Washington, D.C
2nd recent homicide of a DC inmate at same federal prison
When a prisoner is given a sentence, the expectation is that they serve it with a focus on successfully bringing them home rehabilitated and ready to contribute to society.
D.C.’s prison closed decades ago, so once its inmates are sentenced, they are sent to federal prisons all over the country. Both inmates and experts told the News4 I-Team they often feel targeted.
According to Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) data analyzed by the I-Team, at least six D.C. inmates serving in federal prison have been killed in the past four years. This does not include the dozens whose deaths have been ruled natural or “other.” Some of their families are still wondering what happened to them.
Derek’shea Hawkins is now among them. She said her husband, Camara Jones, was a dutiful father but also a complicated man who went in and out of prison. A parole violation put him back behind bars — this time thousands of miles away. Hawkins told the I-Team her husband felt targeted.
Hawkins said he told her, “For some reason they just automatically don’t like people from D.C.”
The distance made it almost impossible for her to see him in person. She said she couldn’t afford to travel thousands of miles with their children, so their communication was limited to letters and very few phone calls where the news was not always good.
Hawkins said Jones expressed concern for his safety and told her he had been injured but didn’t say by whom. He described having a broken collarbone and fractured ribs, according to Hawkins.
Then the news became unbearable
“I missed him prior to this and, now that I know he’s… now it’s a different feeling because I know he’s not coming home,” Hawkins said.
On March 22, Jones’ body was discovered in the Special Housing Unit, a form of isolation for prisoners also known as the SHU, at USP Victorville in California. His death was ruled a homicide.
“The coroner’s office called me and told me that they had his body,” Hawkins said.
“I asked her, you know, about the autopsy and, like, what happened,” she said. “And she said, well, it doesn’t say anything. The only thing that it says is that he was found standing in the shower. And I inquired, like, how was somebody deceased standing in the shower?”
Prisoners can be removed from general population and placed in the SHU for various reasons, including if they’re part of an investigation, for discipline or for protection at their request. Hawkins said she doesn’t know why Jones was there.
According to BOP records obtained by the I-Team, correctional officers tried to resuscitate Jones after he was found leaning against the shower. A roommate also in the cell was restrained and removed but not named in the report.
Five months before Jones’ death, Robert Jeter — another D.C. inmate serving time at Victorville — died after being found unresponsive inside the SHU.
Initially ruled undetermined, the BOP now list his death as a homicide caused by blunt force trauma.
That update in his cause and manner of death was confirmation for his mother, Christina Jeter. She told the I-Team last spring that doctors who tried to revive her son at a California hospital told her he was severely injured. Christina recalled them saying, “So severely that his brain had swollen and hemorrhaged and that he was beaten so severely that his liver was split.”
Jeter said USP Victorville would not confirm those injuries to her. And they were not mentioned in the prison’s incident report on his death obtained by the I-Team. Those records do, however, confirm that Jeter was also found in the SHU and in the shower, just like Jones.
“So many D.C. prisoners have a level of insecurity and instability that other state prisoners don’t have,” said Brenda V. Smith, professor of law at the American University Washington College of Law.
Smith has studied and advocated for improved conditions for D.C. prisoners since the city’s Lorton Reformatory closed in the early 2000s. She is critical of the city sending its prisoners to federal prisons around the country.
“They’re going to a place where nobody knows them,” Smith said. “Nobody has heard about them and all they’ve heard is about, you know, this D.C. population that’s coming to them that is entitled, who is violent.”
Smith said that makes D.C. prisoners who are in federal prisons more vulnerable because most of their families are not able to routinely check on their well-being due to the distance.
“We cannot send people all over the U.S. and have them moved around like checkerboards and be able to keep up with them,” said Smith.
Nailah Seabron of the D.C. Corrections Information Council (CIC) – the city agency that bridges the gap between D.C.’s inmates, the federal prisons and the city’s legislators – said they visit up to five or more prisons a year, checking on conditions and talking with D.C.’s incarcerated.
“We are here to give them a voice,” said Seabron.
CIC makes recommendations based on what they find to the BOP and D.C. officials.
