Families, prisoners report inhumane conditions at Leavenworth as lockdown stretches on
Prisoners and their families report inhumane conditions at the federal prison in Leavenworth, which has been on lockdown for weeks.
The U.S. Penitentiary Leavenworth was placed on “modified operations status” on March 1. In early March, the Bureau of Prisons said a firearm had possibly gotten into the facility and that “comprehensive searches are ongoing.”
On Wednesday, the Kansas Highway Patrol said on social media that its canine unit assisted in a sweep at the facility.
The prison houses about 1,800 people, according to the BOP. Some are being held pre-trial, meaning they have been charged but not convicted of a crime.
A man incarcerated at Leavenworth, told The Star that they are not getting enough food. Meals consist of items such as bread, a scoop of peanut butter and slices of cheese or ham. The man, who did not want to be named due to a fear of retaliation but whose identity the Star verified using BOP records, said the portions are “kid-sized.”
“Everybody’s pretty hungry here,” he said.
The water has been off and on. That means limited showers. Another man told a family member this week that they had to defecate in bags that are placed outside their cells to be picked up and thrown away. The family member, who did not want to be identified out of a fear of retaliation, said she thinks the men are treated like animals. The Star verified her loved one’s identity with BOP records.
She said she had not heard from her loved one for three weeks. Finally, she got a call this week.
“It’s torture,” the woman said of waiting, “cause I don’t know if he’s OK.”
Visits have also been suspended.
One man, who has been in prison for over a decade, wrote a letter to a loved one in mid-March saying he had not seen anything like this.
The lockdown, several reported, worsened already poor conditions, including mice, water leaks and expired food.
Christina Wahwasuck’s son is incarcerated at Leavenworth. He has to take chemotherapy medication for leukemia, she said, and she is worried about his limited access to medical care and a lack of food.
“They’re still human beings,” Wahwasuck said. “You just don’t treat people like that.”
The Bureau of Prisons said Thursday that modified operations limit prisoners’ movement and services, but that they still have access to medical care, food and water.
“The Warden will continue to monitor events carefully and will adjust its operations accordingly as the situation continues,” the agency said. “The institution will return to normal operations status as soon as possible.”
The bureau did not address other questions about the reported conditions.
This story was originally published March 28, 2024 at 1:43 PM.
