Todd Fortin Needs Your Help

I am in desparate need of my medication. I am being taunted by voices and it is extremely overwelming. I often try to explain myself or keep my thoughts in order and my mind goes blank. My thoughts are being manipulated and stolen from my head. The attempt to transplant my thoughts in my head that are not of my origin. The voices attempt to distract me to make me vulnerable to they're manipulation.

I am exhausted because I cannot use a normal sleeping routine. A sleeping routine would make me easily predictable and extremely vulnerable to they're manipulation. When the walls breathe I am short of breath or sometimes can not breathe. I am in desparate need of help. I can not continue to live like this.

According to MDOC policy PD 04.06.182(D) a person with a mental disorder or mental illness should not be housed in segregation. Yet I continue to be housed in segregation and deprived of my medication.

As a teenager I was housed in a mental hospital and on meds. In 1988 and 1999 I was on Navane and Cogentic medoications. The psycological report on 10/08/99 concluded with a diagnosis of "paranoid schzophrenia". The report was conducted by Harold S Sommerschield, PH.D, P.C.

2000 and 2001 I was on different meds, don't remember the names. This was while I was at M.T.D. and Brooks prisons. I got off the meds because I was told I would not get a parole if I continued taking meds. My illness has become unbearable without meds. On 7/16/03. I sited mental health at this facility requesting my meds and they refused to treat me. On 7/23/03 I grieved this issue.

Please Help.

Todd Fortin # 282346
Baraga Maximum Correctional Facility
301 Wadaga Road
Baraga, MI 49908

The following letter was written to the warden in February of 2003. The above was written on August 24, 2003. As you can see nothing is being done for this man.

Cynthia Baalerud
3167 Potomac
Warren, MI. 48091
May God Bless and Enlighten Your Days

Warden Timothy Luoma
Baraga Maximum Correctional Facility
301 Wadaga Rd.
Baraga, MI. 49908
RE: Fortin Todd # 282346

Dear Warden T. Luoma,

I appreciate your responding to the letter I sent you regarding my son, Todd Fortin. I realize your appointment to the position of Warden at Baraga has been recent, thus you may not be aware of some of the circumstances that have transpired. Additionally, I think you may have misunderstood a few of my statement’s which I would like to clarify.

In reference to your statement : Todd believes he was told that if he remained one year misconduct free that he would be released to general population:

•    As I wrote in my letter: Warden Pennell told me personally that Todd would be released in October 2002 if he remained ticket free, therefore this isn’t just a case of what Todd believes he was told.
As to reclassification:
•    Todd was sent there under false classification in the first place. Todd wrote a grievance regarding this which was later proven to be true by your staff. After investigation they found that Todd had 18 points not the 26 points Brooks Correctional Facility put in his file! Todd was a level 4 not a level 5. Your staffs comment to Todd was: Your already here now, its not likely you’ll be moved.
Your statement: that if Todd had been experiencing some form of mental illness he would not be housed at your facility. Sir, I mean no disrepect, but the truth is:
•    Obviously someone failed to look at Todd’s record’s.
•    Todd was diagnosed with Paranoid Schizophrenia on 10-8-1999
•    Todd has been on medication while incarcerated, although prior to this incident Todd stopped taking his med’s after being informed if he was on medication the parole board would be unlikely to grant his parole.
•    My concern expressed in the letter I sent you was not just of Todd’s mental health. Todd’s physical health has deteriorated since he arrived at Baraga. He requested to be seen by a Doctor in October 2002 and was not seen until 1/31/2003, I believe with Thanks to your investigating the matter.

In re: to your statement: The nature of the assault which necessitated Todd’s placement in a level V facility is cause for concern and must be carefully considered before placement in general population can take place.
Additionally, on April 8, 2002 Case Manager T. Dostaler (on behalf of A.D.W Luetzow) responded to a written inquiry Todd had submitted regarding consideration of his release from Segregation.   The response was that A.D.W Luetzow would not consider him for release until 2004 “Due to the seriousness of the incident….” Sir with all due respect,
the fact is:
•    These response’s breach the boundaries established in PD 04.05.120, paragraph WW, which states and/or implies that the Security Classification Committee shall evaluate Administrative Segregation prisoner’s behavioral adjustment monthly to determine each prisoner’s eligibility for release from Segregation.
•    While the seriousness of the offense is the primary consideration for determining whether a prisoner should be sent to Administrative Segregation., It is the prisoner’s behavioral adjustment and conformity to rules while in Segregation that are the primary determining factors for release consideration.
This is precisely why the tenets of PD 04.05.120 were erected.
•    Monthly reviews by S.C.C. are obviously not to evaluate the seriousness of the offense, as there is absolutely no possibility that the seriousness of the offense will ever dissipate or change.
•    Therefore, the purpose of the monthly S.C.C. reviews is clearly to evaluate the prisoner’s behavioral adjustment during his stay in Segregation.
•    Though Todd has no absolute right to be released from segregation on a given date, he is ---Per Policy--- entitled to consideration for release by S.C.C. on a monthly basis per the criteria set forth in paragraph WW of PD 04.05.120. This is especially so when considering the following:

I.    Todd has been in segregation well over a year, his behavior during his entire stay has, in fact, been exemplary with no misconduct’s.
II.    The “ seriousness of the incident” cannot be changed, meaning that in 2004, 2034, and beyond, the incident will remain exactly as it is now, and;
III.    He was charged with “Conspiracy to Assault” along with 1 other prisoner who received the same charge and 3 prisoner’s who were charged with the actual Assault --- ALL OF WHOM --- maintained good behavior during segregation and were subsequently released to general population month’s ago. One of which was the prisoner who admittedly initiated the physical assault, he was completely discharged from prison on 10/12/2002. All the while Todd continues to be held in segregation. I ask you Sir: Is this Justice?

With all due respect, there appears to be deliberate disregard of Paragraph WW of PD 04.05.120 which is discriminatorily inconsistent and a clear Violation of Todd’s “Due Process Rights.”
I ask you Sir, how can the Security Classification Committee justify continuing to hold Todd enlight of these fact’s?

Lastly, I would deeply appreciate your consideration of the fact’s presented in resolving any remaining issues surrounding Todd’s release from Administrative Segregation. I plea to you Sir, in honor of justice for all, that you will make every reasonable effort to undo an unjust reason for continuing to keep my son in Administrative Segregation any longer. On behalf of our family and Todd’s daughter’s, we will be forever grateful for your help in expediting Todd’s release and transfer to general population. I apologize for the lengthiness of this letter although I did feel all area’s were of great importance. I appreciate your time and consideration in this matter and look forward to hearing from you in the near future.
May God Bless and Guide You Throughout Your Administration.

              Respectfully yours,

Cynthia Baalerud
cbaalerud@wideopenwest.com
cc: The Honorable William Overton Director Prison Administration
cc: The Honorable James MacMeekin CFA Region I
cc: The Honorable Jennifer Granholm State Governor
cc:   The Honorable Dennis Olshove State Senator
cc:   The Honorable Lisa Wojno State Representative