IDOC Watch founder Angaza Iman Bahar was scheduled to be released in June 2020, after over 27 years in prison (he’s been locked up continuously since age 19). His family had plans for a reunion in Indianapolis to celebrate his release. Then, a couple weeks ago, his release date was suddenly pushed back to October because he’s been falsely accused of having a cell phone and found guilty without proper due process! Full story below.
Please call 317-232-5711 ext. 2, ext. 3, ext. 1 & email IDOC Chief Counsel Robert Bugher rbugher@idoc.in.gov to demand that the charges be dropped!
Sample Script:
“Hello, I’m [writing/calling] to request that the charges that Jimmy Jones #891782 was found guilty of at a Disciplinary Hearing on Jan. 16 regarding conduct report MCF19-11-0728 at Miami Correctional Facility be dropped and the sanctions lifted immediately! Mr. Jones’ due process rights under IDOC Policy 02-04-101, ‘The Disciplinary Code for Adult Offenders,’ have been violated in this case. He was not notified of his hearing 24hrs in advance, he was not allowed to review the evidence against him, and he was not provided a copy of the Disciplinary Hearing Report! Moreover, someone else admitted responsibility for the cellphone that Mr. Jones is being punished for to Unit Manager Williams. Please review this case and drop the sanctions against Mr. Jones!”
Angaza recently found out that he had been found guilty of having a cell phone, though he had never had a Disciplinary Hearing. Upon investigation, he learned that the cell phone incident in question happened back in November. What happened was Angaza’s cellmate was caught with a cell phone on Nov. 18. At about 1am Ofc. Cook pulled up to the cell ( c-301/302) and ordered Angaza and his cellie to submit to a shake down. He called the yard officers, and Sgt. Workman and Ofc. Reich showed up to assist him. Ofc. Reich cuffed Angaza, removed him from the cell, and escorted him to the shower where he strip-searched him, while while Sgt. workman did the same with his cellie, ShaQuille Delaney #251688. During the search of Delaney, a cellphone was found in his shoe by Sgt. Workman. All of this was caught on the unit’s surveillance system.
Later that day when Unit Manager Williams and Ofc. Myers were on the unit Delaney admitted to both of them that the phone was his and that Angaza had nothing to do with it. That Thurs, 11/21, Delaney was released, and the following week Angaza received a conduct report for the cell phone. When he was screened for the conduct report, he didn’t waive his right to 24hr notice of hearing, and he never received a continuance of the hearing authorizing a delay of the hearing past 7 working days in accordance with IDOC Policy & Procedure under The Disciplinary Code for Adult Offenders, 02-04-101 IX D2(d)(e).
Now, over two months later, Angaza has been informed that the hearing was held in his absence on Jan 16., in violation of his due process rights. He never received notice of the hearing, nor did thy send him a copy of the Disciplinary Hearing Report, as is required under IDOC Policy in the Disciplinary Code for Adult Offenders, 02-04-101.
