Former Prisoner, Best Selling Author Glenn Langohr, Reviews Former Prison Guard D.J. Vodicka’s Book, The Green Wall
“The Green Wall” Is a Courageous Story of the Last Man Standing for Justice Against the California Prison Union”
As a former inmate who spent over 10 years inside some of the most violent California prisons on drug charges, I took on D.J.’s book to read and review. As an author myself who started writing to shed some light into the darkness that is California’s out of control prison system, my curiosity to see a Former Prison Guard’s perception was peaked.
It is a penetrating look and historic book that should be required reading in colleges in regards to Crime and Punishment, Criminology, Gangs and Prison culture. It is also an intense read and highly entertaining.
The Story follows D.J. Vodicka into the prison system as a guard and in his own words, a new “Fish”, as he made his way adapting to one of the highest security prisons in the state, Corcoran. From there he went to the notorious Pelican Bay State Prison. D.J. rose to the challenge and had a mentor, Mr. Reynoso, who helped him. At Pelican Bay D.J. was a first responder to a Mexican Mafia hit where a drop out (Informant against the mob) got a piece of steel in his neck and later died. D.J. witnessed other intense riots, stabbings and constant violence, and maintained his dignity and honor throughout.
Once transferred to Salinas Valley State Prison, next to Soledad, D.J. was a veteran prison guard who had worked the highest levels of security and should have had a position of leadership. Instead, the new prison seemed to have a collection of non veteran prison guards who were easily influenced by the violence and heavy gang life of lifers on the yard. A riot exploded. But this one was against the prison guards over a beef that might have been from excessive force, or just a gang flexing muscle. The Mexicans attacked the guards and D.J. was there to help investigate the incident. At this point in the story, D.J. stands up and maintains his integrity by writing accurate reports and taking pictures of injured inmates. The guards seemed to emulate the gangs and create one of their own that went by G.W. They started acting like gang bangers and flashed sign language just like the gang banger prisoners the guards were in charge of securing. D.J. reported it when asked to.
At that point, the prison guards who had clicked up in this Green Wall subculture/gang created a “Code of Silence” to look the other way when it came to violence and intimidation manuavers against the inmates. This gained momentum and became more criminal in regards to falsifying reports, planting weapons and possibly/allegedly more of the same or worse. And standing in the way of this tsunami was D.J. Vodicka. Who continued to maintain his ethics and accurately report and follow instructions against this building subculture amongst the guards at Salinas Valley. Now, from the highest levels, D.J.’s reports were leaked on purpose and he became an absolute target. He continued to stand tall all the way to the end. Read this book to understand just how far this went.
My takeaways as a former inmate. While locked up at Chino Central in the notorious Sycamore Hall, nicknamed “Stick-A-More Hall” for all the stabbings, a prison guard brought an Aryan Brotherhood drawing “Calling Card” that was an image of dice,a naked female and the numbers 666 all ghosted together. The prison guard asked me if it was mine as he found it on the floor just outside of my cell. Had I said yes, It was my trip to Palm Hall and Pelican Bay. This relates to D.J.’s book in a couple of ways. It is evidence of the subculture of guards who cross the line and work for the gangs and/or become one themselves, and it relates to the Green Wall’s Prison Guard gang who used a similar art piece to represent their gang with 666 and the dice.
Also while doing time at Centinella State prison on D yard while I was a shot caller, we had a guard who gave us an inmate’s paperwork that proved that inmate was a notorious child molester with 44 counts of ANNLY/MOLEST. That guard was helping us handle vigilante justice. I wrote about it in my book, ”
The Art of War: A Memoir of Life in Prison with Mafia, Serial Killers and Sex Offenders Who Get Stabbed” This also relates to what D.J. says was going on at Salinas Valley Prison.
Another takeaway: D.J. and I both share a perspective on the root problem with California’s out of control prison system. It stopped being a place of rehabilitation in the 1980’s when the population quickly exploded and rose up to 700%. The Drug War and tough on crime politics turned it into a send everyone to prison deal that made prisons warehouses for violence and gang indoctrination.
As a result of this, prison guards are just as affected by this militant, always violent, racial segregated fight for every piece of space, highly secretive, constant cat and mouse game of violence and “organized hits” that are prison life. Does this sound like rehabilitation? Obviously not. The prison guards are affected by living in this culture and D.J.’s book shows how the two cultures blend together until lines are crossed and blurred. My hat is off to D.J. for standing tall and documenting it.
