Hey, prime members, you can binge all three episodes of American Scandal, America's coup in Iran, ad free on Amazon Music. Download the app today. To listen to American Scandal one week early and ad free, join Wondry Plus in the Wondry app. You can also download the Wondry app in your app or Google Play mobile app store today.
It's September 12, 1971 in Attica, New York. Richard X. Clark walks across a massive concrete yard that's covered in mud. He stops, a warm wind blowing through his hair, and stares at the site in front of him. Clark is standing in a prison yard at the Attica Correctional Facility.
Normally, this area is under tight supervision with armed guards standing watch controlling the movements of every prisoner. But everything changed three days ago when the inmates decided they'd had enough. They were tired of the abuse of the guards' violence and mistreatment, so the inmates rose up and together they took control of the prison.
As Clark looks out over the yard, he still can't believe what he's saying. Hundreds of inmates move around like free men. A group of hostages sit huddled together on an old mattress with prisoners standing guard. The yard has been turned into a sprawling encampment. It's a democratic society that's run by the prisoners themselves and led by a small group of leaders, including Richard X. Clark.
It's only 25 years old. He's slender and wears black-frame glasses. Even though he's young, he knows that he and the other inmates have made history. Now that they control Attica, they can demand significant changes, improve the lives of prisoners, but it's even bigger than that. Clark knows they can change prisons across the country, maybe even the rest of the world.
Still, as he looks around the yard, Clark can see that the feelings of triumph and revolution are already fading. It's day three of the standoff and the inmates look exhausted and on the brink of making a rash decision. It's a situation that could only grow worse with some news that has just arrived.
"Yeah, no kidding, we've got a problem. It's been three days. We're not getting anywhere. We got the prison, but we also got state police surrounding us."
"I know, but listen, there's something else you need to see."
我知道,但是听着,还有另一件事情你需要看一看。
Clark takes out a message he received from a government official, the man who runs the prisons in New York State. It's from Russell Oswald. It's a demand to surrender.
Clark拿出一张从纽约州监狱管理人员Russell Oswald处收到的消息,要求他投降。
"Richard, he's been saying that from the start."
"Richard,他从一开始就一直在说那个。"
"I know. But Frank, this time, something's different. He's not asking anymore. This is a threat."
我知道。但是,弗兰克,这次有些不同。他不再是在请求了。这是个威胁。
"Well, let's tell everyone. They got to know. If our people hear this, they're just going to dig in their heels."
"好吧,让我们告诉大家。他们必须知道。如果我们的人听到这个,他们会坚定立场。"
"I don't think they need to know that it's come to an ultimate."
我觉得他们不需要知道这件事已经到了最终阶段。
"You sure about that? I think so. The thing is the only option. If it were the only option, you wouldn't be talking to me right now, trying to figure things out. So here's what I think. When we took over, we made a promise. We make decisions together. All the inmates together. So whatever's on that piece of paper, you got to read it out loud and let them decide."
Clark exhales and shuts his eyes. Okay. The two men make their way across the yard to a set of scuffed wooden tables. Clark grabs a microphone, wired up to a speaker. At the sound of his voice, hundreds of prisoners suddenly look up.
Clark raises the document in the air and announces that he just received a message from Oswald the head of prisons. The commissioner demands that they end the rebellion and that they release the guards they're holding hostage. Oswald says they need to do so immediately. Then, and only then, will he meet with the inmates to discuss their grievances and possibly changes to the prison.
Clark sets down the note and looks at the men in the audience. Prisoners who for years have suffered torture at the hands of guards, grievous medical treatment, an unspeakable nightmare day after day, all of which has pushed them to this break.
As Clark looks over the crowd, he asks who's in support of accepting the proposal, letting the hostages go. The yard is silent. Then Clark asks who's against the proposal. And all at once hundreds of men yell out an anger.
It's decided. There will be no surrender. Clark swallows hard, because while the men have once again stood up for themselves and their own dignity, Clark suspects that the state is done bargaining. And if that's true, it could be just a matter of hours before they attempt to retake Attica by force.
From Wondry, I'm Lindsey Graham, and this is American Scandal.
我是琳赛·格雷厄姆,来自Wondry,欢迎收听美国丑闻。
When it comes to prisons, the United States is in a league of its own. Our country has the largest prison population of the entire world. And on top of that, we incarcerate people at a higher rate than any other country.
At the same time, many prisoners face inhumane treatment as they live their lives out behind bars. Prison demographics point to enormous racial, political, and socio-economic divides that have plagued the country since it's founding.
