Man who spent 22 years in solitary urges Illinois to curb 'psychological torture'
Anthony Gay, who calls solitary confinement ‘wrong, despicable and horrible’, hopes bill passed by lower house will become law
Richard Luscombe
@richlusc
Wed 12 May 2021 14.33 EDT
An inmate who spent 22 years in solitary confinement in an Illinois prison after being arrested for stealing a hat and a dollar bill is campaigning for legislation to end a practice that he says drove him to self-mutilation and a suicide attempt.
Anthony Gay said he was “tortured for decades” by his isolation for up to 24 hours a day in a cold, tiny cell he likened to a dungeon, and was denied access to necessary mental health care.
His efforts since his 2018 release to outlaw the procedure as a punitive measure is reflected in a bill that bears his name now making its way through the Illinois legislature.
“I know what it’s like to be tortured and I know that many people are still being tortured,” he said in an interview with ABC News.
More:
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/may/12/solitary-confinement-illinois-anthony-gay
= new reply since forum marked as read
It's particularly disturbing that this is essentially extra-judicial punishment.
The implementation of 'solitary' is wildly fucked up in this country.
He is also MAD STRONG to have survived that torture 
22 years solitary????????
We are some f*cked up country! 
