Red Onion Randy - Life in a Supermax Prison

It's no secret that there are drugs in prison. But how do they get there?

When a woman on the outside has a relationship with an incarcerated man, is it OK for her to have sex with other men? Randy has his opinion. Not everyone agrees.

Some of the other inmates are so damn irritating to be around, Randy's praying for a lockdown just to get away from them.

The Department of Corrections finally grants approval for Randy to travel to Richmond for a biopsy at Virginia Commonwealth University. It's not just the road trip that offers him a glimpse of freedom . . .

Randy’s been trying for years to get a biopsy to find out what kind of tumors he has in his leg. Finally, he finds a supportive prison doctor.

Murder, ODs, shakedowns, and riots. Randy describes the wildest week in Wallens Ridge's recent history.

Randy describes the new pod he’s living in Wallens Ridge State Prison. There’s a lot of “backbiting”. Stay out of it, is his advice.

In November 2023, Randy gets transferred to Wallens Ridge State Prison, another supermax, about 40 miles northeast of Red Onion. Three months later, he starts podcasting again.

Randy is scheduled to be transferred out of Red Onion but he still doesn't know which prison he'll be sent to. In this last episode recorded at Red Onion, Randy calls podcast executive producer Michael Garbutt who was attending a conference at the University of Central Asia in Kyrgyzstan, where Randy meets some students and answers their questions.

The Department of Corrections finally grants Randy’s request for a transfer to another prison. But he’s in for a nasty surprise when he finds out the type of prison they’re going to send him to.

Randy describes possible changes to legislation that would allow early release for some inmates in Virginia state prisons.

Frustration has been the most difficult emotion Randy has to deal with. In this episode, Randy shows that pent-up frustration leads him to quite an unexpected place.

In another call-in episode, Dustin wants to know how Randy deals with intense emotions such as sadness and anger while incarcerated. If you have a question for Randy, you can leave him a message on our toll-free line (+) 1-888 524 1932. You can also check him out on Twitter @redonionrandy.

Randy introduces listeners to eight of his fellow inmates at Red Onion.

A listener wants to know how they can best support a 21-year-old loved one who has been in and out of prison. Randy responds.

If you're planning on writing to an inmate, there are things you should know so that everyone stays safe.

Showering in prison can be a very unpleasant and sometimes dangerous experience, as Randy explains, along with some good advice to reduce the risks involved.

Randy delves into the importance of working out and introduces 'Convict Conditioning' by Paul Wade, an exercise coaching book that has changed his life.

In response to a listener's questions, Randy explains how he spends his day and what keeps him sane (writing fantasy fiction).

In this first episode of the new season, Randy responds to listener Mikayla's questions. How does he manage anger, she wants to know. Does solitary confinement work? Who are his friends? To put your questions to Randy, call toll free on + 1-888-524-1932.

Randy responds to a question a listener recorded on our toll-free line (+) 1-888 524 1932, and announces a season break. As Randy explains, Red Onion Randy will be back in July, bigger and better than ever!

Randy reflects on the addictive nature of masturbation and pornography and how they can damage our lives and those of our loved ones.

How realistic are movie representations of prison? Randy compares the fictions he's seen with the facts he knows so well.

In this 100th episode, Randy reflects on two years of podcasting and introduces a new toll-free phone message service for listeners (+) 1-888 524 1932.

Tattoos are an important part of the prison culture and economy. After describing how to make an inking gun and ink, Randy explains what his own tattoos mean to him.

Having experienced so much violence and death, Randy thought nothing could upset him. But when he sees his buddy Little John close to death, Randy finds himself reacting in a quite unexpected way.

At Red Onion, where every inmate is either predator or prey, reputation is everything. Randy has a certain reputation that turns out to be a double-edged sword, as he explains.

Listener Advisory: This episode describes sexual practices in graphic detail, including the practice of "gunning".

Times have changed at Red Onion, but not necessarily all for the better, as Randy explains.

