Kodak Black is no longer in Miami federal prison — to his lawyers’ and mother’s dismay

Devoun Cetoute , David J. Neal

THURSDAY MORNING UPDATE: According to the Federal Bureau of Prison’s website, rapper Kodak Black aka Bill Kapri woke up Thursday morning at FTC Oklahoma City, the handbook of which tells inmates it’s “designed to house holdover inmates in-transit to other facilities.” His release date remains Aug. 14, 2022, as has been stated on the BOP website since November.

A group of lawyers and Kodak Black’s mother called a Wednesday news conference at a Miami federal prison to talk about what they claim is the Pompano Beach rapper’s mistreatment inside.

Instead, they wound up talking more about Kodak Black not being inside at FCI Miami — but, rather, on a bus ride to another federal prison.

Attorneys Benjamin Crump, Devon Jacob and Sue-Ann Robinson said prison officials told them the inmate, also known as Bill Kapri, had been put on a bus to a facility in Kentucky about an hour before they arrived.

The attorneys and Kapri’s mother, Marcelene Simmons, said they hadn’t been able to see him in weeks.

Jacob said he emailed and called the Bureau of Prisons beforehand to tell them he was coming.

“They knew we were coming out here, they knew we were doing this today,” Jacob said. “Their refusal to let him see his counsel is, in and of itself, a constitutional violation.”

Simmons wailed, “I want to make sure my son is OK! I don’t want my son to die. If they kill my son, I’ll kill myself, too. Please someone help me.”

The Federal Bureau of Prisons website describes FCI Miami, 15801 SW 137th Ave., as “a low security federal correctional institution with an adjacent minimum security satellite camp.”

The Kentucky prison with the same description is FCI Ashland in Ashland, Kentucky. As of Thursday morning, the BOP website says Kapri is at FTC Oklahoma City, “an administrative security federal transfer center.”

Kapri, 22, was arrested at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens right before he was to perform at the Rolling Loud music festival in May. He was charged with lying on a background form when he purchased three handguns at a Hialeah weapons store.

In November, Kapri was sentenced to 3 years and 10 months in prison on weapons charges with a release date of Aug. 14, 2022. Because he’d been in federal prison since his May 2019 arrest that date represents 85 percent of his sentence, the minimum he must serve.

Kapri first publicly spoke about his alleged prison abuse at FCI Miami in mid-December. Simmons said she tried to see him a few days before Christmas, but, she said, BOP officers accused her of having contraband (Simmons denies having anything on her) and wouldn’t let her see Kapri.

“They don’t want my son happy,” Simmons said. “That’s why they won’t let me see him.”

The attorneys say any civil rights lawsuit remains in a holding pattern because they haven’t seen their client yet.

When the Miami Herald asked the Federal Bureau of Prisons about Kapri’s allegations last week, it declined to comment but did say “the Bureau of Prisons has an Administrative Remedy Program for inmates to seek formal review and redress of almost any concern they have regarding their incarceration. See Program Statement 1330.18 “Administrative Remedy Program” found here: https://www.bop.gov/policy/progstat/1330_018.pdf for more information.”

The Herald also tried to speak to the employees, but got no response from the Federal Detention Center.

Kapri’s first tell-all on his alleged prison abuse was on Instagram. He gave his side of the story on what happened during a fight in the prison in October.

An assistant U.S. attorney and an FBI agent said Kapri fought with a corrections officer, got pepper-sprayed, and squeezed the guard’s testicles to the point where his abdomen and intestinal wall were breached.

Kapri said he was “laced with an unknown substance.” After an out-of-body experience and feeling like being possessed, he said, he went to the corrections officers’ office for help, but was denied medical attention. Shortly after, he got into a fight with an inmate.

