September 2, 2025 

Dear Governor Hochul. 

My name is Lynda Bablin and I am a former mayor of Hudson Falls, NY. It saddens me to  have to write this letter today to inform you of men in Midstate Correctional Facility who are  on a hunger strike and are willing to give their lives as Bobby Sands did, along with other  men who starved themselves to death because of prison conditions and or how they were  treated in the island prisons in the past. 

There are crimes being committed by the NYS Department of Corrections against human  beings in their and in your care. These crimes are numerous, multiple and happening every  single day all over the state of New York by correctional staJ, even occurring more so after  the illegal, unlawful and non sanctioned strike by the correctional staJ in February of this  year which, in itself was a crime. This letter is not only about that, but more importantly  about the men, human beings, in Midstate Correctional Facility’s Step Down, Upstate  Correctional Facility’s RRU and statewide who are being assaulted, abused, tortured, crimes being committed against them and correctional staJ promoting prisoner on  prisoner violence to push their agenda of unsafe conditions, when the correctional staJ are  actually making the unsafe conditions for everyone. Please let me make clear these are not  just accusations and or allegations, but the facts and truth with an abundance of evidence  to back it up like video, audio, witness’s documents, records etc., which is all corroborated proof and/or evidence. Furthermore, it is well known by many state senators, one of them  being Julia Salazar who is the chairwoman of the New York State Oversight Committee for  the Department of Corrections. Senator Salazar and her oJice, along with me and various  prisoners have put in numerous complaints to Central OJice with no real help, rectification, nor anyone being held responsible for their actions and crimes. Also on  August 20, 2025, it was not only stated to me, but also my Godson Mario Mannino 01A2142  by Senator Salazar's oJice staJ during a conference call, that they, along with other  Senators in Albany, are trying and doing all they can. Their hands are tied and more  importantly, they know and are well aware of the crimes being committed in all facilities  against human beings, prisoners, and how facilities Central OJice, along with OJice of Special Investigations, OSI, are all corrupt in my opinion and covering up the abuse, assault, torture and murder etc. of prisoners. What the Senators and I don't understand is  how this is still happening statewide, but more importantly, happening right now in real  time at Midstate Correctional Facility where correctional staJ beat, tortured and murdered  Mr. Nantwi in February 2025 and only two months before that in December 2024, right next  door in Marcy Correctional Facility, staJ beat, tortured and murdered Mr. Robert Brooks. 

My Godson, Mario Mannino 01A2142, who is right now in Midstate Correctional Facility  Step Down, along with German Rosado Thomas 16B1385 and two other men, Garrett  Mounds 21BO529 and Terry Bilson 22B5459, are all on hunger strikes after being denied  medical emergency attention/treatment, dental emergency attention and treatment, and real mental health care services and have had prisoner on prisoner violence promoted  against them in the past by correctional staJ so correctional staJ can push their agenda of  unsafe conditions. Please see all complaints, emails, FOIA requests for video and audio  etc. sent to Central OJice and OJice of Special investigations, OSI, by myself, Senator Julia  Salazar's oJice, also State Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart Cousins oJice etc., also  a 62 page letter plus exhibits written to you by my Godson Mario Mannino 01A2142 on  March 23, 2025 while he was at Upstate Correctional Facility. Said letter was received by  your oJice on or about June 4th thru 10th 2025 from my Godson’s uncle, Anthony Mannino, because when my Godson originally mailed it to you from Upstate Correctional Facility on  April 7, 2025, it was stolen by correctional staJ at Upstate. Mario Mannino has video, audio and documented evidence that this letter was stolen because it exposed in detail dates, times, etc., the crimes, corruption, murder, torture, abuse, physical & mental verbal  assaults, the promoting of prisoner on prisoner violence by correctional staJ at Upstate  Correctional Facility and other facilities, along with Albany and the OJice of Special  Investigations, OSI, the cover up and the destruction of evidence that is of a criminal, civil and investigative nature. In addition, this 62-page letter explains in detail, again with dates and times, how the OJice of Special Investigations comes into correctional facilities impersonating FBI agents wearing suits and showing fake credentials, obtaining  complaints and information from prisoners of crimes, corruption, abuse etc. by  correctional staJ and then covering it up for the facilities and central oJice. 

