Men incarcerated at Red Onion State Prison in Wise County allege power to the outlets in their cells was cut off because they refused to sign a document they say falsely claims they have adequate mental health care access.

Red Onion staff gave men held in its Step-Down Program — a restrictive housing unit where they are kept in their cell up to 20 hours a day — a “safety agreement” to sign after at least six people incarcerated there intentionally burned themselves over the prison’s conditions, new federal court filings claim.

The safety agreement, first reported by The Appeal, required them to commit to not hurting themselves and acknowledge they have access to mental health services and other support.

Prisoners were told power to the outlets in their cells would be shut off if they didn’t sign — and state prison officials “made good on their threat,” according to March 27 court filings in a class action federal lawsuit against the Virginia Department of Corrections.

It’s unclear how many people were given the document and refused to sign, or how long they’ve gone without power to the outlets in their cells because of it, according to filings and an attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union of Virginia.

Sidney Bowman, who’s incarcerated at Red Onion, filed a March 21 statement in court under the penalty of perjury that said power to his cell was cut Jan. 15 and “has not been turned back on since.”

In his statement, Bowman said he refused to sign the safety...

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