
ALatandra 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)
#Florida built a special hell for #women, the Lowell Correctional Institution http://t.co/WgYyzioTHt #prison
I personally knew Michelle for years. She was a very sweet inspiration to alot of us. She changed my life in many ways and my heart is saddened to know this happened to her. During my 14 years I seen many deaths and beatings at L.C.I. One death that has yet to be investigated is that of Colleen Sclafani. I know for a fact that was not a accident and justice needs to be served in her favor. She begged and pleaded for help only to be turned away time and time again. I may have her last name spelt incorrectly,yet I pray her family knows the truth. At one point or another we become like family in there in order to protect one another. Please help those left behind!
This is the facility I called home. This is an accurate description. There are mothers, daughters, sisters and wives, some whom will never leave. May God be with them.
Bonnie Sears died the 3rd week of Feb. 2014 because she was denied medical care by Lawrence Verebe and a nurse, across the street at Florida Women’s Reception Center. Verebe was transferred and Inspectors Hamner and David Allen classified it as natural.3 weeks ago, a black female prisoner was dying in a wheel chair in the infirmary, and other prisoners told the nurse about it. The nurse and/or guards told the women to shut up,. The lady died in the wheel chair. Then, after the woman was already dead, a fake attempt at reviving her was made. The woman’s leg fell out of the wheel chair, and someone said something about the dead woman trying to kick the police. The dead prisoner was later transported to a hospital. I have info about a guard sexually battering two women visitors this past February, but she was fired later for not passing the academy rather than sexual battery.
I was at Lowell twice and all the things they say are true. In order to survive you have to take the abuse and mistreatment. I learned to keep to myself and stay in my bunk. I saw a lot of horrible things happen there and may God be with the women that are still there and may never leave. This kind of stuff has been going on since I was first there in 2008 and I believe it may never change. The sexual and physical abuse and also the living conditions are horrible. Some places on the main unit should be condemned. I could write a book on all of the things I’ve seen and survived.
I did a 5 year sentence at Lowell for non violent drug charges. I entered in March of 1997 and was released in June 2000. Women like me with prostitution convictions were fair game for the officers to rape and if we reported it, we were locked up in “protective custody” which is the exact same cell they use for “lock down” to punish inmates who have disciplinary reports.
I tested positive for Hep C in March 2007 + they didn’t tell me until 1999 and then I had to file grievances for a year to get my interferon treatment and when I got out June 2000, I filed for disability and the social security administration was never able to get my medical records because they are property of DOC. Lieutenant Chandler walked me to the gate when I was released and when I told him I was on Interferon and needed my medical records, he replied “honey you don’t want to miss your bus do you? Once you go to prison you are no longer human and you become PROPERTY of the state. A DOC nurse told me they quit testing inmates in November 1997 because they don’t want to know how many people are infected. A DOC Doctor told me 80% of FL inmates have Hep B, Hep C or HIV or a combination of them. Once I got out in June 2000 my doctor made me start my interferon treatment all over again because they could not confirm how long I had been on interferon. Did I mention interferon is one of the drugs they use in chemo therapy and it makes your hair fall out? The first thing my doctor did was cut my interferon dose in half, because my lab work was off the charts and the prison was not doing my lab work regularly. During the time I fought for interferon I also developed TMJ from all the stress. I barely got out of that prison alive. One of the favorite places the guards would rape us was in the bathroom near the law library.
I was at Lowell for 2 years and it is hell. There is on air conditioning in the dorms. The older dorms date back 60 years and perhaps should be torn down but then rebuilt the in the same design. I was in Dorm B and it was full of roaches and the plumbing was not up to date. I knew some of the women there that were killed. Even though we are inmates we are still human beings, still people.
Latandra Ellington deaths needed to be looked into again. I love this site. WHAT HAPPEN TO LATANDRA ELLINGTON LOWELL CORRECTION. AFTER WRITING HOME. SHE FEARED FOR HER LIFE.
That’s some real b.s. this is why the prisons need to be monitored at all times. I’m discussed by all this no woman IDC what she is in there for should have to deal with that type of shit. I was in Lowell 20 years ago none of that was going on that I knew about.
