Content Warning: sexual violence
Confinement in the Special Housing Unit – the ‘jail within a prison’ – is not coveted: also known as solitary confinement or “the hole”, the physical and mental isolation you experience there can be incredibly damaging to your health and sanity. So, the fact that Tramell Young voluntarily checked himself into the SHU for safety reasons is a testament to all of the sexual violence, racial discrimination, and emotional abuse he has been subjected to while in prison.
In July 2023, Mr. Young was warned by prison staff that he would not last long in his cell because of threats that his new cellmate would rape him. Multiple times, Mr. Young begged the staff at USP Beaumont to transfer him to another cell. And multiple times, his pleas were disregarded. There has been a disgusting display of apathy from corrections officers at USP Beaumont, ranging from cruel indifference to a complete mockery of Tramell Young’s concerns of being threatened with rape by his cellmate. How exactly did one corrections officer respond to Mr. Young’s fears?
“Just let it happen.”
Instead of taking Mr. Young’s concerns seriously, the prison staff told him to be prepared not only for sexual violence from his cellmate, but physical violence as well. Not wanting to be sexually violated or forced to fight other incarcerated people, Mr. Young checked himself into the Special Housing Unit. He had hoped to find security in the Special Housing Unit, but his situation only worsened. Upon arriving in the SHU, Tramell Young found himself being subjected to further harassment – all at the hands of staff members.
Despite his best efforts to avoid physical violence, corrections officers forced Mr. Young to fight his new cellmate. The prison staff locked the two of them in a cell and ordered Mr. Young’s cellmate to “knock him out.” Mr. Young was still handcuffed at this point, though his cellmate was not. Then came the next order: “rip his pants off.” A clear form of sexual harassment, yet the corrections officers continued to laugh through it all. The harassment continued as the staff maced the cell and proceeded to shoot Mr. Young with a paintball gun.
In another instance of mistreatment, Mr. Young had his entire body restrained. When it was time to eat, he was told to “figure it out.” Then, staff members watched in amusement as he struggled to grab his food with his mouth alone. This act is humiliating and dehumanizing, and it is clear that the corrections officers at USP Beaumont view incarcerated individuals as animals rather than human beings, even going as far as to call Mr. Young the racist term “monkey.”
Mr. Young has told us about multiple other occasions in which the staff subjected him to physical and sexual harassment; in one case, corrections officers handcuffed him and forcefully pushed his wrists in abnormal directions, physically punishing him for no reason whatsoever. Despite being unable to move his hands due to the restraints, the staff accused him of resisting them. Then, they slammed him to the ground, and Lieutenant Elliot ripped off Mr. Young’s pants to make sexually inappropriate remarks about his body.
These are not the first violation of human rights experienced by Tramell Young or anyone at USP Beaumont – Mr. Young opened up about witnessing the abuse of another incarcerated person: one night, he heard grunts and screams for hours – the noises of someone being raped – before he heard the sound of a body bag being dragged against the ground. The staff is responsible for the safety and security of all incarcerated persons under their watch, and they must be held accountable for their wrongful actions.
It is heartbreaking to see the heinous conditions present in our federal prisons. Every single day, Mr. Young is living under the threat of sexual and physical assault, and he consequently suffers from mental and physical stress that puts him in a constant state of fear.
We must act immediately to address the situation Mr. Young is experiencing and will continue to experience without our intervention. The Remedy Project will fight for Tramell Young and for everyone who finds themselves stripped of their humanity and rights by officials of the justice system, and we will fight against the culture that allows this type of abuse to run rampant and without recourse. Tramell Young has the right to not be subjected to cruel and unusual punishment. The administration at USP Beaumont does not have the right to subject Mr. Young or any incarcerated person to sexual, physical, or emotional abuse.
It is already incredibly difficult and dangerous for someone to speak up about the conditions they experience in prison – especially issues pertaining to sexual assault – and it is even more difficult to speak up about abuse experienced at the hands of guards. The only hope of relief that Tramell Young has is with outside help and support, so it is essential that people listen, share his story, and demand that he be treated differently.
Join us in demanding justice for Tramell Young, which includes conducting a full investigation against all lieutenants and officers involved in the inhumane acts committed against Mr. Young. We are requesting your support so that Mr. Young will be transferred to another facility for his safety, and that USP Beaumont staff will be disciplined for their deliberate threats towards the safety of Mr. Young.
