On November 2nd, 2024, John Stuart Dowell reported to his cell for count at FCI Petersburg as usual. During a count, prisoners are instructed to return from work assignments, the yard, or the mess hall to stand outside their designated cell and prepare to be counted by an officer. However, this count did not go as usual. After the count was done, Dowell noticed his cell was locked from the outside. He asked Officer O’Connell, who was in charge of the count, to unlock his cell door, and he refused without any explanation. Only Dowell had his cell locked after the count.
Dowell insisted that he needed to use the bathroom in his cell. After an hour of waiting, Officer O’Connell ignored the request and continued to chat with other officers for three more hours. Desperate to use the bathroom, Dowell requested that he be allowed to see the Lieutenant, but was met with refusal again.
Three hours passed as he waited, and when Dowell returned to his cell to see if the cell was opened, he found his room torn up in a way he had never seen before in his 13 years of incarceration. Officer O’Connell took everything, including his necessary comfort items like family photos. Officer O'Connell told Dowell’s cellmate that the delay in unlocking their cell was due to Dowell’s “complaint”, which was simply a request to have his cell door opened - a clear and straightforward task for Officer O’Connell to complete. Labeling this as a complaint shows the officer’s dismissal and treatment of the incarcerated. Officer O’Connell openly admits his delay was an intentional retaliation against Dowell.
“He’s a mean, childish kid, and he’s dangerous.” - Dowell about Officer O’Connell.
It’s astonishing that a simple task such as opening a cell door and using the bathroom requires pleading. This is human nature and a human rights issue. When was the last time you had to wait for someone else to open the door to your own personal place, and did it take three hours to do so? Officer O'Connell denied Dowell a meeting with the Lieutenant, who could have unlocked the door immediately.
This story doesn’t end with just Mr. Dowell. It’s a story that repeats across many prisons in America that intentionally disregard the humanity of those it confines. Officer O'Connell is not an anomaly, he was taught to treat incarcerated people as if they are animals. Hundreds of people write to The Remedy Project about their own stories of humiliation and fear, just like Dowell. These weren’t just complaints, but pains that have been inflicted that create lasting trauma for those serving time.
After these long battles of continuous complaints, including from The Remedy Project, Officer O’Connell was finally fired from his position. But this victory is the bare minimum the system has done. Officer O’Connell can simply move to another prison and continue the cycle of disregarding incarcerated people’s humanity, refusing simple tasks, abusing his authority, and creating trauma that prevents people from rebuilding their lives.
We call attention to Officer O’Connell’s actions as a broader culture of retaliation and abuse within the prison system. While he has already been reprimanded, this story shows the urgent need for systemic change to address and prevent such misconduct. Your support is crucial—please share this story and take action on behalf of our other members.
On November 2nd, 2024, John Stuart Dowell reported to his cell for count at FCI Petersburg as usual. During a count, prisoners are instructed to return from work assignments, the yard, or the mess hall to stand outside their designated cell and prepare to be counted by an officer. However, this count did not go as usual. After the count was done, Dowell noticed his cell was locked from the outside. He asked Officer O’Connell, who was in charge of the count, to unlock his cell door, and he refused without any explanation. Only Dowell had his cell locked after the count.
Dowell insisted that he needed to use the bathroom in his cell. After an hour of waiting, Officer O’Connell ignored the request and continued to chat with other officers for three more hours. Desperate to use the bathroom, Dowell requested that he be allowed to see the Lieutenant, but was met with refusal again.
Three hours passed as he waited, and when Dowell returned to his cell to see if the cell was opened, he found his room torn up in a way he had never seen before in his 13 years of incarceration. Officer O’Connell took everything, including his necessary comfort items like family photos. Officer O'Connell told Dowell’s cellmate that the delay in unlocking their cell was due to Dowell’s “complaint”, which was simply a request to have his cell door opened - a clear and straightforward task for Officer O’Connell to complete. Labeling this as a complaint shows the officer’s dismissal and treatment of the incarcerated. Officer O’Connell openly admits his delay was an intentional retaliation against Dowell.
“He’s a mean, childish kid, and he’s dangerous.” - Dowell about Officer O’Connell.
It’s astonishing that a simple task such as opening a cell door and using the bathroom requires pleading. This is human nature and a human rights issue. When was the last time you had to wait for someone else to open the door to your own personal place, and did it take three hours to do so? Officer O'Connell denied Dowell a meeting with the Lieutenant, who could have unlocked the door immediately.
This story doesn’t end with just Mr. Dowell. It’s a story that repeats across many prisons in America that intentionally disregard the humanity of those it confines. Officer O'Connell is not an anomaly, he was taught to treat incarcerated people as if they are animals. Hundreds of people write to The Remedy Project about their own stories of humiliation and fear, just like Dowell. These weren’t just complaints, but pains that have been inflicted that create lasting trauma for those serving time.
After these long battles of continuous complaints, including from The Remedy Project, Officer O’Connell was finally fired from his position. But this victory is the bare minimum the system has done. Officer O’Connell can simply move to another prison and continue the cycle of disregarding incarcerated people’s humanity, refusing simple tasks, abusing his authority, and creating trauma that prevents people from rebuilding their lives.
We call attention to Officer O’Connell’s actions as a broader culture of retaliation and abuse within the prison system. While he has already been reprimanded, this story shows the urgent need for systemic change to address and prevent such misconduct. Your support is crucial—please share this story and take action on behalf of our other members.