In a CIC Inspection Report of Victorville from 2016, numerous D.C. inmates said the prison was unsafe and dangerous with high rates of gang-related violence. More than half the inmates interviewed reported being assaulted and expressed fear for their safety or lives. D.C. inmates also complained they were sent to the SHU more than others and were called troublemakers.
The I-Team asked the BOP about those complaints.
“The Federal Bureau of Prisons takes seriously our duty to protect the individuals entrusted in our custody, as well as maintain the safety of correctional employees and the community,” a spokesperson said. “We make every effort to ensure the physical safety and health of the individuals confined to our facilities through a controlled environment that is secure and humane.”
As for what happens to those CIC recommendations, Seabron said, “I would hope that they’re reading (the reports) and taking in the information … Change comes from legislation, and until there’s specific legislation enacted, we just keep churning out reports.”
The I-Team reached out to the office of D.C. Council member Brooke Pinto, chair of the Judiciary and Public Safety Committee. A Pinto spokesperson responded in a statement that said, “The homicides in the federal Bureau of Prisons facilities are extremely troubling. When D.C. residents are incarcerated in the federal system far away from the District, this makes oversight of their custody, rehabilitation and successful reentry much more difficult and less just. I will continue to work with Congress and our federal partners on oversight to ensure the safety of District residents and will keep fighting for more local control over our jail and prison system, agreements to have residents serving time in federal BOP facilities to do so closer to home, and local control over our parole system. I am grateful to the work of the CIC to continue their important visits and oversight work over the federal Bureau of Prisons and the D.C. Department of Corrections.”
CIC does not have the power to enforce its recommendations, and it’s only notified of an inmate’s death in federal custody when the BOP issues a press release.
The I-Team asked how the CIC can properly do its oversight work and data collection without being notified of all D.C. inmate homicides and other deaths.
“I think that that’s where the families come into play,” Seabron said. “If they contact us and they let us know what happened, then we can contact the powers that be at the BOP and inquire within. That’s just the flow of information at this time.”
In another CIC inspection report at Victorville from 2022, there were fewer complaints about violence among inmates, but a quarter of the D.C. inmates there were housed in the SHU at that time.
The San Bernardino (California) Sheriff’s Department told the I-Team the FBI is investigating the homicides of Jones and Jeter. Hawkins said the FBI confirmed to her it’s investigating.
The BOP said that due to privacy, safety and security reasons, it couldn’t comment on the condition or any potential investigations involving inmates when asked about the deaths of Jeter and Jones.
Meanwhile, Hawkins and her children wait and hope to one day understand what happened.
“You know, you want to have answers, like, why he was there in the first place, why was he that far … let alone why he’s not coming home at all,” she said.
Reported by Tracee Wilkins, produced by Rick Yarborough, shot by Jeff Piper and Carlos Olazagasti, and edited by Jeff Piper.
MARY REICHARD, HOST: Today is Thursday, December 26th. Good morning! This is The World and Everything in It from listener-supported WORLD Radio. I’m Mary Reichard.
MYRNA BROWN, HOST: And I’m Myrna Brown. Up next, WORLD commentator Cal Thomas on a bad Christmas tradition in Washington D.C.
CAL THOMAS: When Washington politicians speak of a Christmas tree this time of year, they are not referring to an actual tree. It means they’ve loaded up a bill with another kind of “green,” the kind that’s decorated with money.
The “bipartisan” bill passed just before midnight last Friday, minutes before a government “shutdown” would be an embarrassment to anyone but the politicians who voted for it. Like Christmas, this scenario gets played out almost every year with no regard for the growing debt.
The first bill was more than 1,500 pages. Elon Musk denounced it and suddenly it shrunk to over 100 pages, but that was too little for the big spenders. What passed last week at 118 pages may take days to digest, but you can be sure of one thing: pork is part of it. Always is.
