomes that we know of.
Fallon: What kind of policy additions by the Corrections Department would you advocate? What kind of procedures should be established that might prevent similar deaths?
Perez: The response time from them getting to the actual inmate is way too long and there needs to be some policy change on how to get to them, what type of medicines that they would be able to receive or what type of treatment they would be able to receive so that they can get the treatment more effectively and in a timely manner. I also believe there needs to be some oversight in the Department of Corrections, an external oversight, like maybe a community [member] or an ombudsman; a community member looking to make sure that the policies and procedures are being followed at the Department of Corrections properly, because there are many things behind the scenes that don’t get followed, like correctional officers leaving their posts and correctional officers dehumanizing these human beings. So I just believe that there needs to be some sort of oversight that is external. That way, no one in there is covering up for anyone else.
Fallon: You’ve apparently talked with the families of the inmates who have died at the ACI. What can you tell me about their reactions, their feelings, beyond the obvious?
Perez: Yeah, so they’re very distraught, and they want answers. They want to understand why life-saving methods weren’t given, even though it says on the news that they were given immediately. The last male death, it took them nine minutes to start doing CPR. Nine minutes that he was on the floor.
Fallon: As we wrap up, I wanted to ask about your personal involvement in this. What led you to this personal activism?
Perez: So my son is incarcerated, and he’s gonna be in there for a while, so I need to make sure my son comes out of there alive. And I need to make sure that he is getting proper medical care. There’s only so much I can do for him out here. And I will fight for the entire time.
Fallon: Okay, we’ve been speaking with Melonie Perez, who represents the advocacy group Direct Action for Rights and Equality, or DARE. Melonie, thanks so much for speaking with us.
Perez: Thank you for having me.
