
Latandra Ellington’s aunt, Algarene Jennings (left), and sister, Kawana Walker.
On October 9, Michelle Tierney, 48, died. On October 1, Latandra Ellington, 48, died. On August 22, Regina A. Cooper, 50, died. On April 30, Affricka G. Jean, 30, died. All four women were inmates at Florida’s Lowell Correctional Institution, and they are not the tip of an iceberg. They are just another part of the special hell Florida runs for women, the Lowell Correctional Institution. And they did not “die”. They were killed.
Both Affricka Jean and Regina Cooper died under suspicious circumstances, and both of their deaths are under investigation by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the Office of Inspector General. They are classified as “active death investigations.” Despite that, neither death raised much of a fuss in Florida or elsewhere, except among the usual suspects. Otherwise, it was just another season in hell, and women’s bodies continued to pile up.
Then Latandra Ellington died … or was killed. Ellington had written her aunt a letter in which she said a sergeant, known as Sergeant Q, had threatened to “beat me to death and mess me like a dog”. A few days later, Ellington was `discovered’ dead in a confinement cell.
Other inmates have written letters, anonymously, in which they describe, in detail, guards’ sexual exploitation, violence, and torture of inmates. They describe a culture of pure sadism, in which women are beaten for sport, and then intimidated into silence. At some level, none of this is surprising. It’s the story of Alabama’s special hell for women, Julia Tutwiler Prison for Women, translated to Florida.
The twist at Lowell is that recent evidence suggests that Latandra Ellington’s death, or murder, was part of a power struggle … between two factions of corrections officers. Lowell Correctional Institution is being ripped apart by a gang war between gangs of guards.
Ellington’s autopsy shows blunt force trauma to her abdomen, consistent with having been beaten.
Michelle Tierney, who died last week, was killed slowly. Tierney was scheduled to be transferred to another prison on October 30, in preparation for her release from prison in January. She was so close to getting out. By all accounts, Tierney was a model inmate, a friend to all, a mentor, and a teacher of basic to advanced reading and writing. So, what happened?
For most of her fourteen years in prison, Tierney had been in good health. Recently she started complaining about leg pains. According to a friend of Tierney’s, she said she was suffering from so much pain in her legs that she couldn’t walk and was always crying. She went to the infirmary day and night, and, day and night, was turned away with a “diagnosis” of arthritis, get used to it.
When Michelle Tierney was finally taken to the hospital, her feet were blue, she had cysts all over her body, she was in septic shock, she had a fever and suffered from pneumonia.
That’s how it is in hell. Your choices are a quick tortured death or a slow tortured death, both accompanied by terror, horror and indignity. None of this is new. None of the violence, terror, horror or indignity against these women is new. Maybe, just maybe now, at last, someone, like the Department of Justice, will do something. What they won’t do is bring back the women who have been systematically murdered in the Lowell Correctional Institution in Florida.