Lowell prison is killing the women there what the hell is wrong with people the prison system is no better than the streets
I just left Lowell 4-27-2015. When Wellington died the prison acted as if it was a suicide. I myself have been restraint in hand cuffs, chains wrapped around my waist connected to a black box along with leg restraint shackles for my feet n yet still the officer that escorted me grabbed me by the neck, slammed my head to the wall, threw me to the ground and grabbed me by my hair as she repeatedly slammed my head on the concrete. Being in CM (Closed Management) Confinement was hell. The LT’s, Sgt’s, and CO’s can get into a minor and/or serious disagreement with you about something and they’ll deny you your meals and say you refused. They’ll put you on camera giving you your final order to cease your disruptive behavior and even if you comply once that camera goes off they still come back and spray you with chemical agents(Big Cans Of Pepper Spray) at the most 9 times…. They take every piece of your property and leave you to sleep on a cold steel mattress for up to three days or more if they’re that upset. They beat us, degrade us, the nurses work with them by denying us medical attention if they say so whether its needed or not. We’re fed spoiled food at times because if other inmate choose to eat than the rest of us are forced to keep our spoiled trays or just don’t eat. For about an entire year we were given food trays with black slime stuck in the corners of the trays and we were still forced to either eat off the trays or just don’t eat at all. I was CM Status my entire four years at Lowell but I new of the illegal activities going on within the compound. The staff within that prison feel as if they are all God and can’t b touched by the law because they cover one another’s backs. Its cruel
I can not express as eloquently in word or to try and describe the remorse and sympathy I feel for these inmates. I also have a family member at Lowell. In the visitation center there hangs a Pledge ( Correctional Officers Pledge) to assist in the educational training for these inmate to become better members of society upon release. Is this the process! Warden Angela Gordon states in her interview “no!” maybe a few bad and when investigated and proven they are fired. WOW! I mean commit a more vicious crime than that which the inmates are incarcerated for and lose your job. Really, WOW! Angela, while you sit in your office, unaware of these atrocities being inflicted upon the people you are responsible for, PLEASE close your eye and imagine them happening to you, a shot of reality, would this bring a smile to your face, would you enjoy this to be forced upon you. All I can say is if you don’t wish to do anything about it than please resign and walk away, you can go away mad, but please just go away. I make the same statement to Pam Bondi and Gov. Rich Scott, Do Something or resign and go away, go away mad but Please just go away. As a result of these crimes the inmates have been forced to endure, commuting their sentence would not be an adequate compensation. This leaves only Federal Intervention, federal policy is to stay out of State Affairs. People it is time to take a stand and be as brave as our founding fathers, when all talks fail, STAND UP IN A SHOW OF FORCE! Their nightmares must end!
God bless all the women at Lowell as well as the other facilities.yes I did a year of he’ll at Lowell .There a so much sexually activities going beaters deaths where the he’ll is the government in these situations .the first day I got there he’ll I got on trouble and almost every day after.the guards are pieces of shit.they do what ever they want to lie like he’ll on you and we had no chance .CO Officer RHIDES LIED ON ME I went to solitary confinement for 30days and more that was he’ll .treated like shit.they let you shower when they felt like it it was suppose to be every other day he’ll you lucky once week.There were fights in the showers officers could but let it happen any way.sex in G dorm you couldn’t go in at all on Sat Sundays if you did they fuck you up.And those birches didn’t care they had life sentences.one guard officer Miller was fucking the youth girls he got caught one got pg and they transfer him to my dorm main unit C it’s was nasty as he’ll should been condemned 25. 30 years ago so one night someone was hitting my bunk to wake me up at 3:00 in morning he made me get up and go with him he offered me cigarettes.food from outside he BRING to me if I’d suck his dick.what the duck see am a crazy bitch any way .and what did I say suck your own dick mother fucker now take me back inside he had taken me outside and gave me a Marlboro I told him your a sick fuck H told me if I tell he’d fuck me up I sleep lightly every nite after I was ready for his ass I tried to kill the battered if he ever put his hands on me ok lady’s beware those guards are no good .stay to yourselfes .pray GOD IS GOOD I LOVE YOU ALL MSYBE THINGS WILL GET BETTER
To the family off this womans kill by FDC ya need to file a commercial lien against all the oficers involve and the warder
Lowell is sick and twisted. The guards own little world to prey upon the women there. They rape. Beat. Kill. And sadly walk away smiling with no punishment. Most of them should be the ones serving time. All deaths that have ever taken place within this prison should be fully investigated. I know when I was there I know of four girls murdered and six that died from medical neglect. Yet who can you tell? Phone calls and letters are monitored. If you tell on one…you’re next. May God bless these women that are in hell.
