During Vernon’s February solo exhibit, several friends and supporters read grievances and statements Vernon prepared for various agencies within the Indiana Department of Corrections during the last five years of his wrongful incarceration.
Listen to some of what this man was forced to endure, from being placed in a cell littered with fecal matter and denied the right to see his attorney, to better appreciate his art, including that which was on display at the “Brush Strokes of Freedom” show at the Skyline Club – Indy on February 8, 2025. A transcript is just below the video.
“I am Vernon T. Bateman”
Transcript
Scene 1
Sierra Nuckols: I am Vernon T. Bateman. Thank you for giving me this opportunity to speak. I would first like to say to the board and everyone on the panel: I respect all of you and I understand how valuable it is to view the person before you, which is myself, and to truly hold full responsibility and be held accountable of their actions and violations.
With that being said, I want to say this from the beginning of my journey I have fought for my innocence as well as my freedom since 1998. At this point in my struggle as I strive, I truly believe that DNA will show and reveal the light of my innocence. However, you may feel that
these words hold no merit or are not relevant to what I stand before you today. We all know that it is something that no one has the ability to change, and that is our past. The thing is to be held accountable for the things that happened in your past.
I hold myself fully accountable for my violation that was the sanction of my parole stipulations. As I strive to prove my innocence of my charge, whether the beer that was in the refrigerator and didn’t belong to me or not, it was around me. Whether the phone my parole officer retrieved was mine or not, it should not have been around me.
These parole violations have caused me three years of my life. These three years have affected my friends and family dramatically, especially after doing 15 years straight for charge that I did not commit. Most importantly, it affected my daughter, because I’m her only parent.
Her mother passed away. My daughter was born in 1998 and I have been in prison since she was in her mother’s stomach. There are no words I can express out of my mouth that can describe the pain that I have been through.
However ,I’ve always found a way to communicate and write my daughter to instill morals and values in my child to build a strong blond despite my absence.
I believe that God gave me the ability to go inside her world, for her to relate enough to understand how essential it is for a child to grow up with these ethical bonds. That’s when I started communicating to my daughter through children’s books. Acknowledging the absence of the fathers in the epidemic of the multitude, my passion grew stronger and deeper for the fathers and for the parents, people, and children.
If you wonder why people are standing with me, it is because they see what I stand for. The people that believe in prisons, reformatories, and reform, I encourage them to believe in me.
I was bitter and mad at the verdict in 1998, but God struck all the malice in my heart to the point you can see his reflection through my work. I am the face of a falling humanity. I’m here to give my people the fortitude to get back up I pray that people will heal through my wound I humbly ask the board to please consider me for another chance in life.
Thank you for giving me this time.
Scene 2
Joseph Souza: My name is Vernon T. Bateman. To whom it may concern. I cry out for the ears of humanity. I have been placed in IYC segregation unit, in a cell on Blue Range Cell 20, since July 10, 2017.
Be reminded that segregation unit places offenders in their cells 23 hours a day with one hour of recreation.
The cell I have been placed in, Segregation Blue Range Cell 20, is toxic with fumes of fecal and urine that come from the sewage out of my toilet directly inside my cell.
In the cracks of my cell door has fecal matter. I’m allowed to clean the cell once a week if I am lucky. The officers feed me three times a day inside this cell that’s toxic with sewage fumes. I have vomited while trying to eat to block the smell.
I have put in medical requests to inform medical that it’s hard for me to breathe from constantly inhaling in sewage fumes that’s allowing me to have terrible headaches. I beg someone to please help bring some form of help to this matter, or please at least investigate this situation. I wrote the facility head, talked with several officers, filed grievances about this matter. I just pray someone helps this situation.
Scene 3
Lexie Chaffin: I am Vernon T. Bateman. May I please use the phone to call my family for Christmas? I’ve been here since December 15, 2018. Why can’t I at least notify my attorney, please? Why am I here?
I am Vernon T. Bateman. May I please have my legal work, or something to at least bathe myself, or food and my property? I really need my law work and to communicate with my attorney. I have no way to communicate with my attorney.
Thank you in advance.
Scene 4
Leon Benson: I am Vernon T. Bateman. It is with slight intimidation I file this, knowing a conduct report may come out of retaliation for my efforts to be an even more positive and productive individual. After all, it is this exact retaliation of which I speak that is being perpetrated by the co-conspirators that are MCF, and the GEO Group, whom hide behind a “Blue Code of Silence.”
Locking me away in Restrictive Housing Units without cause, restraining my opportunity to be heard by blocking visitation from specific individuals, thereby trampling my rights afforded by law.
My human rights are also being trampled by being prohibited from obtaining materials needed to write and create, and hindering my ability to further my success as an established and published author, and advocate for those whom are innocent, and by instilling hope in the hopeless.
Since I have been at this facility, I have strategized and attempted to form an ideal for a safe future for my children and grandchildren, and a way to implement that idea. My work ethic speaks for itself.
I am familiar with the panel that makes the decisions for me to remain in Restricted Housing Units under these conditions. Correct me if I’m wrong. A person assigned to this very panel expressed to me previously not to do any more children’s books. Thus, my belief is that this all a form of retaliation. And my fear of future reprisal for my current action, as well as any future action I pursue to prevent this attempt to “hush” and silence my voice.
I am Vernon T. Bateman.
Photo: Joseph Souza, Leon Benson, and Sierra Nuckols as Vernon T. Bateman.