Law Enforcement’s Excessive Force is an Epidemic
Just this year, the country has seen a rampant plague of violent and excessive force used by law enforcement. The most recent of which is the incident when a police officer in Charlotte, North Carolina shot and killed an unarmed 24-year old former Florida A&M football player.
Early on Saturday morning, Jonathan Ferrell, the victim, was reported to have been in a serious car accident and was out seeking help. It is believed that the severity of the wreck was so intense, Terrell had to “pull himself” from the car. Terrell then struggled to the nearest home to get help, but the woman thought he was a burglar and dialed 911.
Police responded to the call and shot and killed Terrell, who they said acted “aggressively.” Officer Randall Kerrick fired many shots at Terrell, eventually shooting him to death. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department Officials said the shooting was “excessive” and that…
View original post 390 more words
My Review of “The Art Of War” by Glenn Langohr
Ryan Pettigrew Spent 8 Years in Solitary Confinement and he reviewed my Prison Memoir. Check it out and purchase it for .99 for immediate download for kindle or 9.99 in Print or Audio Book.
The Art of War: A Memoir of Life in Prison with Mafia, Serial Killers, and Sex Offenders Who Get Stabbed, is one of the few realistic prison stories out there, as author Glenn Langohr has experienced this world himself. This story brings you into the world of prison alliances and the consequences for sex offenders; prison life is a war zone complete with military strategy. I have lived this life and will be the first to say how credible this account is. I’m very impressed with the author’s rise from prison to published author. That’s a rare accomplishment.
My Lawsuit: An EX Prisoner in Solitary Confinement for 8 Years
My Lawsuit. Very well articulated. I’m really relieved you filed the suit as a way to hold them accountable for the world to see.
Statement Suspending the Third Hunger Strike
The Prisoners Showed a Lot of Character With This Hunger Strike. It isn’t in vain. The Lord is watching and listening to the prayers of many. As an ex prisoner, I can tell you that those prisoners have broke color lines and gang lines to come together for human rights and redemption. They have been promoting peace, yet their accusers, the Gov, his mouthpiece and most of the media hype up terror tactics about gangs. It isn’t over, the momentum has shifted, unseen forces are pushing the victory closer as the spotlight shines brighter. Thanks for all the great reporting.
Greetings of Solidarity and Respect!
The PBSP-SHU, Short Corridor Collective Representatives hereby serve notice upon all concerned parties of interest that after nine weeks we have collectively decided to suspend our third hunger strike action on September 5, 2013.
To be clear, our Peaceful Protest of Resistance to our continuous subjection to decades of systemic state sanctioned torture via the system’s solitary confinement units is far from over. Our decision to suspend our third hunger strike in two years does not come lightly. This decision is especially difficult considering that most of our demands have not been met (despite nearly universal agreement that they are reasonable). The core group of prisoners has been, and remains 100% committed to seeing this protracted struggle for real reform through to a complete victory, even if it requires us to make the ultimate sacrifice. With that said, we clarify this point by stating prisoner…
View original post 856 more words
Day 52, Prisoners Isolated, Disturbing News from Corocran, Strike Participation Grows, Prisoners Remain Committed: “CDCR is not going to break us.”
hank you for this post! If those prisoners are the worst of the worst, then why are those words so full of truth! God bless the hunger strikers.
California prisoner hungers strike advocates and supporters continue their efforts to compel state decision makers to negotiate with hunger strikers as they endure their 52nd day without food. Meanwhile legal observers at Corcoran State Prison say that the 70 people are still on strike at that facility are facing harsh relation by prison officials including the denial of medical care—even for those coming off strike—and the confiscation of personal property. At Pelican Bay, the four main representatives of the Short Corridor Collective—the interracial group in that facility’s Security Housing Unit (SHU) that initially encouraged their fellow prisoners to take up the peaceful protest—have been totally isolated in a single cell block in the prison’s stand-alone Administrative Segregation Unit. Late last week 51 prisoners being held in the same area were summarily and forcibly removed to other prisons. Meanwhile the CDCR’s own numbers show a steady uptick in strike participation…
View original post 848 more words
Vera Institute’s Sentencing & Corrections Headlines
Great Information on Crime and Punishment Stats.