For the last ten years, Republican Senator Rand Paul has published what he calls a “Festivus” report on just some of the wasteful spending in which our Congress is engaged. His latest – and you should Google it to see it all – includes the following:
Some of the highlights – or lowlights as I like to call them — include funding for the National Endowment for the Arts to subsidize ice-skating drag queens and promoting city park circuses. Additionally, the Department of the Interior invested in the construction of a new $12 million Las Vegas Pickleball complex. Interior also allocated $720,479 to wetland conservation projects for ducks in Mexico. This year, the Department of State is featured eleven times, with expenditures including $4.8 million on Ukrainian influencers, $32,596 on breakdancing, $2.1 million for Paraguayan Border Security (what about security at our border?), $3 Million for ‘Girl-Centered Climate Action’ in Brazil, and much more!
Hey, it’s not their money, it’s our money.
At least this time a pay raise for members didn’t make it to the final bill. Members should be having their pay cut, not raised, for under-performing.
Perhaps Vivek Ramaswamy and Elon Musk can do something about the misspending that has led to the unsustainable $36 trillion dollar debt with interest of $1 trillion dollars just this year.
Others have tried and failed to break the spending habit. Maybe they will succeed this time, but the odds are not good. It’s not called “the swamp” for nothing.
I hope you had a Happy Christmas. Your politicians did.
I’m Cal Thomas.
WORLD Radio transcripts are created on a rush deadline. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of WORLD Radio programming is the audio record.
Sidwell Friends School and St. John’s College continue to headline the District of Columbia girls basketball Top 10 poll.
The undefeated Quakers (7-0 overall) are headed to California to participate in the SoCal Holiday Prep Classic in San Diego while St. John’s (10-0) will be home for Christmas after winning the St. Petersburg bracket at the Tampa Bay Christmas Invitational in Florida.
The Cadets will host their Holiday Hoopla mixer, Dec. 30 and 31.
Theodore Roosevelt debuts in this week’s poll at No. 10.
Previous rank: 1
The Quakers will play at the SoCal Holiday Prep Classic in San Diego starting Thursday.
Previous rank: 2
The Cadets won the Tampa Bay Christmas Invitational championship in Florida.
Previous rank: 3
The Frogs, winners of three straight, next plays at the Christy Winters-Scott Invitational Dec. 31.
Previous rank: 4
The Colts will play Archbishop Carroll at the Title IX Classic Holiday Invitational in Maryland Friday.
Previous rank: 5
The Cubs will play at the Candy Cane Classic at Thomas Johnson (Md.) Friday and Saturday.
Previous rank: 6
The Ramblers will play at the Beltway 8 Holiday Classic in Houston starting Friday.
Previous rank: 7
The Bulldogs will play Charles H. Flowers (Md.) at the Title IX Classic Holiday Invitational in Maryland Friday.
Previous rank: 8
The Tigers will play at the Candy Cane Classic at Thomas Johnson Friday and Saturday.
Previous rank: 9
The Penguins split with Anacostia and No. 6 Eastern.
Previous rank: Not ranked.
The Roughriders will play KIPP School at the Title IX Classic Holiday Invitational in Maryland Friday.
A technician installs an electrical heat pump at a home in Washington, DC, in August 2024.
ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images/AFP
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ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images/AFP
Heat pumps are electric appliances that can both heat and cool your home.
Scientists see them as a climate solution because heat pumps reduce planet-heating emissions. They cut pollution from burning gas for heating, and reduce the use of gas infrastructure that leaks planet-heating methane gas.
And heat pumps are highly efficient, which means less electricity is needed to use them than traditional heating systems like fossil fuel furnaces and boilers. Researchers at the Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory calculate that 62% to 95% of households would save money by switching to a heat pump. “ It’s an enormous amount of savings,” says Ari Matusiak, CEO of the nonprofit, Rewiring America. “That’s just a fact of the technology being superior.”
The Biden administration’s 2022 climate legislation introduced new federal tax incentives of up to $2,000 for heat pump equipment and installation costs. Many states as well as cities and utilities offer additional financial incentives.
So what money is available right now for a prospective heat pump buyer? And how might a second Trump administration and a Republican-controlled Congress impact this money?
Here are the answers to your heat pump and money questions.
Before we get to money, remind me, how do heat pumps work?
Heat pumps are “basically this magical two-in-one device,” Matusiak says.
For cooling, heat pumps work like air conditioners. They run on electricity and use refrigerants. For heating, heat pumps also use refrigerants. The refrigerants absorb bits of heat from outdoor air and bring them inside to warm up a home.
