'Sexually Enslaved' Gay Prisoner Sues for Alleged Multiple Rapes by Fellow Inmates

By Bryan Robinson

April 18, 2002

A gay black prisoner today sued Texas prison officials for allegedly ignoring his cries for help and allowing him to be repeatedly raped and sexually enslaved by fellow inmates.

The American Civil Liberties Union today filed a federal lawsuit on behalf of prisoner Roderick Johnson against several Texas prison officials he says ignored his pleas for protection against gangs who forced him into sexual slavery. Over an 18-month period between September 2000 and April 2002, Johnson, the complaint says, asked repeatedly for separate housing from the general prison population because his status as a homosexual man left him vulnerable to sexual assault.

But officials at James V. Allred Unit in Iowa Park, Texas, denied Johnson's request for protection, and he became the sexual slave of rival Crip and Mexican gangs who, the complaint says, "bought and sold Mr. Johnson as a chattel, raped and degraded him on a virtual daily basis, and threatened him with death if he resisted."

During the 18-month period Johnson appeared before Allred's classification committee — which determines whether to put endangered prisoners in protective custody — seven times and despite his rape allegations, his requests were denied each time. Johnson's lawyers say Texas prison officials discriminated against him because he is both black and gay. They refused to investigate his allegations and told him that he should be able to defend himself against unwanted sexual advances — or suffer the consequences.

snip-

Read Complete Article Here