This week everybody's talking about Will Smith slapping Chris Rock at the Oscars. It's a big topic at Red Onion too, though as Randy explains, there's no doubt about who was in the right.

One of the most difficult things to deal with is betrayal. How do you deal with the emotional wound after someone betrays you?

After two weeks in lockdown Randy finds himself in a dark place of anxiety and frustration, pacing his cell like a caged animal. In this remarkably frank and honest episode Randy reaches out to listeners for prayers and positive vibes.

After more than twenty-five years in prison, thirteen of those years in solitary confinement, Randy's learned to have faith in himself and understand the incredible power of positive self-talk. This week he shares the secret with listeners.

In the decades Randy has spent at Red Onion, he's seen some big changes. In the first of two episodes charting these changes, Randy recalls the times the prison was so violent they called it Vietnam.

For everyone at Red Onion-- both inmates and COs--it makes a big difference if the governor is a Republican or a Democrat.

After Randy tests positive for Covid, he finds himself confined to a quarantine cell in his old pod. As Randy explains, serving time gives inmates a very different perspective on illness and suffering.

Joe Giarratano was on death row, convicted of a murder and rape he had not committed. Three days before his execution in 1991, his sentence was commuted to life imprisonment. In 2017, with his innocence established, Joe was granted a pardon and released from prison. Randy met Joe while they were both serving life. Now Joe’s in the free world he may be able to help Randy’s case.

If you're doing time, watching sports games on TV can offer a welcome escape from prison life. But it can also complicate things, if you're not careful.

Randy outlines his vision for how prisons could promote rehabilitation. For more information about the Enneagram Prison Project, https://enneagramprisonproject.org/ and Hustle 2.0 https://www.hustle20.com/

It's not enough to reach your goals. You have to know what to do next, as Randy explains in his analysis of Conor McGregor.

When you're doing time, you don't want time to do you. But as Randy explains, that's easier said than done.

After long delays, Randy finally gets admitted to hospital for a biopsy. It turns out to be much more than just a medical procedure.

You might live in a maximum security prison without the possibility of parole, but you can still dream about having a home of your own.

A listener who goes by "Tuco Salamanca" (the dealer from Breaking Bad) writes Randy to say that he's currently on bail awaiting sentencing for distribution. He's a small, middle-aged guy without any experience of prison. He badly needs Randy's advice.

Randy has a lot to look forward to: his transfer to Keen Mountain Prison has been approved and he's finally going to get a biopsy to investigate his medical condition. But for some reason, everything is on hold.

Your cellmate probably won't be your soulmate, which is why you need to follow Randy's rules to manage the challenge of living up close and personal with a stranger.

After twenty years at Red Onion, Randy is granted a transfer to another prison. Where is he going, and how is his life going to be different?

Randy hasn’t seen his brother Jason for a quarter of a century but the bond of brotherly love remains strong.

Randy answers wide-ranging questions .. from a wide range of listeners!

In this episode, recorded shortly after the body of Gabby Petito was found in Wyoming, Randy reflects on the murder he committed in the town of Stanardsville in 1998, and for which he is now serving life without the possibility of parole.

A ride in the prison van to a nearby town for a medical visit gives Randy a rare first-hand view of the outside world.

Randy talks about the role of music in the lives of prisoners, and its impact on their emotions. He also introduces Nashville-based singer-songwriter and Red Onion Randy fan Nicole Kerns.

In the United States, access to medical services lags behind the rest of the developed world, but in Red Onion, access is even more difficult, as Randy's own experience demonstrates.

Amidst all the violence and neglect he experienced as a child living in a trailer park, Randy still treasures the memory of small acts of kindness.

Following on from Episode 66, Randy takes us through the rest of the rules that make up his essential inmate survival guide.

A female listener who has an inmate boyfriend wonders about his motives. Can she trust him? Randy offers his advice.

Randy launches his first children's story: Elise and the Magic Well. By Randall Via. $5.00.Available at Amazon's Kindle Store. Hot link in the episode notes.

