By Toni Fly
I spent six months in the Special Housing Unit (SHU) at USP Tucson with Keith Raniere.
The SHU, to be clear, is not for penological purposes. It is a form of human torture. The SHU is the jail of a prison—the dungeon of torture.
Neither Keith Raniere nor I were there for disciplinary purposes. We were there, supposedly, for our protection.
I recall the cruelty of the correctional officers. They breed sadism throughout the system, not just the COs but also the medical staff, the psychology staff, etc.
On October 29, 2021, without cause, a group of COs came to my cell and cuffed me from behind and placed leg irons on me. Then, they walked me through the corridor to where there are no cameras.
I told Lieutenant Duffy Campbell that I needed my legal documents.
He said, “Drop him.”
Lt. J. Dukett and his partner complied.
When COs push you with force, when you are in handcuffs and leg irons, you can do little to block the fall. I landed hard and the pain was so extreme that I felt detached from my body.
I was unconscious for a time.
Then, they picked me up.
It almost seemed surreal as they took me to the restraint chair, a reinforced chair designed to immobilize a person.
It serves no penological purpose unless you consider feeding the sadism of COs a penological purpose since some of them must express their sadism and will do it on the outside. Better to do it to prisoners.
As a group of COs surrounded me, several of them placed me in the chair.
I was then cuffed in the front, and the belly chain was strapped so tightly to my chest and squeezing my breasts so hard, that it was difficult to breath and my breast glands felt as if they would pop out of my nipples
Then I was strapped to the chair with the ambulatory restraints from the chair strapped to my forearms instead of my wrists as intended. The purpose: the infliction of maximum pain and torture.
Then Rapid Restraints were placed on my wrists and tightened so tight as to cut off my circulation and cause intense nerve pain. This resulted in serious nerve damage.
Then they broke my wrist and writing hand. I have nerve damage and permanent scarring. At the time, I just felt pain. The pain is so excruciating it can give you a heart attack.
Then, they left me.
Hours passed. They chose not to let me go to the restroom. They decided not to feed me.
Joshua Christianson, a lieutenant at Tucson, came in, and with sadism gleaming from his eyes, he told me it was time for lunch.
I thought he would release my hands, but instead, he placed two slices of bread in my hands. Since my hands were restrained, I could not eat them, which, of course, he knew.
I was in the restraint chair for 26 hours straight.
Then they let me out.
I was so stiff I could not move, but they handcuffed me, placed leg irons on, and led me back to my cell.
After they unlocked me and I could move for the first time in more than a day, they handed me a bag and said there are your legal papers.
I looked inside, and they were torn to shreds.
Later, when I reported the abuse, with the scars on my wrist and arm to prove it, the COs denied it under penalty of perjury. They all said it never happened. They lied.
People have died in the restraint chair. The COs restrained William’ Wild Bill’ Barber to the chair and strapped his hands so tightly that the circulation got cut off. They had to amputate both hands.
But the restraint chair remains, bolted to the floor, waiting for its next occupant. Someone may be in it right now.
If you who read this heard this had happened to a dog or cat, there would be an outcry across this land. But humans are funny about each other. No one cares. The officers return to their routine, their lies protected. Cruelty is not just permitted—it is perfected.
The Restraint Chair
Five-Point Restraint System – Lock down arms, legs, and torso with ultra-secure straps. Adjustable Tightness – Customize restraint levels from “Firm Compliance” to “Human Torture.”
Ergonomic Design – Hard metal frame for maximum discomfort.
Built-In Neglect Mode – Simply walk away! The chair ensures hours of enforced stillness with no intervention required.
