We first published Political Prisoner Nate DeGrave’s letter last October. It has since gone viral around the world and attracted the attention of journalists and politicians like Newsmax Host Greg Kelly and Rep. Louie Gohmert (TX).
In the follow-up letter below, Nate calls out Corrections Officers who he says continue to abuse January 6th detainees and single them out because of their political affiliation. We have extensively reported on the abuse by Corrections Officers at DC Jail, where one January 6th prisoner lost an eye after a beating by Corrections Officers.
Here is an excerpt from Nate’s original letter cited by Rep. Louie Gohmert (TX) to the DC Jail Warden as he tried to gain entry into the Gulag:
“We experience racism from many guards on a daily basis, being the ONLY WHITE REPUBLICANS in the entire jail. The false narrative has been passed around the jail and to corrections officers that we are “white supremacists” (we are NOT). The inmate population is predominantly black, so we are at risk being here because of this false narrative. The guards are mostly liberal migrants from Africa who have been conditioned to hate us, and hate America. Jan 6ers have been mocked, beaten and ridiculed by guards for singing the National Anthem. The Corrections Officers despise our politics and the love we have for this country. At one point, an officer even yelled “FUCK AMERICA!”, and threatened to lock us down FOR A WEEK if we attempted to sing the National Anthem again.”
Help Nate here with his GiveSendGo:
Here is a follow-up letter from Nate as he still sits in DC Gitmo, over a year after January 6th.
Lockdowns, Assaults & Hostility: Retaliation Against Jan 6 Detainees at DC’s Gitmo
“Dear Fellow Americans,
Because of my public letter about the DC Department of Corrections as a Jan 6 detainee, over 400 inmates have already been transferred from the unspeakable living environment of this jail. And members of Congress, during a tour, got to see first hand the conditions that we’ve all been facing.
Upon closer look the following day, over one-third of the cells were deemed unsuitable for use due to mold and the possibility of respiration risks that may be caused by exposure.
Since then, we’ve experienced hostile retaliation from staff for bringing awareness to this matter. It’s become clear that anyone who dares to stand up to those running this facility puts themselves at major risk by doing so.
This letter will call them out on it. And I will NOT hesitate to use names.
Here is just one of the events that has transpired since then:
Corporal Iyamah…I told you this day would come.
On December 17th, 2021, Corporal Iyamah decided, for the first time ever, to restrict our use of the bathroom, while also attempting to prevent us from eating or drinking in the dayroom, forcing us back to our cell.
As you can imagine, this caused outrage among many of us; we’ve been here long enough to know that NONE what he tried to enforce was within policy.
“You [Jan 6ers] are not entitled to use the bathroom while on rec. And if you go in your cell for any reason, you don’t need to be let back out,” Captain Brown confirmed to us that same day.
I responded by promising to use my connections in the media to expose this abuse of power, and rightfully so.
C.O’s can, should, and WILL be held accountable if they step out of bounds. And the media exists to hold government responsible.
At some point I asked this officer to identify himself, who I later found out was African native Corporal Iyamah. Against his own policy, however, he refused to provide his last name while also concealing his badge.
With his body cam still off, and high on his power trip, Corporal Iyamah decided to write a Disciplinary Report against me, stating that my intent to identify him caused him to “fear for his safety” as a result.
Talk about an overstatement and an embellishment of the facts! But it’s his word against mine, and he knows that.
I’d have to see a board about this incident, in front of his fellow colleagues, the very people that already have a vendetta against us Jan 6ers.
Long story short, I was found guilty for ‘Lack of Cooperation’. And as a result, I’ve lost commissary privileges, forcing me to starve, had contact with friends and family revoked, and lost my visitation rights for two weeks.
This decision was finalized despite zero consideration of the evidence, based on nothing other than the board’s tendency to take an officer’s word over an inmate’s.
A suggestion to watch the surveillance footage was of course refused. At the end of the day, Mr. Iyamah just doesn’t like being held accountable for his behavior. And it’s the inmate who ends up suffering the price.
This isn’t only about one officer, however. It’s happening every day here.
Since my letter:
-A PREA violation (sexual assault allegation) has been filed against Cpl. Armstrong & Cpl. Johnson by a Jan 6er. The jail responded by removing the victim, but continuing to employ the officers involved.
-Federal mail has been illegally confiscated, and American flags are now labeled contraband.
-Discovery has been taken, preventing Jan 6 defendants from reviewing their case and violating their due process rights.
-Officer Lt. Moore, one of the more aggressive officers, pepper-sprayed over masks in one incident so excessively that staff were shortly equipped with gas masks. Several Jan 6ers were rushed to medical due to the inability to breathe.
And recently, the officers who have been lenient and respectful have no longer been assigned to our unit. The level of harassment, intimidation, racism and hostility towards us has increased dramatically.
If you don’t believe me, just take a look at some of the warden’s tweets about exactly what she thinks of us.
Aside from all this and the outright incompetence of the jail, the amount of constitutional violations is astounding. Most of that can be found in the original letter HERE, which made it’s way around the globe.
Today we are back to 22 hour daily lockdowns and solitary confinement all in the name of Omicron. And as pretrial detainees, it is an apparent violation of due process.
More than once I have been denied calls with my attorney, and on one occasion prison officials completely FORGOT to bring not only me but another Jan 6er to our legal visits on the same day.
Now, I’ve got news for this facility: Covid doesn’t supersede our constitutional rights. You can enforce social distancing, reduce rec time and require masks, but you can’t refuse my right to counsel. Period.
Anyway, I know that at this point I am on their radar. C.Os are looking for any reason at all to discipline me, segregate me, and strip me of any remaining freedoms I might have left. I may even be viciously assaulted because of this and become the next Ryan Samsel.
They definitely do NOT want this letter to get out.
Instead of trying to do better, DC’s Gitmo has responded by brutal and relentless retaliation because THEY DON’T WANT YOU TO KNOW what’s going on inside these walls. But that will never stop me.
Speak out. Share this. And don’t let this happen again. It is easier to swallow being a martyr as long as YOU or anyone else in the future doesn’t have to experience this, but for that to happen we have to speak out.
I want to end this by thanking the American Public for their love and concerns during this time, and continuing support.
God bless you Americans and Patriots,
Nate DeGrave
We also encourage you to call your representatives and DC Jail to demand fair treatment towards Nate and the other January 6th Political Prisoners, as well as accountability towards corrections officers like Corporal Iyamah. Please report him by name to the Office of the Warden. Call (202) 698-4932 and follow prompts.
Follow Nate and stay up to date with live updates from inside the prison:
Parler/Gab @jan6politicalprisoner
Gettr @jan6political
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Cara Castronuova is a co-Founder of C.A.P.P. (Citizens Against Political Persecution and The People’s January 6th Commission. She is an Activist, Investigative Journalist, 2-Time Boxing Champion, Celebrity Fitness Trainer and Television Personality. You can watch her on Newsmax at 10PM EST every Saturday night on “Wiseguys”. You can follow her on & Twitter or Instagram @CaraCastronuova. She is currently banned on Fakebook & suing them for defamation of character. You can contact her via the C.A.P.P. website at www.CitizensAPP.us or www.caracastronuova.com if you have any tips or would like to volunteer.
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