Watch Leon Clemency Hearing Online
Leon Toney's Family continues to Plea For Justice.

Leon Toney's State Clemency Hearing

10:11 a.m.
First up is the case of Leon Toney, 32, who is seeking a commutation of his prison sentence. As before, I should note, I was not able to review the petition files beforehand, so I’ll be learning about these cases along with you.

Not sure what Leon’s crime is, but he is completely disabled and needs 24/7 care. Right now, he’s on an “extraordinary medical placement” in a Tacoma nursing home. His family wants his out of DOC jurisdiction so they can take care of him without the hassle of DOC rules.

The prosecutor’s office in Pierce County does not object.

But how did a 32-year-old criminal become this disabled?

Here’s the story. Wow. He was hanged in his McNeil Island Corrections Center cell in 2008. But was it a murder attempt or suicide? He’d been in prison since 1996, on a 28-year sentence for shooting a man in the stomach during a home-invasion-style robbery.

It’s been established, however, that as a result of the hanging, Toney is in a “persistive vegetative state.”

The board votes 5-0 to commute Toney’s sentence. As board member Cheryl Terry noted, “he’s clearly no threat.” Toney is here today, and one look at him in an extended wheelchair makes that obvious.

December 10, 2009 by jimthomsen1


http://jimthomsen1.wordpress.com/2009/12/10/live-blogging-the-state-clemency-and-pardons-board-hearings-2/

Leon Clemency Hearing Online Today

Watch Leon Clemency Hearing Online Today 10:00 Am Click the link below.

Our family humbly, sends our “Thank's” to the Clemency and Pardons Board in advance; the Clemency and Pardons Board is aware of Leon’s severe medical condition rendering him to being incapacitated permanently. We are confident that the board will make the right decision to commute his sentence and recommend clemency to the governor for Leon Toney.

http://www.tvw.org/media/liveevents.cfm?CFID=2950288&CFTOKEN=62373211

Welcome to Leon's Plea for Justice Blog

This is my families’ testimony of truth:
On September 18, 2008, our family had to endure what we refer to as our family's “911”; our family received a call from an inmate using an illicit cell phone at McNeil Island Corrections Center (MICC), informing us that Leon was being air lifted off the island for medical reasons originally thought to be a heart attack. He also said that Leon had been caught with contraband (cell phone) and placed in segregation hours prior to this. We immediately began calling the facility to see what had happened. In a panic and search for answers regarding Leon's status, we as a family, were left in the dark by DOC. We were never contacted directly nor given any detailed information regarding Leon when we contacted the facility. They never once informed his emergency contact or immediate family about his condition. The only thing they told our family was to call his wife, which was in contact with us and also unable to get any straight answers regarding what was happening. We got the complete run-around. We were eventually told, after numerous phone calls, that Leon was being airlifted off of the island to a surrounding area hospital; mind you, because he had suffered a "heart attack".

It was not until later that evening that we began to hear rumors of a possible suicide attempt. My brother was 12 years into and 20 year sentence; in-other-words, he had made it through the most difficult time 10 fold.

With so many questions looming and Leon's fate in hanging in the balance, we were devastated and at a complete loss.

We were not told until the following day what hospital he was at, so for the first day Leon was completely alone in the physical. The next day, upon family arriving, we were each denied visitation with Leon because he was in custody of the WA St DOC; the exception of his "alleged" wife, Rene Matthews, who was allowed to visit for only two hours a day. Imagine, the majority of us having flown across the country, walking into an Intensive Care Unit with a family member in a critical state and receiving no answers as to how these injuries occurred.

Leon was on life-support but shackled and handcuffed to the bed with a 24-hour bedside guard.

Our family has suffered many civil rights violations as well as inhumane treatment courtesy of the WA State DOC and McNeil Island Corrections Center. Our family was made to feel like prisoners throughout this entire ordeal. The Corrections Center (MICC) continues to give our family half truths leading us to believe with that, in addition to others factors that they are directly responsible for my brothers’ serious medical injuries and are involved in a cover-up.

One inmate(who would like to remain anonymous but will stand behind his disclosure)accounts, in detail, what he saw in a letter written to the family; he states that he witnessed WA DOC’s “lack of urgency” in assisting Leon during the emergency situation. He accounts that he and other inmates heard the helicopter turned on and
then off again. He saw the paramedics slowly walking to attend to Leon. He also, at one point, saw Leon sitting up; all at the same instance the guards were saying he was “dead”. Now if they are pronouncing him "dead", is that how DOC handles a dead man; propping him in an upright position instead of respectfully laying him down and covering him? If they announced on more than one occasion he was dead that means Leon started his fight to live amongst the very people that don’t want us to know what truly happened to him. As his family we don’t know if they really tried to save him but one thing for certain is that once we started calling around 11:45 – 12noon PST they finally decided to take him off the island to receive proper care; his suspected "heart attack" was around the hour of 10 am. Why did it take upwards of two hours to transfer him to a medical facility? It is our belief if DOC would have taken him out for medical care immediately he wouldn’t be in the condition he is in now.

Either way we look at this, these injuries were parented while in the care and custody of the Washington State DOC (McNeil Island Corrections Center). In the beginning we were told he had a heart attack, this story as I stated was later changed to an attempted suicide by hanging, which to the family and friends is unbelievable because of the lack of evidence to support his want to die and also various stories we have been given by both inmates and staff of the correctional facility. The bottom line is, as well as fact, that McNeil Island Corrections Center has attributed the events of September 18, 2008 to “bad apples”. They have failed to accept any responsibility or dig deeper for the truth so that those having participated in illegal activities resulting in Leon Toney becoming medically incapacitated can be brought to justice.