And while concerns about our criminal justice system have emerged in recent years, this isn't the first time our nation has grappled with the issue.
虽然近年来人们对我们的刑事司法系统提出了担忧,但这并不是我们国家第一次面对这个问题。
In the early 1970s, the civil rights movement pushed reform prisons, and many inmates became politically engaged, protesting their brutal treatment. The most explosive of these protests took place at the Attica Correctional Facility, a maximum security prison in Western New York.
Conditions at the prison were appalling, and as tensions came to a head, the inmates decided they'd had enough. They took control of the prison, and for four days, the inmates captured the nation's attention as they negotiated for a series of reforms.
For many, the standoff was a story about the power of hope and courage, but it was also seen as a tragedy of missed opportunities and the devastating consequences of racial animosity. But above all, it was a fight for justice that began in 1971 and still continues today 50 years later.
It's the summer of 1971. In upstate New York, a gray prison van rumbles down a two-lane highway. It's a sweltering day, and near the back of the van, Jomo Joka Omovalla sits with his wrists and ankles shackled, a bead of sweat trickling down his broad, dark forehead. Lans quietly on the sleeve of his prison jumpsuit.
这是1971年的夏天,纽约州郊区的一辆灰色监狱车在一条两车道的公路上轰鸣而过。这是一个炎热的日子,Jomo Joka Omovalla坐在车后面,手腕和脚踝被铐住,一颗汗珠沿着他宽阔黑色的额头悄悄地滑落到他的监狱服管上。
Omovalla shakes his head and turns to look out the bulletproof windows. Maybe something outside can distract him from the stifling heat. But all he sees are ramshackle barns in the occasional cow.
Omovalla can't imagine a dollar landscape, but still he's grateful for the view, because soon he'll be back behind bars and it'll be several years before he sees the outside world again.
Omovalla is bitter. He won't deny that he committed the robbery, but he feels he did what he had to do in order to feed himself and his family. He was born and raised in the Jim Crow South, and as a black man, he learned that you have to take things if you need them, because you never know what will be taken from you.
Because of his crimes, Omovalla has been in and out of prison. The guards are often white, racist, and violent. At the last prison, Omovalla had had enough. He led a group of men who banded together and demanded better treatment from the guards, but not only prompted additional punishment.
Omovalla was put in shackles and put into this van, which is taking him to the maximum security prison in Attica.
Omovalla 被铐上并被放进了这辆面包车,它正将他带往阿蒂卡的最高安全监狱。
When the van pulls into a parking lot and comes to a stop, the back door swing open and five guards step out into the van, holding thick wooden clubs. They stare at the prisoners with cold hatred in their eyes, and they order the prisoners out of the van.
Omovalla rises and steps out into the sunlight, and gets his first full view of Attica, his breath catches as he gazes at the colossal grey walls of the prison. On top of the walls are gun towers, with guards pacing hands on their rifles.
As he stares up at these towers, suddenly something hard jabs into his lower back. Omovalla stumbles forward, as guards begin barking, telling him to get in line. Omovalla quickly steps up behind the other emigrants, and begins marching forward.
Omovalla shudders as he approaches the steel gate of the entrance of the prison. Shadow seemed to rise from the ground, threatening to swallow him whole. He's been in and out of plenty of jails and prisons, but Attica has a reputation for brutality, for violence and unbearable suffering.
He has no idea what terror he might face soon, so all he can do now is pray that he'll survive the next few years.
他完全不知道接下来可能要面对怎样的恐惧,因此他现在唯一能做的就是祈祷,在接下来的几年中能存活下来。
Later that summer, in 1971, Jomo Joka Omovalla limps down a dark narrow hallway. He's in a line of twenty other inmates, inside the Attica Correctional Facility, together they're heading toward the mess hall.
那年夏天晚些时候,1971年,Jomo Joka Omovalla 跛着一只脚穿过一条黑暗狭窄的走廊。他和其他二十个囚犯一起在阿蒂卡监狱内行进,朝着食堂前进。
Even though his body is racked with pain, Omovalla has to keep putting one foot in front of the other. Last night he went to bed hungry, and it was the same the night before. This morning, his stomach feels like it's about to cave in on itself. He has to get some breakfast, even if every time he takes a step, his muscles ache with pain.
When Omovalla arrived at Attica just a month ago, he was terrified, but still filled with a sense of righteousness. He believed that prisons had an obligation to treat inmates fairly and humanely. And Omovalla believed he had the strength to stand up for what was right.
