1. Dear Friend,
Greetings and salutations. This letter is written as an immediate response to
an article involving allegations against Muskegon County Jail written by Michael
Nelson. My name is Jason Workman and I am co-writing this letter with Bryant
Johnson. We are both inmates housed in the same housing unit as Mr. Nelson. Thank
you for caring and having enough compassion for human beings to take the time to
read and publish Mr. Nelson’s story. His article touched on several issues and
complaints dealing with this facility and medical staff. In the published article we
feel you really hit home when you spoke of inmates with Severe Chronic Backpain
that our not receiving medical treatment. This is the real story and it’s a story of
sheer brutality that stems directly from the incompetence and there remarkable
ability to flat out just not care. My friend Mr. Johnson and I along with others are
really suffering. Our standard of living here is defined as torture and sorrow. You
found it in your heart to care once already please care enough now to bring to light
the severest of the problems. We truly believe we have the chance to make it better
or possibly save a life here in the future. People have lost there life in here and
currently medical staff is causing permanent damage to inmates physical and
mental health.
My name is Bryant Lee Johnson. I am 49 years old. My medical history could
be defined in a few simple words, “A whole lotta pain.” My doctor here in Muskegon
is Dr. William Ulrich. Dr. Ulrich has diagnosed me with Severe Chronic Backpain. My
pain is a result of Degenerative Disc Disease, Severe Arthritis in lower lumbar
region. I absolutely cannot sleep on the beds here my night are spent on my knees
with chest on the bed. Much like the position of someone praying. Do to lower
lumbar complications the pressure is so immense on my joints I no longer know
what it means to be comfortable. I have been here over 60 days. From day one
Muskegon County Jail medical staff has acknowledged my Chronic Pain, but for 60
days they have neglected to treat it. Every single day I have been here I have sent a
letter to Medical Staff asking to be treated. Today after 60 days they sent down a
package of aspirin acknowledging the problem, but still no one has seen me. Aspirin,
how insulting! Deputy Cassiday has witnessed my pain do to infection and called
medical to make a sick call appointment. He saw I was being tortured and they even
ignored him. I am suffering down here I’m in pain, can’t sleep, and nobody is doing
anything. Doesn’t this fall under cruel and unusual punishment. Two other guards
have also tried to get me into Doctor here Deputy Stenholm and Curka but have not
succeeded. My wife and I tried to set it up for me to see my Doctor Dr. Ulrich but I
was also denied. Any medical attention I have sought I have been flat out denied. Do
they just not care? It’s a basic human right to live in comfort. Who do you turn to
when no one cares or listens. I also suffer from Chronic Hypertension (extremely
high blood pressure), After being here one month I am out of my medication. That
day I started writing medical to get my medications. After a day or so I started to
experience dizziness, headaches, and blurred vision. So I continued to write medical
for medication. After 4 days nothing, after 8 nothing, 12, nothing, and then after 2
weeks I finally got my blood pressure medication. It’s hard to believe I didn’t have a
stroke in here. What are these people thinking. What they are doing is inhumane!
Highblood pressure is the number one cause for strokes! Is there even a real doctor

2. in this building? Who is this medical staff to gamble with a man’s life, where I come
from there is only one god. Our constitution the basic foundation for our great
country cleary states it is unlawfull to give any man cruel and unusual punishment.
Thus making this place a sadistic false prophet.
My name is Jason Workman I am 31 years old. I have been diagnosed by
Orthapedic Surgeon Dr. Iyke and Dr. Herman Hoesksema with Spinabifida, 33%
curvature of spine scoliosis, degenerative Disc Disease, Tumor the size of a snaping
turtle on lower spine, and a golfball size tumor between spine and spinal cord which
is making my spinal cord separate from spine. This is all backed up by my MRI
reports, X-rays and several reports by local surgeons. I am in need of Reconstructive
Surgery on lower lumbar region and some cosmetic work because tumor on my
spine is protruding outward about 3 inches and 10 inches in circumference. I have
been on the heaviest of pain meds Methadone, Norco and SleepAids due to severe
pain. In 2009 I was incarcerated for several months. That year the jail got a Doctor
replacing Dr. Dietrek. I was the first inmate to see him. Upon seeing my back his
reaction was WOW you got some real issues. His diagnosis was the same as my
doctor from world and he prescribed me same medications, Methadone and Norco, I
received med after my mother Brenda Luttrul (231-730-0554) spent $150 on them.
After 5 or 6 days all my meds came up missing. I was passing out from pain and was
incredibly sick because my body was used to having MEDS. You can die from
stopping taking these meds abruptly. I went about a week without. My mother then
spent another $150 after seeing doctor here again. 1 week later they were took
again. Kristi the nurse from med staff showed us a note from Lt. Burns he gave to
her to take my medications. The Lt isn’t a doctor, but he thought be knew what was
best, finally we got Sheriff Roesler involved and got meds back again. This time a
GUARD stole them and they found my bottles on the 3rd floor empty! That’s $450 my
mom spent for about 20 days worth of pills that this jail Dr. prescribed. I was being
tortured living in pain vomiting just about once a week. It was the worst time of my
life until Now. Presently I am here again for 50 days for unpaid tickets I can’t work
because of spinal injuries to pay them. Upon my arrival jail medical asked about my
prescriptions and I told them it’s the same as last time you have my file. After a week
I saw Doctor. This is 30 days ago now. He had me sign release forms to get a list of
meds from my pharmacy, which I did. I was told we’ll get your meds down to you
soon. 30 days later here I sit with nothing for pain. Tonight I can barely write this
letter. My pain is so intense I can’t think. Last Tuesday I told guard my legs weren’t
work and my vision is blurry I need an ambulance. He then took me upstairs and the
nurse said he wouldn’t call an ambulance gave me 6 motrins and put me in drunk
tank and said the doctor here would see me in 4 days. I said “really my legs aren’t
working sometimes what if I fall and hit my head this a new symptom for me I’m
scared.” His reaction was do you want the fucking motrin or not. 28 hours later they
took me out of drunk tank back downstairs. When Friday came I asked about Doctor
and they said I’m not on list. I truly feel like these people get off on torturing people.
They clearly know I’m here and in a ton of pain. I leave in 6 days this might not help
me, but it might help the next guy. No one deserves this. It’s 100% CRUEL AND
UNUSUAL PUNISHMENT!
Thank you,
Author Jason Workman