I ask you to please read this letter which your oJice acknowledged they received on June 9 or 10, 2025 when my Godson and his uncle, Anthony Mannino, called and spoke to your  staJ. They were refused any help by your staJ for the real time abuse, torture etc. and they  were told that they would have a response to said letter in three to five weeks. It has been  approximately 12 weeks now and my Godson, nor his uncle, have received a response  and/or any help. Note that all calls to your oJice by my Godson and his uncle on April 15, 2025, April 21, 2025, April 28, 2025 and June 2, 2025 are all recorded by Securus and they  were refused help by your staJ for abuse, torture, etc. that was happening in real time. 

My Godson, Mario Mannino 01A2142, was intentionally put in a cell filled with another  human’s feces at Midstate Correctional Facility Step Down on July 7, 2025 which was  retaliation for the letter written to you on March 23, 2025 stated above. He requested and  begged numerous correctional staJ for hours up thru the next day, to be removed from the  cell filled with human feces and was denied. He was forced to eat, sleep etc. in this cell.

When he became sick with blisters on his face, in his right eye, head, back of ear and neck swollen, along with lumps his thyroids and glands swollen with a temperature and  headache for more than 10 days straight with no relief, he was repeatedly denied outside  hospital emergency attention and treatment not for days, but for weeks, which is all on  video and audio, along with requesting numerous correctional staJ report what happened  to him and be aJorded outside law enforcement to which they all stated “No”.  

He has also been denied medical attention treatment for other medical conditions and/or  issues along with dental for 18 months. He had to remove his own tooth (molar) with his  fingers last year February 2024. It took him approximately 3 hours to remove this tooth with  his fingers while blood was pouring out of his mouth and nose etc. Dental records will show  he removed the bottom left side molar himself. He has told them this many times and also  put it in the letter on March 23, 2025 to your oJice and still has not gotten any dental  attention. Furthermore, he has another tooth, right side molar bottom, that now has to be  removed and is trying to hold out as long as he can before the pain becomes too much and  he has to remove this one by himself. He is also suJering on all diJerent levels physically and mentally. His neighbor, German Rosado Thomas, 16B1385, is a prisoner with  disabilities and is not only being denied medical attention treatment for his medical  conditions and issues but is being denied his hearing aids, which he is entitled to for his  disability, along with his glasses. There is no excuse for this by Midstate Correctional  Facility because Mr. Rosado Thomas has been in Midstate for more than eight months and  in those eight months, has submitted sick call after sick call, complaint after complaint to  the facility and Central OJice, State Senator Julia Salazar's oJice etc. He also has no other  recourse but to go on a hunger strike with my Godson and these other men. 

These men are being denied medical treatment in every aspect by correctional staJ with  the apparent intent and purpose of making them suJer. The mental health of these prisoners, human beings, is deteriorating. They are having mental health breakdowns, which staJ watch and do nothing about. They are being held in solitary  confinement/isolation which, in itself is against the law in New York State. They are being  denied what they are entitled to under the HALT Law, Law 137, etc. In my opinion, the  Department of Corrections is purposely, and with intent, not following the law but is  actually breaking the law by abusing and torturing these men and making them suJer more  and more every day, including even the simplest request for library access being denied. Access to the law library, which for decades has been aJorded to prisoners in accordance  with the law, right now at Midstate Correctional Facility is being denied to these prisoners. The Law Library supervisor, as evidenced by audio and video, stated to Mario Mannino that  SORC Petris told him not to give my Godson any of his legal law library request. 

Furthermore, the inmates are being denied their new personal tablets which has the law  library on it and other prisoners statewide have access to them. This is not only against the  law, but also discrimination. 