If you want to survive in prison, you better know the rules: Randy's twenty-two prison rules.

Randy reflects on how much his mother suffered, and how he struggles to come to an understanding of the reasons why she neglected him.

Randy's father was violent, abusive and then largely absent. Recently, he's reconnected with his Dad, and reflects on his complex feelings towards the man who had such an impact on his life.

Guns and gun culture play a central role in American life. Randy reflects on his own relationship to guns and on how his views have changed over time.

Sentenced to life without the possibility of parole, Randy shares his dreams of a new life in the free world. If you were Randy, what would you do after 23 years in prison?

Mental health is a huge issue at Red Onion, as it is for many people in the free world. Randy reflects on how he’s grown up from a kid who was willing to commit suicide ‘by cop’ to someone who knows how to manage anger and support others struggling to find their own peace of mind.

In responding to a listener's question about the treatment meted out to child molesters and other sexual offenders by inmates, Randy expresses his dilemma--he hates the crimes but he also hates bullying. He also shares his personal experience as the childhood victim of sexual assault.

Randy finally gets to talk on the phone to appeals lawyer Jon Sheldon. Does he have grounds for an appeal? There's good and there's bad news, says the lawyer.

Marking the first anniversary of the launch of the podcast, Randy describes how it all started, how episodes are made, and the impact it's had on his life. A big shout out to all the many Red Onion fans around the world!

After serving 23 years of a sentence of life without the possibility of parole, Randy believes he may have grounds to mount a successful appeal. He needs a good lawyer, so he's going to contact Jonathan Sheldon, an attorney who specializes in post-conviction remedies in Virginia: Randy's cautiously optimistic, but will Jonathan Sheldon agree?

Life in the new pod turns out to be more positive than Randy anticipated, but it’s far from perfect. In reflecting on the everyday challenges he faces in prison, Randy offers a valuable guide to the good life, whether you’re in a supermax prison or in the free world.

Recorded just before Randy 's recent transfer to the new pod, he reflects on the pecking order in prison, the wolves who run the pod, the sheep who follow, and the guys like Randy who walk alone and stand alone.

Randy’s been transferred to a general population unit at Red Onion. It’s a jungle full of threats and lurking dangers.

Randy is going to be transferred to another part of Red Onion with a lower security level. But it's not all good news for our host.

Fear is an inescapable part of the human condition, and few places are more driven by fear than a supermax prison.

In prison, everyone needs to believe in something, whether it's religion, an idea, a dream, or a sense of self.

Prisoners at Red Onion come up with some ingenious ways to pass the time, including gambling with unusual stakes. Randy also introduces us to his all-time favorite game: Dungeons and Dragons.

In this episode, Randy introduces his buddy Frank and describes the importance of friendship in facing the soul-crushing loneliness of prison.

Abused and neglected at home, made to feel an outsider at school, Randy rejected the education system that appeared to reject him.

In this powerful episode Randy describes what it feels like to be sentenced at the age of 20 to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

When he was an angry, abused adolescent, Randy discovered that crime was like a drug. Soon, he was hooked on it, yearning for the intense high that he believed only crime could give him.

It’s illegal for inmates to produce or consume alcohol in prison, but that doesn’t stop them from trying.

In the 23 years since Randy has been incarcerated at Red Onion, he's never received a single visitor. It's not because family and friends aren't prepared to make the journey to the remote mountain location, it's because he chooses not to have visitors.

Back when Randy was still in "seg", he worked alongside other prisoners, folding paper napkins around sporks. It offered a rare opportunity to socialize and have some fun. One day, his buddy Frank proposed a dare. If Randy could consume an entire bag of coffee at one go -- and keep it down for an hour -- Frank would give him $20. Would Randy accept the dare? Of course, he would! Red Onion Randy features the life and times of Randall Via, who is currently serving 1,214 years in Red Onion State Prison for capital murder. Directed and produced by Michael Garbutt. Website and podcast design by Nishant Pandav. Sound editing and music by Julia Jooyeon Park. Title music by Joni Park and Julia Jooyeon Park.

