On December 29, 2024, Jerry Cooper was assaulted by Correctional Officer (CO) B. Urbanavage at FCI Allenwood. Despite being the victim, Cooper is unjustly facing assault charges after CO Urbanavage filed an incident report against him, completely switching and fabricating the narrative. This case is a disgusting display of officers’ abusive behavior, power trips, and violent racial discrimination.
The incident occurred in the “shakedown metal shack,” where pat-down and visual searches occur. Cooper followed the procedure of facing away from the COs, with his hands in the air, having his legs spread. Then, CO Urbanavage pulled Cooper’s pants down without consent or warning, causing Cooper to instinctively pull them up. After ordering him to keep his hands up, Cooper complied with the CO, demonstrating absolutely no resistance. Nevertheless, CO Urbanavage continued to be aggressive, pinning Cooper’s hands behind his back. He then shoved Cooper outside the shack, causing Cooper to fall. He lost one of his shoes, requiring him to turn towards the officer. At this point, CO Urbanavage took advantage of the moment, pinned him to the ground, and exclaimed to the nearby COs that Cooper was resisting. In desperation to signal his non-resistance and compliance, Cooper cried out to the other COs that he was not even handcuffed. This was ignored, and horrifyingly, another CO started choking Cooper. After Cooper cried out that he could not breathe, the COs mockingly started calling him the names of Black victims of police brutality. This appalling and repulsive act of abuse did not stop there. A CO dumped a drink on Cooper, and another violently pulled some of his dreads out. This entire incident was unprompted and unjust, which is why it is critical that these officers do not get away with it. Cooper also noted that one of the COs smelled like alcohol, providing yet another reason why the COs should be held accountable. What kind of correctional institution allows their officers to drink on the job and racially target and assault prisoners?
“I have been in and out of jails for 14 years, and never have I ever experienced such violent disregard for human life, cruelty, and racism.”
After the assault, Cooper was restrained, put on a stretcher, and thrown into an unsanitary cell. He described his cuffed wrists as being so tight that he lost feeling in his left thumb and knuckles. His leg restraints were equally as tight, numbing the feeling in his toes on his left foot. How does this make any sense— the less the person resists, the tighter their cuffs are?
Notably, this entire incident occurred on camera. This demonstrates that even when there is concrete evidence of Cooper’s innocence, he is wrongfully penalized. Cooper is currently in the Special Housing Units (SHU) at USP Allenwood. He received a disciplinary ticket that claims he assaulted the CO, which, as seen by the evidence in this campaign, is entirely false and absurd. Cooper was the real victim here, not the vile, drunken COs on a power trip. Cooper should not be facing charges for actions committed against him.
In response to Cooper’s assault, The Remedy Project has opened a remedy, filed a tort claim, and prepared a statement of defense for Cooper to deliver to the Discipline Hearing Officer (DHO). The Remedy Project demands that Cooper receive the justice he deserves. We call on USP Allenwood and the Department of Justice to properly investigate this incident and all incidents of violence enacted on the incarcerated.
Officers’ violence towards incarcerated people is a common occurrence in prisons, resulting from their gross belief that they are above the law. Racial violence is even more common, representing the wider issue of systemic racism towards Black and Brown people in the U.S. justice system. If we continue to let officers like CO Urbanavage face no consequences for their vile actions, we are complicit in normalizing this kind of violence and officers’ impunity. This pattern of abuse must end, not only in our correctional facilities but in police interactions as well. The violence we witness in prisons mirrors the brutality seen in policing. Both acts of violence are rooted in our system that legalizes this excessive power with minimal accountability. To address this systemic issue, we must reexamine these institutional values and reform how officers are trained and monitored when in charge of vulnerable and marginalized communities.
On December 29, 2024, Jerry Cooper was assaulted by Correctional Officer (CO) B. Urbanavage at FCI Allenwood. Despite being the victim, Cooper is unjustly facing assault charges after CO Urbanavage filed an incident report against him, completely switching and fabricating the narrative. This case is a disgusting display of officers’ abusive behavior, power trips, and violent racial discrimination.
The incident occurred in the “shakedown metal shack,” where pat-down and visual searches occur. Cooper followed the procedure of facing away from the COs, with his hands in the air, having his legs spread. Then, CO Urbanavage pulled Cooper’s pants down without consent or warning, causing Cooper to instinctively pull them up. After ordering him to keep his hands up, Cooper complied with the CO, demonstrating absolutely no resistance. Nevertheless, CO Urbanavage continued to be aggressive, pinning Cooper’s hands behind his back. He then shoved Cooper outside the shack, causing Cooper to fall. He lost one of his shoes, requiring him to turn towards the officer. At this point, CO Urbanavage took advantage of the moment, pinned him to the ground, and exclaimed to the nearby COs that Cooper was resisting. In desperation to signal his non-resistance and compliance, Cooper cried out to the other COs that he was not even handcuffed. This was ignored, and horrifyingly, another CO started choking Cooper. After Cooper cried out that he could not breathe, the COs mockingly started calling him the names of Black victims of police brutality. This appalling and repulsive act of abuse did not stop there. A CO dumped a drink on Cooper, and another violently pulled some of his dreads out. This entire incident was unprompted and unjust, which is why it is critical that these officers do not get away with it. Cooper also noted that one of the COs smelled like alcohol, providing yet another reason why the COs should be held accountable. What kind of correctional institution allows their officers to drink on the job and racially target and assault prisoners?
“I have been in and out of jails for 14 years, and never have I ever experienced such violent disregard for human life, cruelty, and racism.”
After the assault, Cooper was restrained, put on a stretcher, and thrown into an unsanitary cell. He described his cuffed wrists as being so tight that he lost feeling in his left thumb and knuckles. His leg restraints were equally as tight, numbing the feeling in his toes on his left foot. How does this make any sense— the less the person resists, the tighter their cuffs are?
Notably, this entire incident occurred on camera. This demonstrates that even when there is concrete evidence of Cooper’s innocence, he is wrongfully penalized. Cooper is currently in the Special Housing Units (SHU) at USP Allenwood. He received a disciplinary ticket that claims he assaulted the CO, which, as seen by the evidence in this campaign, is entirely false and absurd. Cooper was the real victim here, not the vile, drunken COs on a power trip. Cooper should not be facing charges for actions committed against him.
In response to Cooper’s assault, The Remedy Project has opened a remedy, filed a tort claim, and prepared a statement of defense for Cooper to deliver to the Discipline Hearing Officer (DHO). The Remedy Project demands that Cooper receive the justice he deserves. We call on USP Allenwood and the Department of Justice to properly investigate this incident and all incidents of violence enacted on the incarcerated.
Officers’ violence towards incarcerated people is a common occurrence in prisons, resulting from their gross belief that they are above the law. Racial violence is even more common, representing the wider issue of systemic racism towards Black and Brown people in the U.S. justice system. If we continue to let officers like CO Urbanavage face no consequences for their vile actions, we are complicit in normalizing this kind of violence and officers’ impunity. This pattern of abuse must end, not only in our correctional facilities but in police interactions as well. The violence we witness in prisons mirrors the brutality seen in policing. Both acts of violence are rooted in our system that legalizes this excessive power with minimal accountability. To address this systemic issue, we must reexamine these institutional values and reform how officers are trained and monitored when in charge of vulnerable and marginalized communities.