But Attica broke him, and it broke him quickly. He's only been granted one shower per week. Each month he gets a single roll of toilet paper. Jobs at the prison pay just six cents a day. He'll need to save up for months if he wants to buy a toothbrush or shampoo. And it's not just that he's filled with your paid slave wages. Omovalla has already been beaten by the guards twice.
Every day he seems to violate some rule that he was never told about, and the Attica guards begin hitting him again. Omovalla feels flat and depressed. He's not sure how much more of this he can take. But for now he knows he can only focus on the small tasks, taking one step forward, heading to the mess hall, getting a plate of warm food.
The guard slides open a metal door, and the prisoners continue shuffling into the next hallway. An older prisoner turns back in the line and smiles at Omovalla. Hey young man, you're new here, right? Yeah, well look at you. We gotta get you a shower, maybe some new clothes. Yeah, hey young man, buck off. Omovalla grits his teeth snarling. Fuck up. Man, I'm filthy, I'm bruised, I'm starving. I can't sleep. This isn't right.
Of course it isn't right. But hang in there. You'll get used to it. Hold time, or I don't want to get used to it. This isn't how it's supposed to be. You take away your freedom, that's the punishment. Jury and judge, they didn't give me a sentence of no food, no showers, beatings. I say you haven't lost your fire. I think I heard about you. You came from over an Auburn, right? I heard you were in that riot. Omovalla grins with a sudden feeling of pride. Yeah, that was me. But a riot? Nah, that's not the right word. A riot for people who just want to break things. We want to change things.
You took over that prison. That's bold, son. It's not bold if you want basic rights. They wouldn't give it to us so we tried to take it. And tell me young man, what happened? We got together, we fought the guards. We took hostages. And the warden tells us, let the hostages go, surrender, and we'll meet with you. We'll consider your demands. It was a trick. There was no meeting. They just beat the hell on us. And then they sent me here. They tried to break us there, just like they're trying to break us here.
Omovalla feels an old fire rising up inside him, a burning desire to do something, to change things. But right as he's about to say more, guard shouts from the front of the line. Omovalla and the other prisoner need to stop talking. But the old man shakes his head and shouts back that they're allowed to talk. There's no rule against it. The prison guard stalks towards the old man, his blue eyes cold with fury. And he repeats the order. Omovalla and the old man need to shut their mouths.
The older man just says again that inmates are allowed to socialize on their way to breakfast. There's no rule against it. A vain bulges on the guard's neck. And then everything happens very quickly. The guard yanks the older prisoner, begins dragging him away. The old man cries out, his voice echoing down the hallway, as the guard announces that he's taking the old man into solitary. And there's plenty of space for anyone else who has something to say.
The blood rises and Omovalla. The old man didn't do anything wrong. He shouldn't be getting punished. But Omovalla knows there's no use getting himself thrown into solitary. That won't change a thing. Instead, what he needs to do is start meeting people and organizing. Because this can't go on. Somehow the inmates have to change Attica.
A few days later, Frank Lot takes a seat in the shade in the prison yard at Attica Correctional Facility. He pulls out a notepad and pen and looks up at four of his fellow inmates. Then he nods and the men begin to speak and rapid bursts of anger and indignation. Lot writes as fast as he can, jotting down notes about the men's grievances.
One inmate described how the guards used him as their personal whipping dog. Another inmate says the prison doesn't offer religious freedom from Muslims. A third man says the parole system is broken. After all the men finish talking, Lot adds to the list with his own complaints. Attica needs to offer real medical care for its inmates. Treatment right now is a joke.
It's something that Lot knows all too well. Just weeks ago, he developed a painful rash on his scalp. But when he visited the infirmary, the prison doctor said it was nothing. The Lot should go back to his cell. When Lot insisted he needed care, even just anointment, he was thrown in solitary confinement. The prison is a devastating punishment. But that's just how things go in Attica.
That's why he and his fellow inmates are meeting right now. The prison has to change, and the group is drafting a series of complaints and demands. They're calling themselves the Attica Liberation Faction, and they're planning to send their list to Russell Oswald, the head of New York State Prison System. They hope that in his position of power, Oswald can do something to change the conditions here at the facility.
Lot finishes writing and looks back up at the other inmates. He announces that they now have a list of 28 demands. Message is ready for Oswald. But one of the inmates asked to reread the list. When he finishes, he suggests that they add a note at the end. They should warn that the prisoners may need to take aggressive action if their demands are not met. Lot considers the proposal but shakes his head. He doesn't think they should issue any kind of threat or ultimatum. He's heard good things about Oswald. Lot believed that they have a real shot at getting through, but they have to remain even tempered and courteous.
