UPROAR calls out Virginia ombudsman at public meetings

October 28, 2025

The Virginia Legislature established an ombudsman's office in July 2024 to oversee the state prison system, appointing Andrea Sapone in September, following protests and a hunger strike at Red Onion State Prison over abusive conditions. Author Kevin 'Rashid' Johnson, a former hunger striker, argues the ombudsman position is merely symbolic and ineffective, prompting him to help create UPROAR, a prisoner advocacy group composed of families and formerly incarcerated individuals. At recent public meetings held by the ombudsman, UPROAR members and families confronted Sapone, testifying about severe abuses including beatings, torture, self-immolations, and deaths at Virginia's supermax facilities.

Who is affected

Prisoners at Red Onion State Prison and Wallens Ridge supermax facilities in Virginia
Kevin 'Rashid' Johnson (transferred to South Carolina and held incommunicado)
Melinda Evans's son and other prisoners who have been beaten and tortured
Dawn's son (physically abused, subjected to contraband planting, and inappropriately touched by guards)
April Wright's son (beaten, nose broken, subjected to restraint abuse and forced to urinate/defecate on himself)
Aubrey McKay (killed at Wallens Ridge in June 2025)
Pertell Gilmore's son (shot)
Prisoners who self-immolated at Red Onion
Family members and loved ones of incarcerated individuals
UPROAR members (Evi, Melinda Evans, April Wright, Dawn, Pertell Gilmore, Tyrecia Williams-El)

What action is being taken

Andrea Sapone is holding public meetings as ombudsman
UPROAR members and family members are attending ombudsman meetings and giving testimony about abuses
UPROAR is confronting the ombudsman about inaction on complaints

Why it matters

This situation matters because it reveals systemic failures in prison oversight and accountability mechanisms in Virginia. Despite creating an independent ombudsman position specifically to address documented abuses at supermax facilities—including prisoner self-immolations, beatings, torture, and deaths—the office appears ineffective after ten months of operation. The testimony from family members describes severe human rights violations including sexual assault, torture, and murder occurring within state-run facilities, while prison officials have been caught lying to the public about conditions. The failure of this oversight mechanism leaves vulnerable incarcerated individuals without protection from abuse and demonstrates how symbolic reforms can serve to deflect genuine accountability rather than create it.

What's next

No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: San Francisco Bay View National Black Newspaper