Content Warning: sexual violence
Confinement in the Special Housing Unit – the ‘jail within a prison’ – is not coveted: also known as solitary confinement or “the hole”, the physical and mental isolation you experience there can be incredibly damaging to your health and sanity. So, the fact that Tramell Young voluntarily checked himself into the SHU for safety reasons is a testament to all of the sexual violence, racial discrimination, and emotional abuse he has been subjected to while in prison.
In July 2023, Mr. Young was warned by prison staff that he would not last long in his cell because of threats that his new cellmate would rape him. Multiple times, Mr. Young begged the staff at USP Beaumont to transfer him to another cell. And multiple times, his pleas were disregarded. There has been a disgusting display of apathy from corrections officers at USP Beaumont, ranging from cruel indifference to a complete mockery of Tramell Young’s concerns of being threatened with rape by his cellmate. How exactly did one corrections officer respond to Mr. Young’s fears?
“Just let it happen.”
Instead of taking Mr. Young’s concerns seriously, the prison staff told him to be prepared not only for sexual violence from his cellmate, but physical violence as well. Not wanting to be sexually violated or forced to fight other incarcerated people, Mr. Young checked himself into the Special Housing Unit. He had hoped to find security in the Special Housing Unit, but his situation only worsened. Upon arriving in the SHU, Tramell Young found himself being subjected to further harassment – all at the hands of staff members.
Despite his best efforts to avoid physical violence, corrections officers forced Mr. Young to fight his new cellmate. The prison staff locked the two of them in a cell and ordered Mr. Young’s cellmate to “knock him out.” Mr. Young was still handcuffed at this point, though his cellmate was not. Then came the next order: “rip his pants off.” A clear form of sexual harassment, yet the corrections officers continued to laugh through it all. The harassment continued as the staff maced the cell and proceeded to shoot Mr. Young with a paintball gun.
In another instance of mistreatment, Mr. Young had his entire body restrained. When it was time to eat, he was told to “figure it out.” Then, staff members watched in amusement as he struggled to grab his food with his mouth alone. This act is humiliating and dehumanizing, and it is clear that the corrections officers at USP Beaumont view incarcerated individuals as animals rather than human beings, even going as far as to call Mr. Young the racist term “monkey.”
Mr. Young has told us about multiple other occasions in which the staff subjected him to physical and sexual harassment; in one case, corrections officers handcuffed him and forcefully pushed his wrists in abnormal directions, physically punishing him for no reason whatsoever. Despite being unable to move his hands due to the restraints, the staff accused him of resisting them. Then, they slammed him to the ground, and Lieutenant Elliot ripped off Mr. Young’s pants to make sexually inappropriate remarks about his body.
These are not the first violation of human rights experienced by Tramell Young or anyone at USP Beaumont – Mr. Young opened up about witnessing the abuse of another incarcerated person: one night, he heard grunts and screams for hours – the noises of someone being raped – before he heard the sound of a body bag being dragged against the ground. The staff is responsible for the safety and security of all incarcerated persons under their watch, and they must be held accountable for their wrongful actions.
It is heartbreaking to see the heinous conditions present in our federal prisons. Every single day, Mr. Young is living under the threat of sexual and physical assault, and he consequently suffers from mental and physical stress that puts him in a constant state of fear.
We must act immediately to address the situation Mr. Young is experiencing and will continue to experience without our intervention. The Remedy Project will fight for Tramell Young and for everyone who finds themselves stripped of their humanity and rights by officials of the justice system, and we will fight against the culture that allows this type of abuse to run rampant and without recourse. Tramell Young has the right to not be subjected to cruel and unusual punishment. The administration at USP Beaumont does not have the right to subject Mr. Young or any incarcerated person to sexual, physical, or emotional abuse.
It is already incredibly difficult and dangerous for someone to speak up about the conditions they experience in prison – especially issues pertaining to sexual assault – and it is even more difficult to speak up about abuse experienced at the hands of guards. The only hope of relief that Tramell Young has is with outside help and support, so it is essential that people listen, share his story, and demand that he be treated differently.
Join us in demanding justice for Tramell Young, which includes conducting a full investigation against all lieutenants and officers involved in the inhumane acts committed against Mr. Young. We are requesting your support so that Mr. Young will be transferred to another facility for his safety, and that USP Beaumont staff will be disciplined for their deliberate threats towards the safety of Mr. Young.