I was at Lowell about 9 years ago and it was just like that terrible they would put you in lock up for nothing the officer’s feel if you are an inmate you have no rights no one’s going to care or believe what you tell them cause you’re a convicted felon rather guilty or innocent I’m sorry for the woman who lost their lives when it did not need to happen I hope the family get the justice they so deserve the officers are crooked and the warden could care less
I spent 2 years at Lowell myself before I luckily got transferred out to another facility. They are pure assholes. Devils sent to destroy us. I was on Prozac and went to pill line and they gave me a remron which was prescribed to another inmate I continuously argued about it not being mine until they threatened me with confinement. I took the medication and ended up having two seizures that day and multiple epileptic events throughout my life due to this incident. I had never had a seizure before in my life.
My mom spent almost 15 mtgs in there in 1980…..was the nastiest place ever…even back then…had to pin money inside her bra to keep people from stealing it while she slept
what about the men prisons allover florida thm gaurds there not no angels my boyfriend tells me how they treat the inmates make them eat food that has roaches in it somebody needs to check out all the florida prisons not just the women they needs to check out all prisons
My mom was in there for quite some time she was so depressed and not doing good since then she has been successfully moved thank god and is in bright spirits. I also must admit that even when I went the guards were extremely rude to me my kids and my grandparents whom were banned from visiting my mother because they stood up for us this place is a disgrace for prisoners and people in general I hated going there with a passion it needs to be shut down!!!
I was there its all very true .. very sad couldn’t even get pads from the officers … people cutting each other with razors fighting guards bullying inmates … traumatizing 🙁
I spent some time in lowell these accusations are true. There was so much going on and we couldnt do anything about it. No one listened or even cared. Now what are yall going to do about it. Michele was a great woman. She was Ma to me
I was at Lowell and homestead and I cannot tell you how many times I had been pulled out of my cell in the middle of the night for a “random” drug test and been given the option to have sex or get the shit beat out of me. I let them beat me. Every time. It was a disgusting time in my life and I’m glad it’s over.
I was at Lowell doing 30mos I was glad to leave there that was in 87 so it’s been going on a long time Stowe Hall Tubman Hall and Keller Hall was the 3 worst dorm Keller was for the young girls they was targeted the most the teacher had sex with the students and the guards did too it really needs to be torn down way back then if you was pregnant you got to keep your kid for a while that ended when a infant was drowned in a ditch next to my dorm Tubman Hall that ended that I wouldn’t wish that place on my worst enemy please close it down before anyone else is killed
wow ! this is just sickening. this Facility Should Be Shutdown.
Free My Cousin From That Hell Hole
This is true . they are hurting these women and being treated less of humans , now what are y’all going to do about it ? What is the department of justice going to do about it ? Stop the killings. STOP THEM. these guards are supposed to serve and protect , NOT RAPE AND KILL . This is just heart breaking. Knowing that I have a cousin in this same exact facility . I want to know what actions have been taken to ensure the safety of these women.