Just like they are seemingly trying to cover up and destroy evidence of the crimes against  my Godson Mario Mannino, they are also trying to cover up and destroy evidence of other  prisoners at Midstate Correctional Facility’s Step Down. One of them, again being my  Godson's neighbor, German Rosado Thomas, who was physically assaulted on March 8, 2025 which is on video and audio, was also recorded on the phone while on with the  suicide prevention hotline, you can hear Mr. Rosado Thomas saying that he can't take it  anymore and to the operator Miss Nicole, which is a witness from suicide prevention, you  can hear the National Guard staJ yell at Mr. Rosado Thomas “kill yourself. We don't care if  you kill yourself. Die” etc. All of this is documented by Central OJice and OSI, both which seem to be trying to cover it up. 

For the record, my Godson, Mario Mannino, has been in the Department of Correctional  Services for 31 years, his first DIN #94R8111 and then number now 01A2142, and in those  31 years, he has never once seen or heard a prisoner in his time kill any correctional staJ, but correctional staJ kill prisoners all the time either by physically denying them mental or  medical emergency and or attention, not aJording them real mental health services and or  actually telling them to kill themselves etc. 

Governor Hochul, my Godon has spent his whole life in prison since he was a kid because  of his outrageous sentence and no laws that favor and/or benefit him or other men and  women like him. He will die in the system for his alleged mistakes as a young man in the  1990s on top of having no hopes of ever being released. He and other men are being  abused, tortured and murdered by correctional staJ. When is enough, enough? These men  that are human beings, are not ASKING for you to help, but BEGGING you for it. I asked you  again, when is enough, enough? 

This has to stop! The Department of Corrections is acting as a criminal enterprise which it  seems most everyone is aware of. We don't abuse, torture and murder prisoners of war  under the Geneva Convention, but we are allowing it to be done to our own Americans on  our own soil in New York State. I ask you to please help my Godson and the rest of these  men and act as soon as possible. If nothing is done as in the past, I will then need to  contact the Trump administration to seek their assistance with what is taking place in New  York State.

My Godson would like you to know that he, along with the rest of the men on the hunger  strike, are not a threat and are trying to do this nonviolently. They want you to evaluate them  from where they are in their cells now as the days and weeks go by, and not be taken to  another part of the prison to be isolated even more and be made to suJer far worse which  has been the practice of the department to break all men and women on a hunger strike. They have been abused and tortured enough. 

Below is a list of the items they're asking and/or begging you to act on, along with the State  Senators: 

1) that they be aJorded immediate outside medical attention & treatment for all and  any medical conditions and/or injuries, along with dental care and real mental  health services, with mental health staJ that do not work in and/or with the  Department of Corrections  

2) that they meet with outside law enforcement, not OSI, to file felony complaints for  all the crimes committed against them by the Department of Corrections  3) that an outlet group be established for prisoners to receive real help and/or be able  to report the murder, torture, assaults, abuse, promoting prisoner on prisoner  violence, crime and corruption by correctional staJ against prisoners. This group to  also consist of peoples from organizations, advocacy groups and volunteers that  advocate for prisoners  

4) that every correctional staJ member, facility administration, security, civilian central  oJice, OSI etc. follow the law and if they break the law, they are charged and  prosecuted like everyone else. No one is above the law including them. 

5) that every correctional staJ member, facility administration, security, civilian central  oJice, OSI etc. follow all the rules, regulations and procedures. If they don't, they  are held accountable and are fired. 

6) no retaliation come from any and all correctional staJ in all facilities, central oJice, Albany OJice of Special Investigations etc. Also, that protection from all  correctional staJ for these men on hunger strikes be taken by your oJice.  

7) If a DA in a County refuses to charge and prosecute any correctional staJ, your oJice appoints/assigns a special prosecutor to charge and prosecute correctional staJ for their crimes. (See prisoner Mr. Strickland and Clinton Correctional Facility  murdered on video and audio and DA refused to charge and prosecute). 

