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Mahkieb Shabazz Booker, founder of Wilmingtons Black Lives Matter, addresses the crowd at a rally Saturday at Rodney Square in downtown Wilmington.(Photo: JERRY SMITH/THE NEWS JOURNAL)Buy Photo

Mahkieb Shabazz Booker thought it was time folks in Wilmington heard firsthand about the injustices at the James T. Vaughn Correctional Center near Smyrna.

The founder of Delawares Black Lives Matter movement held a rally on Saturday at Wilmingtons Rodney Square to demonstrate about the conditions inmates faced leading up to the Feb. 1 deadly standoff at Vaughn and the conditions they are enduring since the 18-hour siege ended with the death of correctional officer Lt. Steven Floyd.

Using his nephews story as a way to illustrate the oppression some of the inmates have been facing since the siege, Booker said it is his intent to keep his foot on the necks of those responsible for the consistently bad treatment of the inmates at Vaughn until something changes for the good.

I want treatment in the prison system to be changed, he said standing under the large statue of American Revolutionary leaderCaesar Rodney. Without pressure, the pipes wont burst.

An inmatein Building C said in a federal lawsuit filed in February that while he and other inmates were initially seen in the prison infirmary after the standoff ended, they have since not been able to receive any treatment for physical injuries or mental health concerns stemming from the extremely traumatic events.

That also appears to be the case for a member of Booker's family. Booker has been rallying support for the manbut hasreceived little information from the Department of Correctionon his condition. The inmate said he was locked in his cell for days with a swollen, throbbing, broken hand and no hope of seeing a doctor, getting an X-ray or being fitted for a cast. Medical records are not public unless the inmate gives permission for them to be released.

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In a letter to Bookers family, his nephew said that he submitted three to four sick calls and still had not been seen on Feb. 17.

Its been since Feb. 2, 2017, since I was beat bad by officers who breached C-Building due to the hostage situation, the nephew wrote in his grievance letter to DOC officials on Feb. 17, which was received on Feb. 21. Ive wrote 3-4 sick calls and still havent been seen (for my) neck, ribs, head, knee. (My hand) is killing me and hurting very bad. My hand has a bone poking out the top of my left hand (and) Ive yet to be seen.

Michelle Booker talks about the conditions at James T. Vaughn Correctional Center near Smyrna and what her nephew has faced before and after the 18-hour siege at the prison last month.(Photo: JERRY SMITH/THE NEWS JOURNAL)

The nephew said the matter was URGENT and said in the "action requested" space that officials should Investigate This Matter!

Theyre not telling nobody nothing, Bookerreiterated Saturday. To our knowledge, he still hasnt received any medical attention.

Booker said families complain that the lack of information is causing rumors to flourish.

When there is no transparency, there is no trust, Booker said.

Michelle Booker read the letter to the 40-50 people attending the rally. She said her nephew and the other inmates are fearing for their lives, and since the incident, many have lost weight because inmates' have been given smaller mealportions.

There are things that are being done to these inmates that people dont know, she said. It hurts us so bad because we cant do anything for them. He called and told us he had nothing to do with the riot and yet he is being punished.

She said her condolences go out to the Floyd family, but the focus now should be the oppression of all inmates, not just African-Americans. She said something needs to be done now.

Im not here to trash Governor Carney, she said. I just want him to do his job and make sure conditions at Vaughn and the other prisons in the state are improved. Its unimaginable what they are doing down there.

Wilmington Black Lives Matter founder Mahkieb Shabazz Booker (right) talks to members of the Wilmington Peacekeepers (in orange) and the Rev. Derrick Johnson of Joshua Harvest Church before a rally Saturday at Rodney Square in downtown Wilmington.(Photo: JERRY SMITH/THE NEWS JOURNAL)

After hearing about the Bookers nephew, people were given the opportunity to speak. Each talked about the need for everybody to come together to affect change, both in the city of Wilmington and in the prison system.

If we can make things better in our neighborhoods, things can be better in our prison system, Mahkieb Booker said. The whole purpose for being here today is to shed light on what is happening and to send the message that something needs to change now and it will take everybody to make that happen.

Speaker after speaker told their personal stories of oppression by the system and hoped changes would be made so that when inmates are released, they can stay out of prison. Some talked about more money being used for education and rehabilitation so when the inmates are released, they can do something with their lives and become a functioning part of the community.

We need to make it better for our children, said lifelong Wilmington resident Michael Bartley, who has been incarcerated. We need to step up to the plate. Im tired of hearing the speeches. Its time to put boots on the ground and get something done.

Reach Jerry Smith at jsmith17@delawareonline.com. Follow him on Twitter at JerrySmithTNJ.

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Black Lives Matter rally sheds light on prison conditions - The News Journal