Free My Cousin From That Hell Hole
I was in prison there and it was hell for me to they starve you and work you if you not one of the select few willing to have unprotected sex with the male guards and if you try to grow and walk with a positive spirit the female guards will break you down its sad those names are only a few i know for a fact more names exist i was there 24 months and it was the worst time in my life and i have been raped and beaten outside of the prison so for that to be worse you know it had some horrible things going on there i was released 2009
unit L dorm and k dorm some consider this place cup cake camp but this is mostly coming from some who only reside there for a short period of time.many are denied medical treatment! woman drop everyday having seizures because of the hot temperatures dresses were taking and we were forced to wear a white T-shirt under a blue shirt long socks and pants every single day including boots in the hot weather,the showers are open in most guards would sit and watch you take showers they would do random walk through and glanced over most of the time there were about six women in the showers.when in confinement I had words with an officer and was denied a shower for a week straight I was on my monthly at the time after complaining so much about needing to shower and expressing how nasty it was of them to keep me in there for a week without showering I was giving a meatloaf which is considered everything in the meal that other inmates were getting mixed together in a ball and cooked in an oven after denying that for two days straight having nothing to eat I pushed my meal through the holes and no less than 10 minutes later I was being sprayed with a can of Mace that is called Black Jesus I was told to come to the door and as I did it was sprayed continuously the walls in my floor was covered in Orange I was literally putting my head in the toilet to get the burning sensation off my face and was denied a shower so I set there 4 hours in agonizing pain and burning,this is still happening I am not the first or the last person that this has been done to.I was released out of my dorm to go to a talent show when I walked out I noticed that there was nobody on the yard so as I was walking up the hill a guard came running out and jumped right into my face screaming and poking me in the forehead i had no idea what was going on I just stood there as he belittled me and pray to God that he did not hit me I sent a letter home to my mother explaining the situation and a couple days I was brought to the majors office and they asked me if I wanted to go cm are under protective custody to start an investigation I did want to get Justice for the guard but all I can think about is a horrifying things that happen in cm.when I was there things were open women were able to relax under Pavilions on certain days like the weekends and in the afternoons but now it is a closed facility this is a horrible place for women to have to be in it is overpopulated the food that they serve as inhuman to eat I really hope something is done about this place maybe they need to get a couple Undercover officers in there are undercover inmate to write a story and to witness this horrifying place maybe then this will stop the deaths
They need 2 close this Prison down!!!its a shame!!!all the killing&rape and mistreating that’s going on!!
Did time there.. And yes it’s definitely hell.. All sorts of abuse goes on.. Mentally, physically, emotionally and sexually..
I feel their could still be something done with enough voices involved. They can’t ignore us all. I have family that’s been abused there. It saddens my heart to know so many women their have been abused. I hope all of you that commented will join this group to hopefully find the means to shut this place down. It’s a public group for now named SPEAK UP About Lowell has a hammer as the icon for justice. God Bless you all
Sad I spent several years at Lowell first as a youthful offender and was continually sexually harassed by a particular fairs who was a predator
This sounds like hell on Earth. I am proud of every woman who has made it out and pray for those who remain. Respect is due to a dog. Anyone who allows this to happen needs to meet Jesus. Justice for Lowell..
This is sad
Wow! I was in Lowell in the 80’s and it was a totally different place. They would NEVER have tried us like that. The women have to unite!!!
All how well do I know about the hell that is inflicted in prison. So unfortunate for the women n there families, bcause it could’ve easily been me….
I was there when affricika passed we were in the same dorm wow. I knew this place had crooked officers yes I knew Q an Trasher also there are several more i can’t wait till my niece n my God gran baby mom get out that hell hole dorm
I was at Lowell and I know all of this to be true. I was also raped at Hollywood work release by a officer through threats and he only got five years probation as they tried to say I agreed to it. My daughter almost died as she was a cutter. They sent her to suicide watch but did not search her first and still had a razor blade that she then sliced her arm wide open and it took over an hour to get a abulance on scene. Doctors said she was almost dead from blood loss. They then put her in confinement with no medical care and got a infection. Thank God she was released soon after or she could have list her arm.this has to stop.
I was at LCI in 2012 and this place is indeed a women’s worst nightmare and only the strong and wise sometimes survive everything that is described about this hell hole is true the guards rapping to beating is a everyday routine and u can’t trust none of them cause they all stick together, there’s more drugs in Lowell from the guards bringing it in than it is out in the free world. I hope something gets done about everything that goes on there! Sn- all it takes is someone to go undercover in that he’ll hole and see for they self….