The inmates pauses, chewing this over. Then he nods, deferring to Lot's judgment. And after checking with the other men, Lot folds up the letter and slips it in his pocket. He tells the others he'll mail it off this afternoon. He's hopeful they can convince someone in power to take action. The other inmates clap lot on the shoulder, saying they have a good feeling about this. And while Lot offers an encouraging smile, he doesn't mention something that's been knowing at him. The reason why he didn't want the note at the end, the warning of violence is because it's all too obvious to him.
The situation at Annika has grown truly desperate. Something bad will happen if the letter is ignored. Because every day tensions are rising inside the prison. Inmates are getting more fed up. They may reach a breaking point. Lot isn't sure exactly what the prisoners might do. But one thing is clear, it won't be peaceful. And it will likely be dangerous.
Hey, I'm Mike Corey, the host of Wanderies against the odds. In our next season, three friends, backcountry skiing in Alaska, disturb a hibernating bear and she attacks. The skiers must wait for help to arrive before one of them succumbs to his injuries. Welcome to Against the Odds on Amazon Music or wherever you get your podcasts.
Hi, I'm Lindsey Graham, host of Wanderies Show Business Movers. In our latest series, American Business Titan Sam Walton comes out a semi-retirement determined to take back control of his company and move Walmart to the next level. Listen to business movers on Amazon Music or wherever you get your podcasts.
嗨,我是林赛·格雷厄姆,节目《Wanderies Show Business Movers》的主持人。在我们最新的系列节目中,美国商业巨头山姆·沃尔顿半退休后决心重新掌控自己的公司,并将沃尔玛推向新的水平。在亚马逊音乐或您获取播客的任何地方,收听商业推动者节目。
On September 2nd, 1971, at the Attica Correctional Facility in upstate New York, in a dark cell that wreaks of mildew, Joe Mojoca O'Mawala holds his head near a small, dented radio. In Attica, each cell has a radio like this one, which only offers three stations filled with static. It's hardly a way to pass the time. But tonight, O'Mawala is glued to the radio, waiting for a broadcast. It could offer details about a new era coming to Attica.
Near this week, a group of prisoners sent a letter to Russell Oswald, the head of New York's prison system. They called attention to the nightmare conditions inside the prison and demanded reforms. In a surprising turn, Oswald agreed to visit Attica to meet with the prisoners and discuss their proposals. While Mojale and the other inmates were stunned to hear the news, it seemed like finally someone might put an end to the beatings, starvation, and reckless use of solitary confinement.
Oswald is scheduled to arrive at Attica tomorrow morning, and tonight, starting any minute, there's supposed to be a radio broadcast, detailing Oswald's itinerary. As O'Mawala turned up the volume, there's a crackle followed by a man's voice, which cuts through the static. He greets the inmates Vatican and introduces himself as Russell Oswald, the head of New York's prisons.
O'Mawala sits up, filled with anticipation. His heart sinks as Oswald announces that he has some unfortunate news. He planned to address the inmates in person, but circumstances have intervened. Oswald apologizes over the airwaves and says he won't be able to visit the prison after all. But he has read the letter from the Attica Liberation Faction, and he and his staff will seek to make changes, if possible. The radio crackles and then goes silent.
O'Mawala stares at the dial, feeling weak with disappointment. Then somewhere down the hall, an inmate starts banging on his cell door. O'Mawala rises as the noise grows louder. He looks out at inmates in their cells all around him, as they begin to shout and rage, chanting two words in a loop, cop out, cop out. O'Mawala clenches his fists in anger. Then he joins the course, shouting as loud as he can.
His first months at Attica have been a nightmare beyond imagination. They've nearly broken O'Mawala. And it had seemed like someone in power might do something about it, but his hopes have been dashed, and O'Mawala is filled with an old, familiar feeling of outrage. The same feeling he had at the last prison, before he led enough rising. O'Mawala had promised himself he'd lie low, get through his time at Attica. But now it's clear that's not an option. He's going to have to fight again. As if the government won't fix Attica's problems, then the inmates will have to do the job themselves.
Six days later, inmate Leroy Duer squins into the midday sun. Then he quickly dodges right, as another man tries to plant his fist in Duer's face. Duer skips back, dancing on the hot pavement. Then he dips left, as another fist come flying past his chin. Leroy Duer is in Attica's yard, grinning as he watches his opponents maneuvers. While it looks like they're fighting, the two prisoners are actually just sparring, practicing boxing moves. And although this afternoon, he hasn't dodged every punch. Duer can't remember the last time he felt this good.
