This letter was written by a person incarcerated at Pleasant Valley.
A friend of mine came out of his cell for a phone call, fell out, hitting the floor. The ambulance was summoned and he was gone. For the next four days, we slept most of the time. I’d awaken, scrub up the water, and fall back asleep.
The heat from the vent blasted into the water, making the cell seem like a sauna, hot and humid. My cellmate’s wheezing got worse and he continued not to eat. He was losing weight and I was eating and eating, gaining weight.
Finally, my cellmate was examined by medical staff, diagnosed with pneumonia, received medication and within hours was better and eating. A plumber came to the cell, said it beyond his ability to fix right away, recommended the cell be redlined, condemned, but we remained in the cell.
