Emails regarding torture in Sampson Correctional Institution (NC)
| Submitted | Jan. 2, 2013 |
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Communications
From: Inkoo Kang
To Whom It May Concern:
Persuant to North Carolina Public Records Law (G.S. §§ 132-1 through 132-10), I herby request the following documents:
All e-mails sent among staff members at the Sampson Correctional Institution from 2010 to 2012 regarding unusual treatment and coercive acts by prison staff, including the application of hot sauce to prisoners' private areas, the forced simulation of sexual acts between prisoners, and the grabbing and kissing of wild snakes while working on a road crew and throwing of captured bunnies in to oncoming traffic.
I also request that, if appropriate, fees be waived as I believe this request is in the public interest. The requested documents will be made available to the general public free of charge as part of the public information service at MuckRock.com, processed by a representative of the news media/press and is made in the process of news gathering and not for commercial usage.
In the event that fees cannot be waived, I would be grateful if you would inform me of the total charges in advance of fulfilling my request. I would prefer the request filled electronically, by e-mail attachment if available or CD-ROM if not.
Thank you in advance for your anticipated cooperation in this matter. I would request your response within ten (10) business days.
Sincerely,
Inkoo Kang
From: Inkoo Kang
To Whom It May Concern:
Persuant to North Carolina Public Records Law (G.S. §§ 132-1 through 132-10), I herby request the following documents:
All e-mails sent among staff members at the Sampson Correctional Institution from 2010 to 2012 regarding unusual treatment and coercive acts by prison staff, including the application of hot sauce to prisoners' private areas, the forced simulation of sexual acts between prisoners, and the grabbing and kissing of wild snakes while working on a road crew and throwing of captured bunnies in to oncoming traffic.
I also request that, if appropriate, fees be waived as I believe this request is in the public interest. The requested documents will be made available to the general public free of charge as part of the public information service at MuckRock.com, processed by a representative of the news media/press and is made in the process of news gathering and not for commercial usage.
In the event that fees cannot be waived, I would be grateful if you would inform me of the total charges in advance of fulfilling my request. I would prefer the request filled electronically, by e-mail attachment if available or CD-ROM if not.
Thank you in advance for your anticipated cooperation in this matter. I would request your response within ten (10) business days.
Sincerely,
Inkoo Kang
From: Acree, Keith
Inkoo Kang
MuckRock News
DEPT MR 2313
PO Box 55819
Boston MA 02205-5819
Via e-mail to requests@muckrock.com<mailto:requests@muckrock.com>
Inkoo Kang -
We have received your request for e-mails from Sampson Correctional Institution for the time period 2010 to 2012. While we are happy to fulfill this records request, we want to make you aware of certain costs and circumstances involved. We do not waive fees for records requests.
Currently there are approximately 60 e-mail users at Sampson CI. Our IT staff estimates approximately 30 minutes required to search each e-mail mailbox for specified keywords at a cost of $37 per hour. Assuming approximately 10 percent staff turnover at Sampson CI each year for the past three years, there may be an additional 15-20 e-mail boxes to search - bringing the total e-mail accounts at Sampson CI in use during the 2010-2012 timeframe to approximately 75-80. Based on these assumptions, we estimate your costs at approximately $1400-$1500. Limiting your search the current 60 employees will greatly speed response time and lower your costs to approximately $1100.
Additionally, the current e-mail archiving system can be searched back to its start in Oct 2010. To search back to Jan 2010 requires restoring data from backup tapes before searching, resulting in additional IT time at $37/ hour. Limiting your search to the period Oct 2010 to present will eliminate this additional cost.
Please advise on how you wish to proceed.
<http://www.doc.state.nc.us/blog/ncdoc_today.htm@@@@http://www.facebook.com/NCCorrection@@@@http://twitter.com/NCCorrection@@@@http://www.flickr.com/photos/ncdoc/@@@@http://www.youtube.com/user/NCDeptofCorrection@@@@http://www.doc.state.nc.us/NEWS/2010/docnews.rss>
Keith Acree
Communications Officer
North Carolina Department of Public Safety
4202 Mail Service Center
Raleigh NC 27699-4202
919-733-5027
fax 919-733-0296
________________________________
E-mail correspondence to and from this address may be subject to the North Carolina Public Records Law and may be disclosed to third parties by an authorized state official.
From: Inkoo Kang
To Whom It May Concern:
I previously requested all e-mails sent among staff members at the Sampson Correctional Institution from 2010 to 2012 regarding unusual treatment and coercive acts by prison staff, including the application of hot sauce to prisoners' private areas, the forced simulation of sexual acts between prisoners, and the grabbing and kissing of wild snakes while working on a road crew and throwing of captured bunnies in to oncoming traffic.
I wish to amend that request by reducing the focus of the document search to just e-mais sent between the Superintendent, all members of the Division of Adult Correction, and all correctional officers at the Sampson Correctional Institution from 2010 to 2012 regarding unusual treatment and coercive acts by prison staff, including the application of hot sauce to prisoners' private areas, the forced simulation of sexual acts between prisoners, and the grabbing and kissing of wild snakes while working on a road crew and throwing of captured bunnies in to oncoming traffic.
Thank you,
Inkoo Kang
From: Acree, Keith
We can conduct the search for emails to and from the superintendent for the timeframe Oct 2010 through end of 2012 with about one hour's IT work -- costing $37.
To extend the timeframe back to Jan 2010 will involve restoring data from backup tapes - approximately 20 hours of IT work - costing an additional $740.
Please advise how you wish to proceed.
From: Inkoo Kang
Hello,
I will amend my request to the following: "emails to and from the superintendent for the timeframe Oct 2010 through end of 2012."
Thank you,
Inkoo Kang
From: MuckRock.com
To Whom It May Concern:
I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information request, copied below, and originally submitted on Jan. 2, 2013. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed.
Thank you for your help.
From: Acree, Keith
We received your Jan. 29 e-mail and should have you a response next week.
From: Acree, Keith
As this matter has become the subject of a criminal investigation, pertinent materials are in the hands of the prosecuting district attorney and not subject to disclosure under NCGS 132-1.4 (g) and (h).
You should contact Sampson County District Attorney Ernest Lee regarding these materials.
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