Grenda Ray Harmer, serving a state servitude in Morgan County
by Sharon Rondeau / The Post & Email
On Monday morning, The Post & Email reported that TDOC inmate Grenda Harmer, #88710, had informed us in a letter received last week that one of his medications, “Antivert,” had been discontinued by MCCX prison staff without warning or explanation earlier this month.
In a letter received just hours later dated December 12, 2017, Harmer reported that on that date, the withheld medication was restored. “This morning I asked the nurse why I was denied the medication and she said “‘The doctor didn’t renew it.’ That’s all she knew,” he wrote.
In other rare, positive news from the prison, Harmer reported that a fellow protective custody inmate who he believed had been “intentionally over medicated” is now “doing fine.” “They got his medication corrected and now he can function normally,” Harmer wrote, underlining each word.
On page 2 of the letter, Harmer wrote, “They’re still keeping my cell cold” in a reference to recent correspondence in which he reported that he has been forced to wear three or more layers of clothing plus a winter coat, hat and gloves because of the cold temperature in his cell.
In a second letter received today dated December 8, Harmer wrote that “It’s colder in my cell then outside. The corporal that worked this morning felt cold air coming out of my vent. Yet he never called maintenance. I talked to maintenance and they turned the heat on everywhere else…” [sic]
“The middle of the pod is warm because the cells keep the cold air from getting into the middle. Others have complained as well. I was intentionally put in the coldest cell, with cold air being pumped in through the vents,” he added.
Further, he wrote, “I literally wear my pants long Johns over my underwear and 3-t shirts, 1-thermal top, and 1-gray sweater with 2-toboggons to keep warm under my blanket and sheets. When I do my legal work my hands and feet get extremely cold. So I limit how much legal work I do to prevent becoming ill. The rest of the time I’m in my bed.” [sic]
At 10:16 p.m. EST, The Post & Email contacted TDOC spokeswoman Neysa Taylor for comment on Harmer’s complaints but has not received a response as of press time.