View this post on Instagram

On October 29th I was laced with an unknown substance here in Miami, FDC. That substance gave me an out of body experience and had me feeling like I was possessed and dying slowly. Upon this experience i managed to go to the CO’s office to seek medical Attention (As shown on surveillance cameras). I was denied ! This left me in a state of paranoia. Shortly after I got into an altercation with an innate. This same CO who denied me medical attention, proceeded to pepper spray me which instantly impaired my vision and I was oblivious to who was punching and grabbing me repeatedly in the face. Even after I was on the floor they continued to strike me and deploy more people. I was summoning for them to stop while gasping for my breath. This near death experience felt like dogs were tearing at my skin while they were grabbing and beating me while I was under the influence of this unknown substance that mysteriously hasn’t popped up in my Urine analysis and mysteriously the inmate I was fighting with went home the next day. I was beaten so brutally that I had to be taken to the Box in a wheelchair. I have been here for 45 days without commissary, hygiene stressed out and on psych meds. Having to mourn the loss of my brother Juice World behind the doors. Prior to this there were a few inmates who intentionally beat up ... An officer and no charges were filed. Meanwhile I get into a fight with another inmate and this officer jumps in to inflict harm on himself and capitalize on my status as a local celebrity ... I had officers tell me that the CO was ok that night and that he is trying to go this route. Because he self checked himself in the hospital. I have also heard officers tell me that the CO has been back to FDC and bragging that he will get a quarter million from me. I want to shed this light on police brutality and the tactics they use to cover their behinds. #JUSTICEFORKODAK

A post shared by KILL BILL (@kodakblack) on Dec 14, 2019 at 12:01pm PST

Kapri said the same officer who denied him medical attention pepper-sprayed him, which made him “oblivious to who was punching and grabbing me repeatedly in the face.”

He was continually beaten on the floor and was gasping for air as he tried to tell them to stop, he said.

“This near death experience felt like dogs were tearing at my skin while they were grabbing and beating me while I was under the influence of this unknown substance...,” Kapri said. “I was beaten so brutally that I had to be taken to the Box [solitary confinement] in a wheelchair. I have been here for 45 days without commissary, hygiene stressed out and on psych meds.”

In two more lengthy tell-all Instagram posts earlier this month, Kapri shared more instances of his alleged abuse by the detention center.

View this post on Instagram

About four months ago there was a guy in here in solitary confinement that was well known throughout the building Pete was a very kind and generous person and while in solitary confinement Pete’s health condition reached a very advanced Stage while he was in excruciating pain! So, Pete requested medical attention (like myself) which was denied ( like myself) because he felt like he was dying ( like myself ) As Pete’s constant cried for help fell on deaf ears, he decided to take himself out of his misery by hanging himself from the bunk to end his pain and suffering. It’s sad because everyone was aware of his health issues and one C O could have found it in the kindness of the heart to do their jobs and simply call medical, his family wouldn’t be mourning his loss as of now. Everyone here knows of this tragedy but it’s being hidden from the public eye. I am grateful that I was blessed with a platform to shine a light on this catastrophe and the injustices that go on within the land of these walls. My deepest condolences goes out to Pete’s family. I need for y’all to contact me ASAP so I can send my blessings to your direction. Although, there is no price to pay for Pete’s life, I got some money for you all. I am sure it was hard having to greave over him during the holidays. I tried to do this sooner but they are not sending my mail out. [ From behind the cement with lots of love #Bill] ( DM @cdubb_1 )

A post shared by KILL BILL (@kodakblack) on Jan 16, 2020 at 11:34am PST

He blamed two center employees for being vindictive toward him, saying they falsified reports and tampered with his phone and visitation privileges. Two days before Christmas, he said he was denied a visit from his mother.

“Not only does my incoming mail take an average of a month to get to me but they are messing with my outgoing mail as well. My family hasn’t received none of my letters for the holidays. Which is borderline cruel and unethical,” the post said.

Kapri also said one day he was given an empty tray for breakfast. He tried to bring it up with detention center employees but nothing was done.

Kapri isn’t the only one who has alleged abuse by prisons run under the Federal Bureau of Prisons in Florida.

Fourteen women, ranging in age from 30 to 56, are suing the United States over abuse they say they’ve endured at Coleman Federal Correctional Complex, a Bureau of Prisons-operated camp in Sumter County near Wildwood.

They say for years, male officers sexually harassed and assaulted inmates. Some of the accused corrections officers have resigned or taken early retirement.

One of the abuse incidents shared in the lawsuit involved a female inmate assigned to the kitchen who was given special tasks that kept her late, until she was alone. Then the supervising officer would rape her.

Shocked by the Herald report on the lawsuit detailing allegations of systemic sexual abuse at Coleman, U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio urged the Bureau of Prisons to conduct a thorough review of the prison camp.