(Photo credit: NPR / Greg Allen)
After brutal attack by guards on woman at Florida’s Lowell prison, a probe is begun https://www.miamiherald.com/news/state/florida/article234299092.html
State investigates injury to inmate at Lowell
https://www.ocala.com/news/20190822/state-investigates-injury-to-inmate-at-lowell
FDLE investigating incident at Lowell Correctional Institution http://www.fox35orlando.com/news/local-news/fdle-investigating-incident-at-lowell-correctional-institution
Two corrections officers under investigation for “use of force” in Marion County https://www.wcjb.com/content/news/Two-corrections-officers-under-investigation-for-use-of-force-in-Marion-County-558043851.html
Ex-inmates ask ‘who’s next’ after incident at Lowell
https://www.ocala.com/news/20190824/ex-inmates-ask-whos-next-after-incident-at-lowell
A FL prison guard brutally beat a female inmate, group says, and demands stronger state action https://www.floridaphoenix.com/blog/a-fl-prison-guard-brutally-beat-a-female-inmate-group-says-and-demands-stronger-state-action/
After beating by guards, Florida woman is a quadriplegic. She’s suing. https://www.miamiherald.com/news/special-reports/florida-prisons/article234673557.html
Quadriplegic inmate paralyzed in beating sues state Corrections department over injuries https://www.tallahassee.com/story/news/local/state/2019/09/04/quadriplegic-inmate-sues-state-over-beating/2207931001/
Civil rights groups sue FL for using solitary confinement for juveniles https://www.floridaphoenix.com/blog/civil-rights-groups-sue-fl-for-using-solitary-confinement-for-juveniles/
After brutal beating of now-paralyzed Florida inmate, women take to social media to protest https://www.miamiherald.com/news/state/florida/article234830817.html
After ex-inmate names guards she says groped, grabbed, fondled her, Florida investigates https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/crime/article234902402.html
Editorial: Investigate problems at Lowell prison
https://www.ocala.com/opinion/20190911/editorial-investigate-problems-at-lowell-prison
Florida guards nearly killed this inmate. Now, lawyers fear, they are muzzling witnesses https://www.miamiherald.com/news/state/florida/article234962892.html
New allegations at troubled women’s prison http://www.fox35orlando.com/news/local-news/new-allegations-at-troubled-womens-prison
The unconscionable inhumanity in Florida prisons. Top lawmaker calls it a “powder keg.” https://www.sun-sentinel.com/opinion/commentary/fl-op-com-unconscionable-inhumanity-in-florida-prisons-20190920-nuuboj3j6vfs3pzudwz2iiolo4-story.html
Lawmakers promise prison reform as investigation at Lowell Correctional continues https://www.wesh.com/article/lawmakers-promise-prison-reform-as-investigation-at-lowell-correctional-continues/29179244
I was at the annex at Lowell and was denied insulin saying it was impossible to be a type 1 diabetic if not for a nurse forcing the doctor to take action I would be dead ….. after 2 days of going into DKA diabetic coma it took them 3 more days to send me to the ICU because I was going to die…. I came with meds and records from the reception center and my county ….. in my 4 years I was frequently denied insulin with the excuse that they didn’t have my meds and that they took it from the main for another inmate so I would have to miss it….. I was sent to lock for going to medical to get insulin and not going to the kitchen to work …. I had statements from the nursing staff 4 nurses even the head of nursing states I had to get the meds but was still in lock and lost 30 days for getting my timed meds ….you are penalized for having chronic illnesses and that’s if you even get treated .
An inmate was raped, impregnated by a guard. He was busted. His coworkers blame, harass her. https://www.miamiherald.com/news/special-reports/florida-prisons/article234961062.html
Lowell correctional officer accused of trying to poison inmate with bleach, affidavit says https://www.wftv.com/news/local/lowell-correctional-officer-accused-trying-poison-inmate-with-bleach-affidavit-says/LZDBCZILSNAQHMFKQK5WXM2P34/
Third protest at Lowell C.I. follows arrest of guard https://www.alligator.org/news/third-protest-at-lowell-c-i-follows-arrest-of-guard/article_58fb3daa-40d8-11ea-a2fd-db9694dceed0.html
Florida wrestles with prison conditions, losing guards https://www.news4jax.com/news/florida/2020/02/04/florida-wrestles-with-prison-conditions-losing-guards/
Fears Grow That Coronavirus Could Overtake Florida’s Largest Women’s Prison https://theappeal.org/fears-grow-that-coronavirus-could-overtake-floridas-largest-womens-prison/
Coronavirus cases are increasing in Florida prisons http://www.wtsp.com/article/news/investigations/10-investigates/coronavirus-cases-florida-prisons/67-ee895b78-93a4-4ae0-ac2d-d24923dda2a6