He just got out of a seven day stint in solitary confinement, punishment he received for questioning a guard. It was a maddening week spent in near total blackness. And so today, out in the yard, Duer is soaking up all the sunshine he can get. Duer and his boxing partner keep swinging, dodging, weaving back and forth. When suddenly there's a shrill whistle in the distance. Duer knows that sound well. It's a whistle from a prison guard, but he tunes it out. His mind still focused on dodging punches. But the whistle sounds again, and gets closer and louder.
Finally Duer can't ignore it. He raises his hand to stop the sparring and glances over his shoulder. Jogging toward him is a guard whose pale face is red from the sun. Duer looks around, confused. The guard is Richard Moroni, a senior lieutenant at the prison. Normally, senior guards like Moroni only blow their whistles if there's a serious problem. But looking around, it doesn't seem like there's anything going on. Moroni stops in front of Duer. His breath labored, orders the inmate to return to his cell.
最后,Duer 无法再忽略这件事情了。他举起手停止了练习,回头望去。有一个警卫朝他慢跑过来,脸被太阳晒红了。Duer 四下张望,感到疑惑。这个警卫叫 Richard Moroni,是监狱的高级中尉。通常情况下,像 Moroni 这样的高级警卫只会在有严重问题时吹哨子。但是环顾四周,似乎并没有什么事情发生。Moroni 停在 Duer 面前,喘着气,命令犯人返回自己的牢房。
He raises an eyebrow. He's not doing anything wrong. So he asked the guard what's this all about. Moroni stepped forward, glaring at Duer and his sparring partner. He says the fights over, it's time to get back to their cells. Duer breathes a sigh of relief. It's a misunderstanding. He explains that he and his friend weren't fighting, they were sparring. But Moroni just shakes his head and says he knows what he saw. When he sets his hand on his night stick, tells Duer to come with him immediately.
Duer can feel his anger rising. He doesn't want to do anything stupid, so he starts to walk away. But that's when he feels the tight grip of Moroni's hand on his shoulder. And before Duer knows it, his instincts take hold. He spins around and punches the guard right in the chest. Moroni staggers back. As Duer looks at his own fist and shock, he can't believe what he's just done.
The guard then lunges forward, seizing his arm. Duer tenses and waits for a beating. But then he hears the murmur of voices gathering around him. He looks up and sees dozens of other inmates all walking toward him and Moroni. They form a circle around Duer and Moroni, and several prisoners start shouting demanding Moroni leave Duer alone.
Moroni lets go of Duer, his eyes darting around nervously. The circle grows smaller. And out of nowhere, one of the white inmates shoves Moroni. The guard goes stumbling back. Then dozens more inmates join the fray as the circle grows even tighter. These men might have come to his defense, but now Duer is growing afraid. He can't predict what will happen next. But his gut tells him one thing. If this confrontation escalates, someone could die.
Their whistle sounds in the distance, and the inmates turn to a blonde lieutenant named Robert Curtis, racing toward the crowd. He pushes to the center of the circle, demanding to know what's going on. Duer and Moroni start explaining their side to the story. But the guard waves his arms and tells the prisoners that the show's over. It doesn't matter who did what, everyone just needs to walk away, and that includes Duer.
Duer stares at the guards in shock. He was sure he was about to get thrown back in solitary confinement, probably beaten, maybe worse. But the guards just walk away, leaving him and the other inmates to themselves. As the crowd disperses, Duer sits down to collect his thoughts.
This never happens. It's almost a miracle. And so there's only one explanation. God must have intervened. Duer shields his eyes, looking up at the sky, and gives his thanks that this one time, he was shown mercy.
An hour later, the prison guard Robert Curtis marches down a long hallway inside Attica. He stops at the office of Vincent Mankousi, the superintendent of the entire prison. Its Curtis is job to tell Mankousi about the riot they just have heard it. And while the superintendent will probably want to crack down on the inmates, Curtis hopes he can convince his boss otherwise.
It seems a Curtis that the prisoners have reached some sort of breaking point. If he finds more pressure now, would certainly be lighting a fuse. Curtis takes a deep breath and knocks on the door. "Sir, it's Lieutenant Curtis. Can I come in?" "Yeah, come on in."
Curtis enters the office and finds Superintendent Mankousi sitting at his broad desk, the view overlooking the four quadrants of Attica's yard. But Mankousi isn't looking outside. His BDIs are focused on the stack of documents. "Well, it's Curtis. What do you want?" "Well, sir, there was an incident in the yard. It was about an hour ago. Anyone dead?" "No, sir. It was a fight between senior Lieutenant Moroni and two inmates. No one was hurt. And I'm certain it was a misunderstanding, but because of protocol, I wanted to let you know."
