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Oswaldo Bonilla served time in USP Coleman 1 before his recent transfer to McDowell FCI in West Virginia. Bonilla faced egregious assault and continued neglect in the aftermath at Coleman. On his birthday, February 17th, 2022, Mr. Bonilla returned with a cup of hot water to his housing unit. Recreational Officer M. Truche approached Mr. Bonilla and hit the cup out of his hand. Truche proceeded to escort Mr. Bonilla to his cell forcibly. Truche then attempted to force him to the ground, using his body to shove Mr. Bonilla. Suddenly, Officer Truche fell to the ground. Mr. Bonilla began backing up with his hands in the air. Getting back to his feet, Officer Truche pulled out an expandable baton and started beating Mr. Bonilla over and over just above his right knee, using extreme, violent force. The entire incident was recorded on video.
After Mr. Bonilla was beaten, USP Coleman found the officer guilty of using excessive force. USP Coleman removed Truche but failed to provide adequate care to Mr. Bonilla, who was facing emotional and physical injuries. Mr. Bonilla was prescribed three different medications by the doctor, one of which he had a bad reaction to. He reached out with his complaint, following up that he had no improvement on his injury. The doctor ignored and neglected Mr. Bonilla and continued to suffer in silence. He contacted the USP Coleman psychology department, but he was ignored again. Mr. Bonilla then attempted to request multiple administrative remedies, in which he cited his abuse by Truche and continued neglect from the doctor and the psychology department. He never heard back from anyone at USP Coleman, and no behaviors changed.
Two years later, Mr. Bonilla is still challenged by the effects of Truche's assault. Without the proper medication and attention to his medical needs, his injury has not healed correctly, and he endures pain daily. Due to the abuse, Mr. Bonilla endures extreme anxiety and terrible nightmares and is deeply triggered by the sound of a prison guard's keys. The extreme trauma from Truche's brutal and unprompted attack, only worsened by the neglect he encountered afterward, only piles upon the suffering Mr. Bonilla faces being a survivor of the U.S. carceral system.
McDowell FCI's disregard and neglect in addressing the prolonged suffering of Mr. Bonilla has deprived him of his humanity. No human should suffer years of pain as a result of an arbitrary and brutal attack by a correctional officer and the subsequent ignorance from those who are their only source of reprieve. Each tier failed Mr. Bonilla. The guard-on-prisoner assault has become so common that residual injuries from assault no longer raise appropriate concerns. Without the proper care, Mr. Bonilla's injury has the potential to become a permanent disability. Every day, Mr. Bonilla is reminded physically and emotionally of the traumatic experience he faced and the pain that follows. His life is irrevocably changed.
The physical neglect Mr. Bonilla faced does not encapsulate the extent of this human rights violation. His suffering extends into his mental well-being. Mr. Bonilla, like all other victims of abuse, needs years of psychological treatment to sort through the trauma. Why is Oswaldo any different? Why should he be denied? Mr. Bonilla now feels the torment of hopelessness and the loneliness of trying to recover from his abuse without the resources he is entitled to. USP Coleman is a deplorable institution that treats their inhabitants like fractions of human beings. The Remedy Project calls on you to join us in our fight for the human rights of Mr. Bonilla and all incarcerated people nationwide.
Oswaldo Bonilla served time in USP Coleman 1 before his recent transfer to McDowell FCI in West Virginia. Bonilla faced egregious assault and continued neglect in the aftermath at Coleman. On his birthday, February 17th, 2022, Mr. Bonilla returned with a cup of hot water to his housing unit. Recreational Officer M. Truche approached Mr. Bonilla and hit the cup out of his hand. Truche proceeded to escort Mr. Bonilla to his cell forcibly. Truche then attempted to force him to the ground, using his body to shove Mr. Bonilla. Suddenly, Officer Truche fell to the ground. Mr. Bonilla began backing up with his hands in the air. Getting back to his feet, Officer Truche pulled out an expandable baton and started beating Mr. Bonilla over and over just above his right knee, using extreme, violent force. The entire incident was recorded on video.
After Mr. Bonilla was beaten, USP Coleman found the officer guilty of using excessive force. USP Coleman removed Truche but failed to provide adequate care to Mr. Bonilla, who was facing emotional and physical injuries. Mr. Bonilla was prescribed three different medications by the doctor, one of which he had a bad reaction to. He reached out with his complaint, following up that he had no improvement on his injury. The doctor ignored and neglected Mr. Bonilla and continued to suffer in silence. He contacted the USP Coleman psychology department, but he was ignored again. Mr. Bonilla then attempted to request multiple administrative remedies, in which he cited his abuse by Truche and continued neglect from the doctor and the psychology department. He never heard back from anyone at USP Coleman, and no behaviors changed.
Two years later, Mr. Bonilla is still challenged by the effects of Truche's assault. Without the proper medication and attention to his medical needs, his injury has not healed correctly, and he endures pain daily. Due to the abuse, Mr. Bonilla endures extreme anxiety and terrible nightmares and is deeply triggered by the sound of a prison guard's keys. The extreme trauma from Truche's brutal and unprompted attack, only worsened by the neglect he encountered afterward, only piles upon the suffering Mr. Bonilla faces being a survivor of the U.S. carceral system.
McDowell FCI's disregard and neglect in addressing the prolonged suffering of Mr. Bonilla has deprived him of his humanity. No human should suffer years of pain as a result of an arbitrary and brutal attack by a correctional officer and the subsequent ignorance from those who are their only source of reprieve. Each tier failed Mr. Bonilla. The guard-on-prisoner assault has become so common that residual injuries from assault no longer raise appropriate concerns. Without the proper care, Mr. Bonilla's injury has the potential to become a permanent disability. Every day, Mr. Bonilla is reminded physically and emotionally of the traumatic experience he faced and the pain that follows. His life is irrevocably changed.
The physical neglect Mr. Bonilla faced does not encapsulate the extent of this human rights violation. His suffering extends into his mental well-being. Mr. Bonilla, like all other victims of abuse, needs years of psychological treatment to sort through the trauma. Why is Oswaldo any different? Why should he be denied? Mr. Bonilla now feels the torment of hopelessness and the loneliness of trying to recover from his abuse without the resources he is entitled to. USP Coleman is a deplorable institution that treats their inhabitants like fractions of human beings. The Remedy Project calls on you to join us in our fight for the human rights of Mr. Bonilla and all incarcerated people nationwide.