More Than 900 Lowell Inmates Have Tested Positive for Coronavirus https://www.mynews13.com/fl/orlando/news/2020/08/07/more-than-900-lowell-correctional-institution-inmates-have-tested-positive-for-coronavirus
Loved Ones And Prisoners Sound Alarm As Coronavirus Cases Surge At Florida’s Largest Women’s Prison https://theappeal.org/loved-ones-and-prisoners-sound-alarm-as-coronavirus-cases-surge-at-floridas-largest-womens-prison/
‘I didn’t want to live.’ How incarceration hits loved ones left behind. https://www.tampabay.com/news/health/2020/10/14/i-didnt-want-to-live-how-incarceration-hits-loved-ones-left-behind/
Prison inmate sues state, says officer bleached her drink https://www.ocala.com/story/news/2020/10/20/prison-inmate-sues-state-says-officer-bleached-her-drink/5990550002/
I was an inmate @ Lowell Correctional Institute (Main Unit) myself @ the same time that Tan was found the way they found her. I personally was devastated about this due to the fact that she was was a good friend to me for the time I was there not only that she was the only one I told about being raped and threatened to silence by an officer there as well. In which I just recently have been able to talk about due to the trama it caused me to go through. I also was held in confinment for several weeks prior to my release and let out 3 days before I was released the from there due to the fact that another officer known as Bam Bam isolated me from the pm pill call line & threw me up against the wall a proceeded to back hand me in my face several tymes not knowing that several other instead could still see us & what he did to me for no reason other than I didn’t do what he wanted me to when he wanted me to & he lost his temper on me. Those inmate went forward and let the Sgt on duty @ the time know what happened. I was then called up & several pictures where taken of my face & the bruises already starting to show. I was placed in protective custody that same night while and investigation was going on. I don’t know what was determined to be perfectly honest but that is just 2 incidents that I personally went through while incarcerated there myself. I do have ore but only those do I feel comfortable talking about & I am still working with my counselor to get through my other ones.
DOJ goes after Florida prison for years-long sexual abuse of female inmates https://thegrio.com/2020/12/23/doj-report-sexual-abuse-inmates-lowell/
Officials knew about sexual abuse at Lowell prison —and did nothing. System must have independent oversight | Opinion https://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/op-ed/article248130155.html
More details from the federal review into sexual abuse at Lowell women’s prison https://www.ocala.com/story/news/2020/12/25/federal-investigation-sexual-abuse-lowell-womens-prison/4024017001/
Florida prison chief disagrees with feds on abuse report https://www.tampabay.com/news/florida-politics/2021/01/14/florida-prison-chief-disagrees-with-feds-on-abuse-report/
Her TikTok broadcasts from inside a Florida prison are exposing conditions to millions. https://www.wuft.org/news/2021/10/06/her-tiktok-broadcasts-from-inside-a-florida-prison-are-exposing-conditions-to-millions/
Florida inmate uses TikTok videos to expose prison issues https://www.abcactionnews.com/news/local-news/i-team-investigates/crisis-in-corrections/florida-inmate-uses-tiktok-videos-to-expose-prison-issues
I was an inmate at Lowell and there were suspicious deaths of women that were bright alert healthy and walking perfectly normal.. Then you see them again & they were in a wheelchair it jus out of sync with reality and had failing health!! I went in walking normal and left in a wheelchair!!! I won’t go into details but Lowell needs to be shut down and over half the population needs to be RELEASED!!! They talk to you like dogs and treat you like animals!! The ones that treat you with dignity are the ones targeted or outcasts!!! All aren’t bad but most are!!
Florida’s Lowell Correctional Inst: A Women’s Prison “Where the days are as dark as black coffee” https://www.dailykos.com/story/2022/6/22/2105564/-Florida-s-Lowell-Correctional-Inst-A-Women-s-Prison-Where-the-days-are-as-dark-as-black-coffee
After a scathing report on sexual abuse at FL’s female prison in 2020, has anything changed? https://floridaphoenix.com/2022/12/21/after-a-scathing-report-on-sexual-abuse-at-fls-female-prison-in-2020-has-anything-changed__trashed-2/
Commissioner Nikki Fried Calls on US Attorney General Garland to Investigate State Prisons, Hold Governor to Account https://www.fdacs.gov/News-Events/Press-Releases/2022-Press-Releases/Commissioner-Nikki-Fried-Calls-on-US-Attorney-General-Garland-to-Investigate-State-Prisons-Hold-Governor-to-Account