Inmates are Dying at Ely State Prison in Nevada

For years now, I have been writing to places like Prison Writers about the conditions of confinement at the Ely State Prison (E.S.P.) in Ely, Nevada and how atrocious it is here. On the 16th of April, 2024 this facility had its fifth murder within the last year and a half or so.

How? Why?

It has been well documented that the E.S.P should not be allowed to continue operating, due to a number of issues, one of which includes not having enough staff and/or medical personnel, even though this prison is at less than half capacity. This is important to point out, as I just witnessed — on the 16th April, 2024 — a person die on unit 7B. It took over 15 minutes for medical personnel to show up. So tragic.

The events occurred as such. Once the “incident” took place, the guards gave orders to all the inmates on the tier at the time to “get on the ground!” All inmates complied. During this time, the guards gave more orders to the alleged assailants to walk to the unit sally port, a distance of 20 yards or so, and placed them one by one in handcuffs to be escorted off the tier. The guards also gave orders for inmates not involved in the incident to move to other areas of the unit. Again, everyone complied.

Then, about 5 or 6 more inmates (not involved in the incident) were ordered, one by one, to also walk to the unit sally port to be placed in handcuffs and escorted outside to the unit rec yard. Medical personnel then showed up and finally breached the tier with more guards. It was the guards who attended to the victim, not medical personnel. The guards grabbed the victim by his arms and legs, carried him to the stretcher that was waiting upstairs, placed the victim on it, and as he was being carried downstairs it was then a nurse finally did anything to attend to the victim.

How? Why?

It needs to be brought to light that the Nevada Department of Corrections (NDOC) is maliciously housing targeted inmates at the E.S.P. — the most violent prison in the entire state — simply based on social identities, of which the federal courts of the US Supreme Court said prisons can no longer do. What this means is that inmates who are socially identified by who they know and/or associate with immediately get sent to the E.S.P., even if they haven’t done anything (violated a prison regulation/procedure). This is not equal treatment, as others are allowed to go to any other facility in the NDOC. It’s well known that people die here.

Also, the people who are dying and even those who are being charged with murder are only months from going home or being paroled. One victim had three weeks to go home and was killed. The most recent victim had only been in prison approximately 2 months, was eligible to be classified/sent to a minimum-security facility, had less than a year to his first parole board, but due to the NDOC targeting him and his social identity, he was sent to the E.S.P. and was killed.

Who’s going to tell his family, his children, that their father won’t be coming home because the NDOC funneled him here and lost his life, when he should have been at a minimum-security facility? Who’s going to tell his children that the NDOC blatantly ignored what the courts ruled and still sent their father to his death? That man’s blood is on the NDOC’s hands. They need to be held accountable.

This is not the first, second, third, or fourth incident that someone has been killed in less than the past 2 years.

This begs the question of why this port-a-potty known as the E.S.P. is even still open? Why hasn’t the entire administration been fired? When those who are responsible for the operations of a maximum security prison continue to contribute to deaths of inmates, how are they not forced out/fired/charged with conspiracy?

Another thing that cannot be overlooked is that the alleged assailants in this recent incident on 16th April, 2024 were also funneled to Ely State Prison simply based on social identification. The alleged assailants were previously detained in a minimum-security facility but due to targeting by the NDOC ended up at E.S.P., both of whom had less than a year and a half to go home and/or being paroled.

How? Why?

What is or isn’t going on at the Ely State Prison that people so close to release are killing (allegedly) or dying?

I have written to places like Return Strong, NV CURE, APWA, even the Director and both deputy directors of prisons for Nevada, about these poor conditions at the E.S.P. and how there are no incentives or privileges for anyone to want a positive program to stay out of trouble. That this facility is designed for failure as we wait around for (bad) things to happen.

It’s clear that those within the NDOC want us at the E.S.P. to fail. That the NDOC wants and promotes these tragic incidents evidenced by the fact that this is allowed to continue, the targeting of inmates due to social identification, and administration not being fired.

How many more of us have to die/kill here at the E.S.P. before someone with half a brain says to shut this port-a-potty down?!!

Gilbert Paliotta #46244
Ely State Prison
P.O. Box 1989
Ely, NV 89301