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Inmates Who Exposed Alabama's Prison Conditions In Documentary *Somehow* End Up In Solitary Confinement
https://www.wonkette.com/p/inmates-who-exposed-alabamas-prisonRobyn Pennacchia
Last week, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced the 2026 Oscar nominees. Among them was The Alabama Solution (currently streaming on HBOMax), a documentary about the deeply disturbing conditions, corruption, and institutional violence in Alabama Department of Corrections facilities -- much of which was filmed on illicit cell phones. It had to be, because Alabama doesn't allow the media into its prisons, as they don't want people to see what is going on inside those walls.
Now it turns out that the three whistleblowers who risked their lives to collaborate on the documentary were, according to one of the film's co-producers, "abruptly snatched" from the Easterling Correctional Facility and moved to the Kilby Correctional Facility in mid-January, where they have since been living in extreme solitary confinement.
It is not clear exactly how long they have been in there, but solitary confinement lasting more than 15 days is a violation of international law and the Nelson Mandela rules. We know that it causes lasting harm and induces psychiatric issues -- specifically "characterized by a progressive inability to tolerate ordinary things, such as the sound of plumbing; hallucinations and illusions; severe panic attacks; difficulties with thinking, concentration, and memory; obsessive, sometimes harmful, thoughts that won't go away; paranoia; problems with impulse control; and delirium."
In addition to their collaboration on the film, which is getting renewed attention following the Oscar nom, prison activists Raoul Poole, Robert Earl Council (aka Kinetic Justice), and Melvin Ray had also recently announced plans for a prison labor strike to protest the abuses in the system.
This is something Alabama takes very seriously, as prison labor is worth an estimated $450 million to the state annually, both from the money they get from outside sources and the money they save by not having to hire staff within the prison for things like kitchen or cleaning duties. Or from prisoners working at Kay Ivey's mansion or building her a lovely gazebo. Indeed, they love prison labor so much that they won't even parole people who ought to be paroled (including many on work-release programs, who are apparently not too much of a danger to work at McDonalds or Golden Corral during the day).
. . .
Now it turns out that the three whistleblowers who risked their lives to collaborate on the documentary were, according to one of the film's co-producers, "abruptly snatched" from the Easterling Correctional Facility and moved to the Kilby Correctional Facility in mid-January, where they have since been living in extreme solitary confinement.
It is not clear exactly how long they have been in there, but solitary confinement lasting more than 15 days is a violation of international law and the Nelson Mandela rules. We know that it causes lasting harm and induces psychiatric issues -- specifically "characterized by a progressive inability to tolerate ordinary things, such as the sound of plumbing; hallucinations and illusions; severe panic attacks; difficulties with thinking, concentration, and memory; obsessive, sometimes harmful, thoughts that won't go away; paranoia; problems with impulse control; and delirium."
In addition to their collaboration on the film, which is getting renewed attention following the Oscar nom, prison activists Raoul Poole, Robert Earl Council (aka Kinetic Justice), and Melvin Ray had also recently announced plans for a prison labor strike to protest the abuses in the system.
This is something Alabama takes very seriously, as prison labor is worth an estimated $450 million to the state annually, both from the money they get from outside sources and the money they save by not having to hire staff within the prison for things like kitchen or cleaning duties. Or from prisoners working at Kay Ivey's mansion or building her a lovely gazebo. Indeed, they love prison labor so much that they won't even parole people who ought to be paroled (including many on work-release programs, who are apparently not too much of a danger to work at McDonalds or Golden Corral during the day).
. . .
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