Delaware prisoner details failed attempt to boycott internet
David Holloman describes why he sought to boycott internet-connected tablets behind bars in Delaware.
Xerxes Wilson, Wochit
A Delaware inmate who said he was stripped of his prison job and relocated to a harsher environment after he threatened to organize a protest over excessive prisoner internet fees, has settled his lawsuit with the prison system.
David Holloman, formerly held at James T. Vaughn Correctional Center, had sued correction officials claiming he was unfairly removed from his job and confined in the harshest portion of the prison indefinitely for planning the protest. He filed his lawsuit in federal court and represented himself.
A year ago, Delaware Online/The News Journal covered Holloman’s plight as well as why many feel the prison systems’ network of internet-connected tablets both open up new opportunities for outside contact, but also exploit prisoners’ desperation to stay connected by charging per-message and per-minute usage rates the private market would not tolerate.
The original story: What happened when a Delaware prisoner tried to boycott the internet behind bars
Afterward, the Delaware chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union took up his cause. Earlier this month, prison officials released the settlement details through a Freedom of Information Act request. In the document, correction officials deny liability and both sides make concessions.
The department agreed to remove Holloman from the Vaughn secure housing unit and into a building with physical access to a law library. He is now imprisoned at Sussex Correctional Institution.
They also agreed to make a “good faith effort” to place him in college courses at the first available opportunity and not hold the disciplinary infraction related to his planned protest against him in future decisions over his housing after a certain period.
Holloman agreed to dismiss the lawsuit and refrain from planning any sort of boycott or protests that violate DOC policy.
The document was signed by Terra Taylor, correction commissioner as well as Holloman. It includes a confidentiality clause that restricts the parties’ ability to speak on the terms of the settlement. A spokesperson for Taylor declined to comment.
In a written statement, Holloman said “by no means” was it his intention to “cause anyone harm.” Rather, he was attempting to “exercise constitutional rights and encouraging others to do the same,” he said.
“I agreed to resolve the matter and put this ordeal behind me,” he said. “My only goal moving forward is to continue my journey of rehabilitation and self-development to successfully reenter society.”
Holloman’s lawsuit is one of multiple matters the local ACLU has been litigating in Delaware’s prison. That includes class-action lawsuits over allegations of excessive force, an allegedly killer healthcare regime in the prisons as well as prisoners’ ability to vote.
Meanwhile, correction officials say they are planning to expand the prison’s tablet system in light of high demand.
Contact Xerxes Wilson at (302) 324-2787 or [email protected]. Delaware prisoners may also contact Xerxes Wilson on the GettingOut app.
Tyler Fields is your internet guru, delving into the latest trends, developments, and issues shaping the online world. With a focus on internet culture, cybersecurity, and emerging technologies, Tyler keeps readers informed about the dynamic landscape of the internet and its impact on our digital lives.
