Keith Maydak Files Administrative Remedy with Allegheny County Oversight Board Based on Retaliation Transfer

On or about Friday, April 22, 2005, the Allegheny County Pennsylvania Jail caused Keith Maydak to be removed from the Institution because he filed grievances and spoke to the press.

On May 2, 2005, Maydak filed a formal administrative remedy based on the First Amendment retaliation.

Maydak told MaydakUpdate.com, "Jails retaliate against anyone who speaks out about the conditions or misconduct. They are run like criminal gangs. I cannot allow Allegheny County to continue this pattern of misconduct. The ACJ needs an overhaul, and Warden Ramon Rustin has no intention of doing it."

See Letter below:

Keith Maydak
613 Cross Street
East McKeesport, PA 15035

May 9, 2005

Lieutenant Henne
Allegheny County Jail
950 Second Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15219

Warden Ramon Rustin
Allegheny County Jail
950 Second Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15219

Hon. Kim Berkeley Clark, Chairperson
Allegheny County Prison Oversight Board
Room 5065, 440 Ross Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15219

In re: Retaliatory Transfer

Gentlemen and Chairperson Berkeley Clark:

Pursuant to the Prisoner Litigation Reform Act, please construe this communication as a request for administrative remedy with respect to the Allegheny County Jail’s retaliatory transfers. Specifically, in retaliation for grievances and public comments to the press, the ACJ contacted the United States Marshals Service and asked them to remove me from the facility.

The above referenced conduct constitutes First Amendment retaliation, which is actionable pursuant to 42 USC §1983. In the event I do not receive a satisfactory explanation, I will assume that the action occurred in bad faith.

I note that I previously put the Oversight Board and the ACJ Warden on notice that retaliatory actions occur and it appears that a deliberate indifference was taken.

Respectfully submitted,


Keith Maydak