Mankousi rises from his chair and looks out at the window at the yard where the event took place. "It's contained now." "It is, sir." "Not good. I know I'm assuming the inmates are in lockup." "No, sir. We let them go." "You had two inmates in a fight with a guard and you let them go?" "Yes, sir. I believe solitary would have been a bad idea at this time."
"A bad idea at this time. You thought it was a good idea to let the bastards fight with a guard with all the other inmates watching. And then show everyone they could get away with it? No, sir, are you out of your mind?" Looking down, Curtis takes a breath and composes his thoughts. "The superintendent, Mankousi. Ever since Mr. Oswald declined to visit prison, I've noticed that the inmates have become extremely agitated. I'm suggesting we let things cool off."
"That's why you're not in charge. Go get the inmates and put them in solitary for two weeks." "Sir, I really ask you to reconsider." "It's not about the inmates. I'm looking out for the safety of the guards." Curtis, the decision is final. Get those men into solitary by tomorrow morning. Understood?" "Yes, sir. Understood."
Curtis turns to exit Mankousi's office. And as he walks through the empty hallway, he takes several deep breaths trying to calm himself down. Curtis is an experienced guard and has dealt with convicted felons for years. But in all that time, he's never been as frightened as he is right now.
The attitude of the inmate population at Annika has changed. Something is simmering just below the surface. Curtis feels sure a riot could break out at any minute. And if it comes to that, the guards are unprepared. They don't have the equipment or the training to deal with the riot.
Curtis only hopes that the prisoners never realize the power they hold. Several hours later, Annika inmate Lee Roy Deur lies on his hard mattress, staring up at the ceiling of his cell. The night's gotten late, but Deur can't fall asleep. He can't stop thinking about earlier today when he punched a guard and nothing happened. He's never been so lucky in his life.
柯蒂斯只希望犯人们永远不要意识到自己拥有的力量。几个小时后,狱员Annika的Lee Roy Deur躺在硬床垫上,凝视着牢房的天花板。夜已经很深了,但Deur无法入睡。他一直在想早些时候他揍了一个警卫,却没有发生任何事情。他从来没有这么幸运过。
But then as Deur turns over, he notices a group of flashlight beams piercing the darkness. His door suddenly opens and four guards stream into his cell. One of those guards is Richard Moroni, a man who Deur punched earlier today. With a hard look on his face, Moroni orders Deur to rise.
Deur gets out of bed, his knees nearly buckling with fear. Moroni grabs ahold of Deur, begins tugging him out of his cell. Again, driven by an instinctual, desperate urge to survive, Deur reaches out, his hands gripping a shelf. The guards continue to yank on him, but Deur holds with all the strength, the brown tips of his fingers turning white.
Deur yells out in fear as he grapples with Moroni and the other guards. The confrontation gets loud, and other inmates begin to stir. As soon they're yelling at the guards to get out, to leave Deur alone. But that only seems to make things worse. Moroni punches Deur in the side, sending him crashing to the ground. And then, in an instant, the other guards swarm him. They grab his arms, his legs, they mutter curses and racial slurs as they drag Deur out of his cell.
As the guards pull Deur away, the rest of the cell block comes to life. Hundreds of prisoners start screaming and threatening the guards, and for a moment Deur's fears replaced by a feeling of comfort, knowing that he has the support of hundreds of inmates. And although Deur can't imagine the punishment he's about to receive, he can tell that his mistreatment has pushed the other inmates over the edge.
He's not sure what they'll do next, but something tells him that Attica just passed a point of no return. It's the morning of September 9, 1971 at the Attica Correctional Facility in Western New York. In a long hallway inside the prison, Richard X. Clark walks alongside his fellow inmates, as they make their way out of the mess hall. Clark nervously adjusts his glasses. He doesn't like what he sees.
This whole morning, the other inmates have had a wild look about them. After what happened to Lee Roy Deur last night, after he was beaten and hauled away from his cell late at night, the prisoners have looked angrier than they ever have before. And if the prisoners are angry, they may turn to violence. That's the last thing Clark wants any part of. He'll be out of prison in less than a year having served a four-year sentence for armed robbery.
It didn't matter that he was innocent. His lawyer told him he was going to serve the time either way, so he should at least plead guilty and get a lighter sentence. It was the bidrace to pills to swallow, but in prison, Clark made the most of his time. He joined up with the black Muslims and eventually became a minister. Now, as one of Attica's religious leaders, he discourages violence. And as he and the other inmates head out toward the yard, he hopes that some fresh air will cool people off.
