Corrections Corporation of America Retaliates for Writing Down Name of Employee

On May 1, 2005, an inmate at the Corrections Corporation of America (ticker CXW) Northeast Ohio Correctional Center committed suicide by cutting his throat. Corrections Corporation of America ("CCA") staff knew that the inmate was depressed and he had previously attempted to harm himself. Nevertheless, CCA placed the inmate in general population within an overcrowded 84 square foot three-man room. CCA staff did not provide the inmate with any additional observation or positive mental reinforcement. As a result, the inmate was found dead during the breakfast feed on Sunday morning.

On Monday morning May 2, 2005, CCA brought in several employees with video equipment. CCA did not advise the inmates of the purpose for the event. The inmates, already upset by the suicide caused from CCA's negligence, believed that the camera was brought for the purpose of interviewing inmates to determine whether they knew anything about the suicide.

With the above in mind, Keith Maydak asked a CCA employee what the purpose was for the photograph shoot. Maydak also asked the employee for his name because his nametag was hidden. The CCA employee became upset and directed Maydak to speak to a Correctional Officer ("CO"). The CO advised Maydak that the photographs were being taken for new identification cards and not part of any interview. The CO had also advised Maydak that she did not know the name of the person he spoke with. She directed Maydak to ask a Unit Manager for the name.

When Maydak asked the Unit Manager to identify the CCA employee who refused to give his name, the Unit Manager shouted, "Would you like me to tear that fuckin' tablet out of your hand?" When Maydak asked the Unit Manager for his name, he told Maydak that he would be taken to the "fuckin' hole" if he did not stop writing. Maydak complied with the directive to stop writing. However, Maydak asked the CO to identify the Unit Manager. When the Unit Manager overheard the conversation, he directed the officer to place Maydak in the hallway to be escorted to segregation.

While in the hallway, the CO advised Maydak that the staff member who threatened him was Unit Manager E. Stephenson.

Maydak explained to MaydakUpdate.com that, "CCA apparently does not enforce its no retaliation policy. No justification existed for Unit Manager E. Stephenson to threaten or retaliate simply because I was documenting the occurrence."

Maydak has filed a formal grievance with CCA because of the First Amendment retaliation.