How can you admit knowledge of illegal contraband being smuggled into the prison and illicit goods brought in by guards and correctional employees, but say no foul play has been involved? If they wanted to stop contraband from coming into a prison they could. This system is about the economy of the participants; the intentional creation of a criminal class that law abiding citizens will fear as the result of our lack of positive law enforcement; they are guilty of corrupting the very law that they are appointed to uphold.

The Federal Bureau of Investigations, as well as Washington State Patrol and Washington State Department of Corrections, has been investigating this case for six months. To date, one corrections officer has been arrested and convicted following the investigation into illegal activity at the prison.

From the beginning of this investigation our family was told by the DOC that no foul-play was involved; even prior to a review of the surveillance tapes.One quote from a Federal Bureau of Investigations agent was, "all we want or care about is the dirty prison guards nothing else”. That is a pretty insensitive statement regarding a situation in which a man almost lost his life. Are we supposed to believe that all of these state agencies are truly conducting thorough independent investigations?

I'm sure you all know the old adage saying - You can tell of a society by how it treats its weakest members. I’m not proud to be a part of a society that allows prisoners to be murdered or harmed in prison, or a society that doesn't protect the mentally ill.

We are diligently working towards getting the word out against these sorts of injustices and are most certainly open to any and all suggestions or assistance that may be available to us. Thanks for all the prayers, phone calls and efforts to speak out against prison abuse!!!!!
If you have any questions are comments write:
domainquie@yahoo.com
domainquie@gmail.com

McNeil Island CC Closure July 1, 2010

McNeil Island CC Closure - The declining prison population requires the closure of a major institution. Because of its isolation and high cost the budget assumes closure of McNeil Island Corrections Center on July 1, 2010. The Special Commitment Center will remain on the Island and the Department of Health and Social Services will assume responsibility for Island operations, including security at the Steilacoom dock, operation of the wastewater treatment plant and fire department, and transport of staff and visitors. The proposed capital budget includes funding to relocate the Correctional Industries on McNeil Island; laundry operations will move to the Washington Corrections Center for Women (Purdy), the meat plant will relocate to Coyote Ridge Corrections Center (Connell) and the furniture factory will move to Stafford Creek Corrections Center.

Closing prisons could save $30 million in the proposed budget

The state Senate would close two of the state’s oldest prisons to save money.

McNeil Island Correctional Complex, which began as a federal prison in 1875, and Green Hill School, a juvenile lockup that first opened in 1896, are among the largest facility closures included in the Senate budget released by the Democratic majority Monday.

The closures would save about $30 million in the proposed two-year budget.

Senate Ways and Means Chairwoman Margarita Prentice said she believes the island prison is dangerous for staff and inmates because it’s so old. The facility started housing state inmates in 1981 and remains the country’s last island prison accessed only by boat.

Senate Majority Leader Lisa Brown said McNeil Island is more expensive to operate than other state prisons.

The Pierce County prison houses about 1,300 inmates who would be shuffled to other prisons if it is closed. Green Hill School, a maximum-security facility in Chehalis, holds 186 offenders ranging in age from 17 to 20.

Senate Democrats also would cut costs by reducing prison sentences for some offenders and ending at-home police checks of Level 2 and Level 3 sex offenders. Those offenders are believed to be the most likely to reoffend.

Sen. Mike Carrell, R-Lakewood, said Democrats should place a higher priority on prisons.

“What good does it do to have great schools if our children are raped, murdered and assaulted to and from school? Public safety has to be the first call,” Carrell said.

The closure of McNeil Island wouldn’t affect the Special Commitment Center, the state’s mental-health program for civilly committed sex offenders

sources: http://seattletimes.nwsource
http://atriclesofinterest.wordpress.com/2009/03/31/closing-prisons-could-save-30-million-in-the-proposed-budget/#more-802

Guardianship fight Over Leon Toney

While Leon Toney lay in a coma at a Tacoma rehab facility, the state invalidated his marriage.

The move draws into question whether the women he married, Rene, can continue as his guardian and make key decisions about his medical care.

She was given the role in May after a court battle with Toney’s aunt, Charrene Robinson, who moved to Tacoma from California to help take care of him. Robinson said she plans to redouble her challenge now that the state has voided the couple’s marriage.

Rene, who has largely stopped working to be at Toney’s bedside, said that she was going to fight the revocation.

"I don’t know why we all can’t get along and heal Leon. I’ve been in this man’s life. He called me his wife. I called him my husband. Now they’re trying to twist everything around. He’s going to wake up and be like, ‘What happened?’"

To make matters more complicated, if Toney awakens, the state Department of Corrections has claim to him. The 31-year-old was incapacitated in September after trying to hang himself with a sheet in an isolation cell at McNeil Island Corrections Center.

Toney was sentenced to 28 years for shooting a man in the stomach. He had served 12 years.

Problems with Toney’s marriage were found by a Washington State Patrol detective who was investigating his suicide attempt at the Corrections Department’s request. Based on the detective’s findings, the state voided the couple’s marriage license.


Please visit NASGA Source:
http://nasga-stopguardianabuse.blogspot.com/2009/06/guardianship-fight-over-inmate.html

Full Article and Source:
Guardianship fight centers on inmate in coma
http://www.thenewstribune.com/293/story/785487.html?storylink=omni_popular