Oppa head, a guard opens the door to an area known as A-tone, one of four tunnels that lead to the prison yards. The brick passage is cramped and dim, and as the man are ushered in, an inmate tapped Clark on the shoulder. "Erichard, an accountant for us. He'll be ready. When you meet, the guards have pissed. The way we cursed him out last night after they got the door, and got the morgue to the white guy. I don't know what he was doing shoving that guard. Anyways, I'm telling you, they're just waiting to get back at us."
Paragraph 1:
"Gates locked. Hold on. We'll get you in the yard in a minute." But the prisoner behind Clark pushes forward, craze looking at his eye. See, man, see, man, that's, it's a lie. We're fishing in a barrel. They're going to kill us right here, just like do in a Lemory. I'm getting out of here. We got to stop them. Now hold on, friends. Let's wait. Let's wait. But before he can say another word, the inmates swarm around two prison guards and begin throwing punches.
Paragraph 2:
Clark tries to reach one of them, Robert Curtis, who showed leniency during the identification yesterday. But he can't reach him. The tunnel is packed with bodies, and Clark is knocked back as the prisoner's elbow slams him in the face. It's chaos, a free for all. The prisoners are not only fighting with the guards, but some are fighting each other.
Paragraph 3:
As heart pounding, Clark presses himself against the wall of the tunnel, trying to stay out of the growing chaos. There's a good chance this brawl could expand beyond the tunnel. And if it does, there's no telling how far the violence might spread.
Paragraph 4:
Minutes later, William Quinn runs a sweaty hand through his close cropped brown hair. Quinn is one of Atticus guards, and he's standing alone in Times Square, the nickname for the cramped office at the center of the prison. From inside Times Square, he can monitor all four of Atticus prison yards, A, B, C, and D.
过了几分钟,威廉·奎因用满头汗水的手梳了一下他修剪整齐的棕色头发。奎因是阿提克斯监狱的警卫之一,他正独自站在时代广场,那是监狱中心的狭窄办公室的别称。从时代广场内,他可以监控到阿提克斯监狱的 A、B、C 和 D 四个囚区。
Paragraph 5:
He can also monitor the four tunnels that connect these yards to the rest of the prison. But right now, everything seems to have gotten out of control. Over in the A tunnel, there's a crowd of prisoners fighting. It looks like a wild melee. Quinn doesn't understand it.
Paragraph 6:
There shouldn't be prisoners in the A tunnel. The prison's superintendent ordered that inmates in the A block be prevented from having time out in the yard, punishment for how they responded the night before, when two men were taken from their cells. But with chaos exploding in that tunnel, there's only one explanation about how this happened. It looks like someone didn't get the memo.
Paragraph 7:
A breakdown of communication. No one told the guards in the tunnel that the gate was locked. Quinn doesn't know what to do. His co-workers' lives are in danger, but he has been trained for a situation like this. No one has.
Paragraph 8:
As he stares helplessly out at the tunnel, behind him a guard bangs on the gate to Timesquare. He yells that he's hurt and begs to be let in. Quinn races over, opens the gate, and the guard tumbles through before Quinn slams its shut again. The guard collapses to the ground, blood trickling from his nose, and he warns that the riot in the tunnel is spreading.
Paragraph 9:
Prisoners who were out in the yards saw what was happening in the tunnel and forced their way in. One of the guards went down in the fight. He may even be dead. Before Quinn can process this, there's another banging on the gate.
Paragraph 10:
He turns and finds a second guard who's begging to be let in. Quinn once again races over and ushers in the guard who reports that things are growing violent in other yards. Inmates are arming themselves with whatever they can find. It's out of control.
Paragraph 11:
Quinn knows there's not much he can do. He has to call for backup. But when he picks up the phone, he doesn't hear anything, not even a dial tone. The other guards are trying to reach the administrators, jamming off the system. Quinn drops the phone, his hands shaking. He tells the other guards that now all they can do is just wait for help to arrive.
Paragraph 12:
Their men stare at each other, their eyes wide with terror. Quinn knows that they're safe here in Times Square, but they won't be able to hold out forever. Just then there's a startling crash.
Paragraph 13:
Quinn looks up to see the A tunnel gate bursting open, as prisoners race forward with a look of murder in their eyes. Quinn looks left and right, his feet frozen in place. And before he can cry out, a prisoner runs toward him holding a metal pipe. He inmates swings, and the pipe comes crashing down onto Quinn's head. Then everything goes black.