I Was THERE!!!@@!!!!!! just released from lowel correctional inst. In febuary i was there for each of these incidents with these women that were murdered. It was a very sad time for the incarcerated women there to know that this had happened..the prison is so corrupt and im only speaking out because of the women i left behind who have to suffer through all the indecencies that take place there.so many of the officers there are on a power trip and they use their authority over you to feel good about themselves..i have witnessed many things thingsill never forget without goin into to muh detail i just want to say that i would strongly advise that under cover officers should be placed within the institution and see for themselves the inhumane things that take place there daily. There is absolutely nothing tht you can do from the inside they have all communication cut completely off they found ways to put you in confinement to keep you from visits they read your mail and stop it before it goes out so these girls are in there just suffering and they depend on people like me to come out and to be a voice for them and not just come out and forget aboutall the Injustice that goes on there the power trips wish I could do something but I’m only one person so when I saw this. I thought to myself yeah these are the people that I need to get in touch with.i pray that this falls into the right hands and that thoes poor women who i left behind will be safe, because nomatter what our crimes are we are still human and deserve to be treated as such…please help them…
Ladies your experiences at this facility are heartbreaking. But don’t stop here on this blog. Send an email to you Senator Bill Nelson. Let him know what is really happening. He is a fair guy and look in to all of this. Send letters to your local newspaper and news channels. Prays sent out to the families of these ladies. Prays of protection sent to all the ladies at Lowell.
I was only at Lowell during storms in 2008. I couldn’t get out fast enough. I was at Homestead which was heaven compared to Lowell. We had a few guards that abused their authority but nothing like Lowell
I was at Lowell when a juvenile inmate Cautia Spencer, a friend of mine, managed to hang herself while on suicide watch. They are supposed to monitor every 15 mins. She was cold and grey when they “found” her. I was normally at Levy but had been at Lowell for a brown recluse bite that they refused to treat until my arm was turning black – greenish in color. I was told it was just an ant bite when I first reported it
I was in LCI in the 80’s and again in the 2000’s ,l was sent from work release with a broke shoulder by Lt. Turner and was denied medical treatment, and told me l only had Arthritis and to go back to the dorm,filed medical grievance and sent a grievance to the warden and a call from my attorney and family finally I got to see an orthopedic surgeon and he confirmed that the shoulder was broken and needed surgery ,thank god for Officer O Jackson and Officer Ms. Do Boise they we’re My witnesses, l was finally allowed to have the surgery 11 months later , but was not allowed to return to work release ,because l filed a complaint on Lt. Turner ,she’s crooked and force’s the ladies to do criminal activity from thier jobs for her benefit and if you refuse then your sent back with D R’s All of the Women’s prison’s are deplorable and should be shut down ,as well as the Men’s prison’s too, let’s not forget about them either Something really needs to be done about this shit NOW
That’s so severely sad
Mar/Apr 2011 i found myself at LCI first time nonviolent offender, thankfully i transferred to Gadsden. I def hv survivor’s guilt and PTSD from the entire experience and fear for those left behind.
They were killed by the officers in there. I was in prison for 13 years and they do it all the time in men’s prison. The system is messed up,because they going to tell the public a different story
Good morning Dan! I was a forensic neuropsychologist since 1988. I had a patient work with the prosecutors in Sarasota to entrap me, set me up at a time that my functioning was declining. I wound up at the Annex, Main, and FWRC at Lowell. I would love to share my observations and expertise with you!
I spent 5 long years in the Florida Women’s prison system, 3 of them at Lowell. The amount of corruption and neglect within the staff is incermountable. Sex for food, money (on your books), smokes and drugs is rampid and seen by all. One time it was storming outside, to include lightning, and Sgt. Q. ordered 2 of the inmates to “hug” the electical poles cause they walked over the line. When one refused, he put her in cuffs and she was in confinement for 30days. Please, don’t get me started on the Medical staff! I was with the group from Broward CI that was shipped to the Reception Center when Broward closed. I had had a series of mini strokes and while in pill line I had another. A friend told Colonial Dunkin that I needed emergency medical attention and he responded by saying, “go fill out a medical request form.” We all know what that means…you’ll be seen in a week or so. Later that day I was taken out of the prison by ambulance. I watched as other female inmates that needed medical attention die and I don’t have to tell you, I feared for my own life in there. I called home on several occasions telling my family of the preventable deaths that were occurring there. Yes, we all committed a crime that put us in prison…..but the reality is women are dying and being severly mistreated in the Florida Women’s Prisons. Afterall, it shouldn’t be a life sentance for all.
I was at Lowell right before latandra was passed, she was excited about going home, she was in my parenting class, there is no way at all that she would have taken her own life, the guards at Lowell are bad, I had one try to send me to lock for going to the bathroom. Then lied on several occassions trying to get me sent to lock.. Thank god I made it out of there, my heart goes out to all those who weren’t as lucky.