An older fellow imprisoned at the Mahanoy prison near Pottsville in East Central Pennsylvania, (we'll call him "Rotter") recently become eligible for parole. He was in the prison since 1998 and the guard staff objected to him and/or his offense. They were always trying to find ways to get him. It got much worse as he got close to parole time. Day after day, the guards were always telling him that they were "going to get" him before he saw parole. They appear to have conspired with other prisoners to deny him parole. While Rotter was in the prison recreation yard, another prisoner sucker punched him in the face for no apparent reason. Although the incident took place right in front of some guards, they did nothing. He was told to handle it himself. The following day, the assailant approached Rotter again in the yard. Walking around the track, Rotter tried to explain that he was scheduled to see the Parole Board and he didn't want any trouble. Two guards were walking behind Rotter and his nemeses, apparently to be sure that their plan was carried out. The other prisoner hit Rotter again. When he tried to continue the beating, Rotter started to defend himself. At that point, the guards rushed up, grabbed them and started to escort them from the yard. One of the guards told Rotter, "I told you we'd get you. You fell right into our trap." It was then that he realized that they'd set him up. While still being held by the guards, Rotter was suddenly struck on the back of his head by another inmate. He fell to the ground. The guards did nothing. The other man hit him again. Rotter was given 90 days in the hole for the fight. When he tried to protest that the staff was behind it, he was given an additional 15 days. Of course, he also lost his parole. The parole office even refused to submit the parole plan. This is far from unusual. It's not uncommon for guards to set up prisoners they don't like. They get a prisoner to do the beating for them.