Paragraph 14:
Two hours later, Richard X-Clark walks across the large open area known as D-Yard. He gays us across the prison yard, amazed by the transformation that's taken hold in such a short time. A group of hostages are huddled against the wall. Some mix of guards and civilian prison workers, maybe 40 or 50 of them. They look scared and angry, but they appear to be mostly unhurt.
Paragraph 15:
Nearby, prisoners roam free, glowing with a look of victory. This yard is now theirs, and they can say whatever they want, do what they please, without fearing reprisal from the guards. Clark shakes his head in disbelief. Everything happens so fast.
Paragraph 16:
Just a chaos and a tunnel, and then the uprising spreading like a fire from one cell block to another. The prisoners arm themselves with whatever they could find, pipes, broken furniture, even football gear. Then they battled the guards and each other. But when the dust subtle, the inmates stood together as one. Attica was now theirs.
Paragraph 2: And now that they're in power, the inmates could force the prison to finally change its ways.
现在他们掌握了大权,那些囚犯可以强迫监狱最终改变其方式。
Paragraph 3: As a religious leader, Clark knows that organization is everything.
作为一个宗教领袖,克拉克知道组织是一切的基础。
Paragraph 4: The inmates have to be disciplined.
囚犯需要被纪律约束。
Paragraph 5: They need a clear list of demands.
他们需要一个明确的要求清单。
Paragraph 6: They have to be unified.
第六段:他们必须保持统一。
Paragraph 7: Otherwise, this uprising will turn to anarchy.
否则,这次起义将变成无政府状态。
Paragraph 8: So Clark calls out to a group of black Muslim inmates, asking them to form a protective circle around the hostages.
所以,Clark呼吁一些黑色穆斯林囚犯,要求他们围成一个保护圈来保护人质。
Paragraph 9: This is the only bargaining chip the prisoners have, so the hostages have to be shielded from harm.
这是囚犯们唯一的讨价还价的筹码,因此,要保护人质免受伤害。
Paragraph 10: Then Clark approaches a set of tables, where other inmates sit discussing the situation.
接着,Clark走向一组桌子,其他囚犯坐在那里讨论情况。
Paragraph 11: He's ready to engage his fellow inmates in a spirited conversation about their goals, their strategies, and the fight that lies ahead.
他准备和狱友们进行一场充满热情的谈话,谈论他们的目标、策略以及未来的斗争。
Paragraph 12: Clark smiles with a feeling of deep satisfaction.
克拉克露出深深的满足感而微笑。
Paragraph 13: Because while there may be broken glass under his feet and police sirens in the distance, Clark is confident that together, the inmates of Attica will finally be able to bring about change.
Paragraph 14: Based on American scandal, the standoff intensifies after New York's prison commissioner finally visits Attica.
第14段:根据美国的丑闻,当纽约监狱局长终于访问阿提卡后,僵局加剧。
Paragraph 15: And as the uprising makes headlines across the country, the inmates gain powerful new allies and enemies.
随着起义成为全国的头条新闻,囚犯们获得了强大的新盟友和敌人。
Paragraph 16: From wondering, this is episode one of the Attica Prison Uprising for American Scandal.
这是《美国丑闻》节目的第一集,关于阿蒂卡监狱起义的讨论。
Paragraph 17: Hey, prime members, you can listen to American Scandal add free on Amazon Music, download the Amazon Music app today, or you can listen ad free with 1-3 plus and Apple podcasts.
Paragraph 18: Before you go, tell us about yourself by completing a short survey at 1-3.com slash survey.
在您离开之前,请通过访问1-3.com/survey完成一个简短的调查来介绍一下您自己。
Paragraph 19: A quick note about our reenactments.
19 段:我们关于再现活动的一个简短说明。
我想简单说明一下我们的再现活动。
Paragraph 20: In most cases, we can't know exactly what was said, but all our dramatizations are based on historical research.
在大多数情况下,我们无法准确地知道说了什么,但我们所有的戏剧都基于历史研究。
Paragraph 21: If you'd like to learn more about the Attica Prison Uprising, we recommend the book Blood in the Water by Heather Antonson.
如果您想更多了解阿提卡监狱起义,我们推荐您阅读作者希瑟·安东森的《水中的血》一书。
Paragraph 22: American Scandal is hosted, edited, and executed produced by me Lindsay Graham for Airship, audio editing by Molly Bach, sound assigned by Derek Barrett's, music by Lindsay Graham.