8) that the OJice of Special investigations, OSI, be dismantled and/or all personnel be  completely removed and a new OJice of Special Investigations be replaced with no  personnel staJ having any ties to any correctional facilities so prisoners and staJ  have an OSI who follows the law and keeps all safe.

9) that major steps be taken throughout the New York State prison system to establish  and start real rehabilitation for all prisoners in all facilities  

10)that when prisoner’s property is packed up by correctional staJ, all of their property  is packed up, no matter what, and none is left behind anywhere to circumvent laws  that say prisoners will be given all their personal property while in RRU, Step downs  etc. 

11)that when prisoners’ cells are searched and/or entered by correctional staJ, their  property is not destroyed or damaged to punish them and make them suJer more. It  should be documented who approves their cell be searched & entered also why.  This document should be given to them and that they be present any time staJ entered their cells. It should be documented exactly what staJ did in their cell and  this be document should be given to them. 

12)that after serving a year in solitary confinement isolation and or fake program, that  the inmate should not be bounced around to another facility’s solitary confinement  isolation and or fake program to circumvent the law and get more and more SHU box  time out of them. Solitary confinement isolation is against the law in New York State  and once real programs stopped, congregated recs stopped and as did prisoners  being denied anything they are entitled to in accordance with the HALT law, law 137  etc. These fake programs became solitary confinement, which they exactly were  and called before. 

13)that they be given everything they are entitled to under the HALT law, law 137 etc. They are already in solitary confinement isolation suJering. Why are they being  made to suJer even more by denying them what they are entitled to? The most  simple things like law library access that other prisoners statewide have on their  new personal tablets, where they can also be able to email their families or look at  their kid’s pictures on the same tablet they are being denied and discriminated  against. They should be given all their personal property which the law states they  are entitled to. Not just some and/or what a staJ member decides they would like to  give them or not. They're not being given the privileges that they are entitled to so  that they can buy wholesome nutritious and healthy foods which the law also states  they are entitled to and is in accordance with many prisoner’s medical conditions. These and numerous other things that they are entitled to under the law and in  accordance with all laws, are being withheld with intent and purpose, seemingly to  only make them suJer. I say again, they are already in solitary confinement isolation  suJering which is against the law so why make them suJer even more by denying  them what they are entitled to in accordance with the HALT law?

14)that all FOIA and HIPPA requests be fulfilled in accordance with the law and that the  Department of Corrections stop destroying evidence, video & audio documents etc. that are evidence of a criminal, civil and investigative nature. 

15)that all grievances be filed, copied and filed numbers be sent to grievant, along with  all decisions in accordance with grievance laws, rules, regulations and procedures. That investigations be done and contact be made to outside law enforcement, New  York State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigations which, when criminal activity  may be involved, is in accordance with grievance laws, rules, regulations and  procedures, but none of the above is being followed in one way or another. 

16) that a new HALT committee not have correctional staJ alone on it, but position spots to be also given to people who the HALT law directly applies to and eJects, or  who have done long sentences, along with known people from organizations, advocacy groups, advocates for prisoners who advocate for prisons. Note: It  appears that correctional staJ on the HALT committee are there for only one reason, to try and change the laws so they can legally deny and/or withhold what prisoners are entitled to in accordance with the law and make them suJer legally. Explained in  detail in the 62 page letter from my Godson to your oJice. Again, please read. 

Governor Hochul, before I go, I would like to say something I heard on the radio  approximately 2 weeks ago. Amy Goodman was talking to a group of people on an NPR  show. She said this quote: they came for my neighbors and I said nothing. Then later  they came for me and there was no one left to say anything. I bring that up because  there are many people that know exactly what is happening in the correctional system  of NYS and they all are saying nothing. It is time for us all to not only say, but to act and  do something about it. Enough is enough! Thank you very much for your time. I am truly  grateful. I'm looking forward to hearing and working with you and your oJice.

Have a  nice day and God bless. 

Lynda Bablin