Jesse Jackson Jr. was taken to solitary confinement after a guard “took exception” according to the Chicago Sun-Times. The guard reported that the former congressman was advising fellow prisoners of their rights. Jackson Jr., 49, the son of the civil rights leader, questioned the validity of his detention and was awarded a transfer into a new facility in Alabama. The dispute occurred at the North Carolina prison where Jackson was serving a 30 month sentence for misusing campaign funds.
Jackson Jr.’s family confirmed to ABC Chicago that, Jackson Jr. was transferred to a minimum-security federal prison in Montgomery, Alabama. The Bureau of Prisons refused to disclose specifics to the Chicago Tribune over the transfer, citing privacy and security reasons. At a subsequent hearing Jackson Jr. was cleared of any wrongdoing, he requested a transfer to FPC Montgomery. The new facility Jackson Jr. has been transferred to has a residential drug and alcohol treatment program. Jackson Jr. suffers from depression and bipolar disorder, he sought treatment at Mayo Clinic before his conviction.
“He’s been very disciplined in his health-recovery regimen,” Jackson’s father, the Rev. Jesse Jackson, told the Sun-Times. “He’s been doing a lot of reading and writing.” Jackson said he and other members of the Jackson family–including his ex-Chicago alderman wife Sandi–have been visiting the ex-congressmen in jail. The scheduled release for Jackson Jr. is December 2015. Jackson’s wife, Sandi, was convicted of filing false tax returns, faces a 12-month sentence to be served upon her husband’s release.
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