AK – Re-examining Alaska Domestic Violence Crime and Punishment
FL – Get Smart on Crime, not Just “Tough” (opinion)
IA – Sentencing for Juveniles Will be Case-by-Case (opinion)
LA – Sheriff Gusman Holds GED Graduation Ceremony for Orleans Parish Prison Inmates
MN – How Minnesota Can Reduce its Prison Population
NC – US Judge Hears Lawsuit Claiming North Carolina Inmates Beaten
NY – Dealing with Crime in New York (opinion)
NY – New York City Lawmakers Override Bloomberg on Police Oversight
NY – Taxpayer Cost of Housing New York City Prisoners Last Year: $167,000 per Inmate
WI – Program for Placing Sex Offenders in Community has no Written Housing Policies
US – Defendants’ Legal Rights Undermined by Budget Cuts (opinion)
US – Evaluating the Effectiveness of Correctional Education (report)
My Friend Todd Ashker: History of a One-Sided Dialogue
Thank you for this incredibly deep look! The best I’ve seen from the media yet. I spent 10 years in prison on drug charges and 4 years in Solitary before becoming an author. I’m a normal White guy, no gang affiliation, just a former drug addict and dealer. I was involved in a riot where the northern Mexicans rushed the southern Mexicans and I was in the way, and came to the aid of the outnumbered southern Mexicans. From that point on I was mislabeled a southern Mexican in Solitary. After a SHU term they sent me to another prison and put me back in Solitary. Eventually they realized I wasn’t a southern Mexican but tried to coerce me into saying I was from the NLR or AB. It took another 9 months to get out of Solitary. People don’t understand how many people are in Solitary without any due process to get out! That is just the tip of the iceberg. I Published Underdog and Prison Riot to shine a light on these issues.
What pisses me off greatly is that this new order to force feed inmates is the cruelest blow yet. I’ve been through “cell extractions” so I will paint the picture that is happening with the force feeding. A dozen prison guards ( IGI Gooners ) posted outside each cell with gas masks, shields and adrenaline to rush the cell violently with gas and pepper spray and tactics meant to subdue, hurt and humiliate the inmates. Then force feed them. Imagine how weak they are from 45 days of starvation… Who are the real criminals? I believe in the power of prayer, as my mom prayed my writing career into existence from a cell in Solitary. Please say a prayer for the prisoners. God Bless You.
By Denis O Hearn. Reposted from the LA Progressive.
My Friend Todd Ashker: History of a One-Sided Dialogue (via LA Progressive)
This is the story of my attempts to speak publicly about my friendship with Todd Ashker, a reputed “leader” of the hunger strike in California’s prisons. Since the latest hunger strike began on July 8, the California authorities have targeted…
View original post 1 more word
Day 46 – Statement from the Mediation Team
The Prison Guards and I.G.I. “Goon Squad” are going to beat the shit out of the prisoners to force feed them. You have to understand that they will mount up outside of the cell in full force wearing gas masks, shield and enter as a group to rush each cell individually. I’ve been through cell extractions and that is what is going to happen to get to the prisoners. They will say that it is for security so none of the staff get hurt, but let’s be real, how strong can a person be after not eating for 45 days! This is the most cruel blow I have ever witnessed in my life, and I’ve seen a lot! I know God is with the prisoners because he loves them and HATES evil. Who is being evil now?
How much force is used when a prison is force-fed? The Mos Def force-feeding video showed him being strapped down, a ritual reminiscent of the electric chair. When sympathetic medical personnel attempted to insert the plastic tube through his nose and down his throat to his stomach, it was painful. Even a willing patient, like Mos Def, would be hard-pressed not to struggle to avoid the procedure. Imagine how an unwilling patient in the hands of unsympathetic medical personnel would respond. No wonder it is considered a violation of international law.
Added to the “necessary” force is the gratuitous violence that hostile guards and medical personnel may inflict. And hostile they are. We have received recent reports from two prisons of guards unnecessarily tightening handcuffs to inflict pain and provoke a response. “Just sign a Do Not Resuscitate Order so you can die,” one prison doctor told a hunger striker. …
View original post 549 more words
Glenn Langohr's Stunning Memoirs-- of Life in Prison- In Print, Kindle and Audio Book 