Some types of heat pumps are specifically designed for extra cold climates, and heat pump sales are booming in countries like Norway, Finland and Sweden.
What kind of money can I currently get from the federal government to buy a heat pump?
The U.S. federal government is currently offering up to $2,000 for homeowners buying heat pumps. The money comes in the form of a tax credit, which lowers your final tax bill, says Steven Nadel, executive director of the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, a research organization working on saving energy.
Nadel notes not all heat pumps are eligible for the federal tax credit. The heat pump has to have a high efficiency rating from the Consortium for Energy Efficiency, a nonprofit. Some manufacturer websites list tax credit-eligible equipment, as does the ENERGY STAR Product Finder. Nadel says to check the Department of Energy’s website to see which heat pumps qualify for federal tax credits.
James Tucker with an efficient heat pump for his home near Oakland, Calif.
Julia Simon/NPR
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Julia Simon/NPR
What about states, cities, and my local utility? Can I get money from them?
Many homeowners can get additional money for heat pumps from their local utility, state, or city. Some states, cities and utilities have incentive programs they pay for themselves. There’s some additional money for states from the federal government and the 2022 national climate legislation.
Some states offer heat pump money as tax credits. Some money comes in the form of “point of sale” rebates. That means the money comes off the top of the price of equipment or installation. Utilities often offer post-purchase rebates.
Rewiring America and another nonprofit called The Switch is On have online tools that use people’s zip codes and income to search for which federal, state, local, and utility incentives consumers qualify for. Nadel encourages prospective buyers to check in with their local utility to see if it offers additional money.
I’m a renter and want to buy a heat pump. Can I get money too?
More than a third of Americans rent. While some renters are not in a position to, say, swap out their homeowner’s furnace, some renters with flexibility might be interested in a portable heat pump. Portable heat pumps can go into a window much like a window air conditioning unit and plug into the wall for power.
Matusiak says window heat pumps may soon be eligible for more of these rebate programs, so he encourages prospective buyers to also check out Rewiring America’s online tool.
What do the incoming Trump administration and a Republican-controlled Congress mean for current heat pump incentives?
Shuting Pomerleau, director of energy and environmental policy at the American Action Forum, a conservative think tank, is not optimistic about the future of federal heat pump money. “ Those incentives, whether they’re tax credits or, rebate programs are likely to go away under the upcoming Republican trifecta,” Pomerleau says.
The incoming Republican-led congress will be looking for revenue to pay for tax cuts, says Diana Furchtgott-Roth, director of the center for energy, climate, and environment at the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank based in Washington. They will likely get rid of spending programs from Biden’s 2022 climate legislation, she says, including the tax credits for heat pumps.
The Trump transition team did not respond to NPR’s request for comment.
Pomerleau notes that while federal heat pump money is at risk of drying up, some states may choose to continue their incentive programs using other money.
Matusiak says that heat pump rebate programs have been popular in red and purple states as well as blue states. He notes that after the election, states including Texas, Nebraska, Louisiana, Missouri, Kansas, Kentucky and Ohio applied for federal money for their heat pump rebate programs.
A technician removes a gas water heater from a home in Washington, DC. Researchers see heat pumps as climate solutions because they often replace appliances that run on fossil fuels like gas. Heat pumps run on electricity that’s increasingly powered by renewable energy.
BASTIEN INZAURRALDE/AFP via Getty Images/AFP
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BASTIEN INZAURRALDE/AFP via Getty Images/AFP
So if I’m thinking about getting a heat pump, does it make sense to get one sooner rather than later?
Nadel and Matusiak say before you rush out and buy a heat pump, think about what you already have in your home and how well it’s working.
“If you have a perfectly functioning furnace that you bought two years ago, you shouldn’t go get rid of it,” Matusiak says.
But if it starts to die, he says, then buy a heat pump.
Pomerleau says it may make sense to buy that heat pump sooner rather than later to be sure to access federal money. She thinks it will take Republicans some time to make changes to the tax code, but she suggests buying a new heat pump before the end of the 2025 calendar year to be more sure of qualifying for a federal tax credit.
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