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On Saturday Mumia Abu-Jamal was hospitalized. When he put in a sick call slip and was seen by the SCI Mahanoy medical staff he was taken immediately to the hospital suffering chest pain and shortness of breath. Diagnosed with congestive heart failure he was given a battery of tests. It is unclear how long Mumia was hospitalized, but by Wednesday he was in isolation in the prison’s infirmary. This diagnosis of a weakened heart requires careful monitoring and treatment.
At the hospital his seriology blood test was positive for Covid-19. This followed three negative, or false negative COVID-19, tests and a negative antigen test administered recently by the medical staff at SCI Mahanoy.
After initial treatment for fluid build up in his body, he was discharged from the local private hospital and put in isolation in the prison infirmary. On Wednesday he was able to reach his supporters who were gathering in Philadelphia at 3 Penn Sq. outside the DA’s office, demanding that he receive appropriate medical attention. He expressed his gratitude for the world wide support and attention to his and other elders with life threatening conditions in prison.
We must remember that the prison infirmary at SCI Mahanoy is the very same place that in 2014 diagnosed Mumia as having critically low blood sugar, ie a diabetic episode or reaction to a topical steroid he was taking for a raging skin condition. The infirmary then ignored the notation in his chart to monitor his blood sugar levels for three weeks. It was not until he fainted and went into renal failure that he was rushed to the hospital. His lawsuit in that case Abu-Jamal v. Wetzel is still pending. It took a federal civil rights lawsuit, the order of a preliminary injunction, and world wide protests for Mumia to receive the fast acting anti viral cure to his belatedly diagnosed Hepatitis C.
The Pennsylvania Department of Corrections has repeatedly failed to provide adequate care for our family members.
We, the people, must toss aside our fears. It is not the time to hesitate and we cannot give into despair. Decarceration is not a dream; it is a necessity.
We need to take action now!
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Please consider reaching out to the following:
- Gov Tom Wolf: 717-787-2500
- PA DA Larry Krasner: 267-456-1000; @DA_LarryKrasner
- Prison SCI Mahanoy: 570-773-2158
- PA DOC Secretary John Wetzel: 717-728-2573
Script:
My name is _____ and I demand:
1. The immediate and unconditional release of Mumia Abu-Jamal, who has congestive heart failure & has been diagnosed with COVID-19 and is vulnerable.
2. The immediate release of all political prisoners.
3. The immediate release of all elders, aging prisoners over the age of 50, people who have contracted COVID, and all others who are especially vulnerable to death through COVID-19.
Write Mumia a personal note:
Smart Communications/PADOC
Mumia Abu-Jamal AM 8335
SCI Mahanoy
PO Box 33028
St Petersburg, FL 33733
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