Slinky, Ghost, LA, Murder, Headbuster ... Names matter in prison, and almost everyone has some kind of nickname. In this episode "Red Onion" Randy explains why it's sometimes safer to hide your real name in prison and better to have a handle.

Randy finds himself in a situation where there seems no way to avoid a fight. "I'm actually proud of myself", says Randy, "because I remained calm, collected and controlling my emotions." He leaves us with an impressive appeal: "If you ever find yourself in this situation, do your best to de-escalate it." Winning a fight, whether it's physical, verbal, intellectual or emotional may give you a sense of victory, but Randy shows that the true triumph comes from overcoming your own impulses, emotions and wounded pride.

As a child, Randy's ambition was to learn martial arts so no one would be able to hurt him again. In this episode, Randy describes the intoxicating feeling he used to feel in using skill and speed to dominate an opponent. But from a street fighter with low self-esteem and an urge to fight for its own sake, Randy became a man of peace who came to appreciate martial arts as source of discipline and self-control. As Randy says, "There are times you should fight to defend yourself and your family, but if you can walk away, I highly recommend it".

At a very early age Randy knew that if he was going to survive, he'd have to fight, and fight hard. Exposed to a world of childhood violence, he drew on natural skill and fearlessness to give as good as he got-- and sometimes a lot more. By the time he was a teen in juvenile detention, Randy was ready to hone his fighting skills in "Gladiator School", where the only rule was that there were no rules.

Randy almost lost his virginity back when he was a teenager, after absconding from a co-ed juvenile detention facility with two teenage girls. Almost, but not quite, thanks to the sudden arrival of an unexpected party. Randy's account of his teenage escapade is full of humor and wit. It's a counterpoint to the loneliness and longing for intimacy he describes as a 42-year-old who has now lived without the company of women for more than half his life.

Randy recalls the time in his childhood when he lived in a boys' camp in the woods. One day, while walking in the hills, he encountered a herd of wild horses. It was to become the favorite memory of his childhood, a memory that continues to sustain him in the long, hard years of life in prison.

Why is the color of inmates' shoes at Red Onion always white? What does it mean when one guy tells another to "Lace 'em up"? Find out in Randy's comprehensive guide to the forms, fashions, and functions of .... footwear at Red Onion.

The Keefe Supply Company is the leading provider of clothing and shoes (and food, personal care items and electronics) to American prisons. Despite the expense, prisoners who can afford to buy clothing from "Keefe commissary" much prefer it to standard prison issue. After you hear Randy explain what can happen when prisoners receive prison-issue clothing, you will understand the reason why.

In a wide-ranging, impassioned monologue, Randy shares his thoughts on police violence, systemic racism, the negative influence of TV cop shows, and the ways we can all make a positive difference by listening to our hearts and advocating peacefully for justice.

This episode presents a unique personal account of the enduring challenge of systemic racism in American society. Randy describes his experience of discrimination as a child and his first encounters with racial prejudice in juvenile detention and subsequently in prison.

Randy describes his friendship -- and subsequent falling out -- with Lee Boyd Malvo, one of the two notorious "Beltway Snipers" who terrorized Washington DC for three weeks in 2002.

Randy introduces an interview with Gay Gardner from IAHR -- Interfaith Action for Human Rights -- a Washington DC-based organisation that advocates and educates to minimise the use of solitary confinement and other unnecessarily harsh practices. https://www.interfaithactionhr.org When Randy faced a major health challenge, Gay helped get him treated. But even while undergoing medical assessment, Randy found himself subjected to more harsh and unnecessary punishment.

Randy reflects on Christmases, past and present in prison. When he was a child he never really had a chance to celebrate much, and now he chooses not. Just like Thanksgiving and birthdays, Christmas is just another day. But there was one magical Christmas, Randy remembers from his childhood. He was seven years old and he and his brothers received a special present -- a Dr Pepper bike.

Randy answers listeners' questions.