Imprisoned radio journalist Mumia Abu-Jamal is gravely ill and in desperate need of hospitalization.
He should be transferred to a facility with the appropriate medical specialists and technology for system-wide testing to diagnose and treat his multiple, serious and potentially life threatening symptoms.
These include uncontrolled diabetes; blood in his urine; weight loss of over 65lbs; what appear to be serious neurological problems like uncontrollable shaking of the hands, slurred speech, and loss of memory; and a painful and itchy skin disease with open sores, that has hardened and blackened his skin and disfigured his full body, neck and face.
Mumia, a world-renowned political prisoner, was wrongfully convicted of killing a police officer in Philadelphia in 1981.
His bestseller Live From Death Row humanized US prisoners and his eloquent and searing critiques of mass incarceration have earned him the title “Voice of the Voiceless.”
In 2011, after having spent almost 30 years on Pennsylvania’s death row, Mumia’s death sentence was declared unconstitutional. In 2012, he was transferred to the general prison population.
Given the extent of his suffering, the prison’s refusal to transfer Mumia to an adequate medical facility is a violation of his 8th Amendment rights against cruel and usual punishment.
The record of the prison’s neglect in Mumia’s case is highly disturbing. In January he was seriously ill. In March he collapsed in the prison and went into diabetic shock.
When transferred to the ICU of the Sckuylkill Medical Center, Mumia registered a blood sugar level of 779 and a sodium level of 168 — both potentially fatal.
Within three days of that near fatal episode, Mumia was transferred back to the prison infirmary, where the next day he again collapsed and remained on the floor of the bathroom for 45 minutes.
A prisoner-worker in the infirmary discovered his fall. Last week, Mumia was again prematurely transferred to a prison cell and he is now back in the prison infirmary.
By international standards, this kind of attempt at execution through medical neglect constitutes torture and a crime against humanity.
Given the extensive evidence of Mumia’s innocence, long prevented from being addressed fairly in the courts, and now the evidence that Mumia’s very life is in danger while in the prison system, we call for his immediate release from prison.
We have a team of specialists standing by to bring him back to health upon his release. We need sustained calls, letters, and actions of protest.
Tom Wolf, PA Governor: 717-787-2500 | governor@PA.gov | 508 Main Capitol Building, Harrisburg PA 17120
John Wetzel, PA DOC: 717-728-4109 | 717-728-4178 Fax | ra-contactdoc@poc.gov | 1920 Technology Pkwy, Mechanicsburg PA 17050
John Kerestes, Superintendent SCI Mahanoy: 570-773-2158 x8102 | 570-783-2008 Fax | 301 Morea Road, Frackville PA 17932
