Affidavit

State of Virginia County of Wise to wit:

 

Troy Estep, first being duly sworn, states as follows:

  1. I am a Virginia prisoner, presently confined at Red Onion State Prison (ROSP) in Wise County, Virginia.  My prison number is 232229.
  2. The information contained in this affidavit is based on my personal knowledge.
  3. I am 47 years old, white male, born in Harlan, Kentucky, but I grew up in Big Stone Gap, Virginia, which is Wise County.  Before being incarcerated, I have lived and traveled throughout southwest Virginia, and surrounding areas including Norton, Pound, Coeburn, Lee County, Scott County, and Buchanan County, eastern Kentucky and Tennessee, etc.
  4. I was incarcerated, tried, convicted, and sentenced in Big Stone Gap, VA, in the Wise Circuit Court.
  5. Red Onion State Prison (ROSP) and Wallens Ridge State Prison (WRSP) are both located in Wise County.  WRSP is in Big Stone Gap.
  6. I have been incarcerated at ROSP and WRSP since 1999 and know many of the staff at these prisons from free society: I attended school with several of them.
  7. I do not like Black people and make no secret of this fact.  I have a long documented history in prison of violent racial conflicts with Black prisoners.  My attitude towards Blacks is based on how I was raised in this area, where anti-Black racism is just part of the culture and how everyone is generally raised, both in my generation and the younger generation.
  8. Most of the guards and nurses and other whites who work at ROSP and WRSP feel the same as I do towards Blacks.  Some are out in the open about it, like me, but most conceal it when around Blacks or others whom they feel will not comfortably accept this attitude.  Most of these types will lie about their racial views when confronted or questioned about them.  This is just how people in this area are raised around me.  Most ROSP and WRSP staff, young and old, openly express their dislike of Blacks and commonly refer to Blacks as “niggers” and other racist names.  This because they feel comfortable around me and we have shared racial identity, views, culture, heritage and up bringing.
  9. I often witness that these staff look for opportunities to mistreat, harass & assault Black prisoners and otherwise make their lives as miserable as possible, but in ways that appear justified. Some don’t attempt to make their actions appear legitimate.
  10. In many ways staff- especially guards- appeal to white prisoners to adopt their racial views and not associate with Blacks as friends.  They also manipulate situations of violence between Black prisoners, Latino prisoners, and whites and Blacks they dislike for reasons other than just race.  This violence, especially in segregation, takes the form of prisoners throwing feces on each other.
  11. If a prisoner throws feces on staff he will be punished in various ways, including put in chains (ambulatory restraints) for up to 48 hours, strip cell, etc.  But if feces is thrown on a prisoner none of this is done.  Theirs is a long undeniable, documented history of this at ROSP.
  12. I have been documented over 20 times as having thrown feces on Black inmates in segregation, and never been put in chains nor on strip cell.  As a result, on most of these occasions the guards who searched me before going outside know my intentions to carry bags of feces to the exercise yard to throw on Blacks and allowed me to take them out with me.  They also allow Blacks to carry feces outside to throw on each other.
  13. White prisoners who befriend of fraternize with Blacks are dislike by white staff.  These prisoners, who are referred to as “nigger lovers” are treated just as harshly as the Blacks unless and until they conform to the correct racial attitude.  White supremacist attitudes and racial loyalty spans the ROSP and WRSP staff bodies from the highest to the lowest ranks.
  14. The tiny handful of Black guards who work at ROSP and WRSP typically stay out of the white guards “ways” and go out of their way to try and be accepted and not make waves.  This is generally how the small pockets of Blacks in this area behave.  These guards often join up with white guards in abusing Black prisoners, I believe to make clear to the white guards that they’re not on the prisoners’ side based upon shared racial identity.
  15. I can confidently say that most of the guards at ROSP and WRSP are racist and do not like Blacks, but not all are equally racist or express their attitudes the same way.  A lot of them are humored by their ability to make Black prisoners think they really like them, which they attribute to Blacks being easily tricked and naturally stupid.  They even make sly racial remarks to the prisoners which often aren’t picked upon and guards laugh between each other.
  16. On October 6, 2007 I came back to segregation from ROSP’s Progressive Housing population unit based upon a racial incident.  At first guards were going to place me in B-building, but they received a call and were told to take me back across the prison yard to C-Building.  It was hinted that I was being placed in a cell next door to a Black prisoner whom they wanted to see me end up in a conflict with.  They implied that he didn’t like whites.  I was placed in C-421 next to Kevin Johnson, whom I know by Rashid.
  17. Although I don’t like Blacks, I can get along with and respect some, and don’t go out of my way to start problems with them.  After being next door to Rashid for a few weeks I found him to be very different from the way the guards described him to be.  In fact he doesn’t dislike whites at all, and tries to educate prisoners out of racist ideals, whether Black, white or any other race.  He’s one of the few Blacks I’ve known whom I think I could be around for a long time and never have a conflict with.  He genuinely tires to stop a lot of conflict between prisoners and abuses of all prisoners, which I can respect and therefore understand why the guards don’t like him.

 

I make this affidavit of my own free will without inducement or coercion and swear to the truth of all facts stated here in under penalty of perjury                       

  Troy Estep #232229

Commonwealth of Virginia, County of Wise

Sworn to and signed before me a notary public on this 14 day of November

            Signature: Gregg H. Childress #267147

My commission expires: 11-30-07