Ryan Hankemeier 724325

Oaks Correctional Facility

August 21st 2020

American Friends Services Committee

Open MI Door Campaign

AFSC Jacq Williams

124 Pearl Street Suite #607

Yspilanti, MI 48197

Dear American Friends Service Committee

My name is Ryan Hankemeier I have been incarcerated with the Michigan Dept. of Corrections since 2011. For the crime of home invasion in the second degree. After I made the honest mistake of walking into the wrong residence thinking that it was someone else’s when I knew and attempted to pass out at six in the morning after a night out drinking and partying with friends.

I have taken the initiative to apologize wholeheartedly to the residence I mistakenly victimized that morning as well as to their families and to the community. I have also successfully completed numerous self help groups and substance abuse classes to help ensure that an incident like this never happens again.

I was sentenced in 2011 to thirty eight months to fifteen years in prison for the crime committed. I have seen the parole board several times now but denied due to reasons that do not really make any sense such as saying that I have not set up a good enough parole plan, even though I have employment and housing set up since 2013. Or that i need more programming by the Michigan Dept of Corrections has failed to put me in any such programming the past nine years and any programming I do need I can complete on parole in an out patient treatment setting such as the Kalamazoo Probation Enhancement Program (KPEP) closer to my family and friends and away from all the violence, drug use, and criminal behaviours associated with the prison system. I have been incarcerated now since 2011, nine years for a crime I didn’t even mean to commit while under the influence of alcohol. When even the victim stated that she did not want me to go to prison for what I have done.

I have been in administrative seg since 2017 after I refused to lock, trying to avoid a bad situation, and have refused to lock with anyone else since. I have received many misconducts since mostly for things I haven’t done, such as assaults on staff, when I was naked in the shower, or in handcuffs, when there was no contact even made, or even the intent to do so wasn’t even there. I have been drag down the hallway by my handcuffs by several C/Os after confronting a C/O about a sexual misconduct on his part. I have been starved for more than a week and put on suicide watch for no reason.

I have several threatening behaviors when I confronted another inmate stealing my television and thrown in the hole. When nothing was done to the other inmate or even received my television back I have filed numerous grievances with the Michigan Dept. of Corrections, all of which have been denied. My mail is being messed with coming back in the same handwriting or printed on the same paper with no signature on it. None of my phone calls go through and I have had my account charged for things I didn’t do, such as damaged state property, etc.

I am also being denied religious services and have asked to be transferred because they say their isn’t enough inmates to go and hold a service. I have lost contact with many family and friends over the past several years because of what the Michigan Dept of Corrections has been doing to me, which only adds to the trauma and emotional destress I have experienced.

Before coming to the state of Michigan, I was a productive member of society, only coming here for legitimate employment and a interstate transfer with the national guard. No I could deploy overseas again. I had no felonies on my record and the worst crime I committed was a traffic violation in the state of Iowa and as a civilian job I worked at a coin processing plant as a welder/pipfitter, and bought my first house when I was 21.

I grew up on my family’s dairy farm where I spent most of my childhood milking cows and bailing hay in the summer. I dropped out of school when I was 16 because my father was in the hospital with heart problems and had to make sure that all the chores got down in his absence, because it was harvest season.

I am passionate about the outdoors, wild life, farming, and family. I enjoyed coon hunting and trapping growing up, as well as to work hard all day, and at the end be able to smoke a cigarette and drink a beer and relax. I enjoy four wheeling and working on my 4x4 vehicles, going on trail rides and lawn dances.

I enjoy reading the Bible and books published by Harper Collins publisher, mostly nonfiction or religious titles. Only now I am reduced to dreaming about how my life was and how I want it to be now. I dream about being given the chance to clear my name of the crimes I have been convicted of.

I dream about the girls I dated and the things I never got the chance to tell them. I dream about getting out of prison and one way or the other and to be able to continue the life I once started for myself.

As you can see from the circumstances of my incarceration, I am in desperate need of advocacy. Both during my incarceration and in front of the parole board. I am under duress and don’t know who else to turn to.

I am by no means a criminally minded individual and would have had better defense if I could have been able to prove my good character in court!

My brother is a police officer and my uncle is one as well. My cousin works for the Department of State in Washington, DC.

I hope you can help me and look forward to hearing from you soon.

Sincerely,

Ryan Hankemeier

Post Scripture:

I also am in need of someone to help me locate friends and family members I have lost touch with because of my incarceration. Can you help me? Thank you so much.