MISSISSIPPI: Inmate: Death row conditions 'torture'---Water, sewer, medical problems detailed at hearing

During testimony Thursday, death row inmate William Holly said he knows he is not on Unit 32 at Mississippi State Penitentiary to be made comfortable, "but I didn't know it involved torture."

 Holly testified in the 1st day of a hearing on a lawsuit by 6 inmates and the American Civil Liberties Union against the Mississippi Department of Corrections.

 The suit alleges that MDOC officials have knowingly subjected death row inmates to inhumane conditions leading to pain, suffering and mental instability and violated their constitutional rights.

 Testimony will continue today.

 Holly, testifying before Magistrate Jerry Davis, said he has received inadequate treatment for depression and anxiety caused by conditions during his 10 years of his incarceration.

 "There is the filth, with feces bubbling up in my toilet when those next to me flush their toilet," said Holly, 28.

 Expert witness James J. Balsimo said MDOC has made improvements since his 1st visit to Unit 32 in August. However, a visit Tuesday revealed more needs to be done, he said.

 He testified that insects, filth, lack of water and showers, high temperatures and a lack of fans are among the shortcomings.

 He also criticized the absence of a maintenance schedule to prevent water and sewer failures. Balsimo said the lack of a maintenance plan was evident when Unit 32 was without water and sewer for almost a week in June 2002.

 "They gave inmates a small cup of water only with their meals, they took no showers and flushed the toilets only once a day," Balsimo said.

 "That puts inmates and corrections officers and those with medical conditions at extreme risk and is totally unacceptable."

 Leonard Vincent, general counsel for MDOC, said improvements at Unit 32 have come because of compliance efforts for American Corrections Association accreditation, which was recently earned.

 Vincent displayed a certificate that says Unit 32's fire alarm and sprinkler system are certified.

 Dennis Burke, appointed in December as a facilities engineer and construction manager at Parchman, said the broken toilets have been fixed.

 "It was a matter of calibrating the flow of water," Burke said. "It is like running a gallon or 5 gallons through them with a flush. Too mush water forces the wastes up in other toilets."

 Balsimo, Holly and inmate Richard Jordan, who testified by closed-circuit television, said Unit 32 is cleaner today because of ACLU inspections.

 "It's cleaner now because the inspection was coming," Holly said.

 Jordan and Holly both testified that inmates have arrived able to communicate but now suffer mental disorders.

 Holly said that the inmates in the cell next to him are so deranged and make so much noise it is like being in a day-care center with "2 older, unruly children."

 "I am not getting adequate treatment, and my medicines aren't working and I often don't get them," Holly said. "I don't see any reason I won't continue to slip."