Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current, April 06, 2016, Image 7

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Portland observer., April 06, 2016, Page Page 7, Image 7

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Newspaper Page TextApril 6, 2016 Page 7 O PINION Your Carpet Best Cleaning Choice Martin Cleaning Service Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning Residential & Commercial Services Minimum Service CHG. $45.00 A small distance/travel charge may be applied CARPET CLEANING 2 Cleaning Areas or more $30.00 Each Area Pre-Spray Traffic Areas (Includes: 1 small Hallway) 1 Cleaning Area (only) $40.00 Includes Pre-Spray Traffic Area (Hallway Extra) Inmates on their Deathbeds Should be Freed Compassionate is the moral thing to do J ohn k iriakou Over the past three decades, judg- es and juries have filled America’s prisons with non-vi- olent offenders. Many are serving draconian sentences for first-time offenses. Indeed, while only about 5 percent of the world’s people live in the United States, our coun- try is locking up nearly 25 percent of the world’s prison population. President Barack Obama has at least begun to address this issue by creating the Clemency Proj- ect, which connects prisoners to pro-bono lawyers who can argue for them to have their sentences reduced. Inmates are eligible if their sentences would have been shorter today than when they re- ceived them — as long as they’ve already served at least half their time. That doesn’t help prisoners who haven’t yet served half of their sentences. It’s an especially glaring gap for prisoners who are elderly and gravely ill. Where is their relief? A handful of prisoners on their deathbeds might go free under a by federal practice called compas- sionate release. To qualify, an in- carcerated person must be at least 65 years old and suffering from a deteriorating medical condi- tion that diminishes their ability to function in a correctional facility. And they have to have served 10 years of their sen- tence. Last year, the federal gov- ernment released 110 prison- ers under the compassionate release program. While this was a record high, it was also statistical- ly insignificant as we’ve got 2.24 million people behind bars. To make matters worse, al- though the regulations for eligibil- ity are clear, the entire program is “clouded in secrecy and bureau- cracy,” according to the Clemency Report. I watched the failure of this program unfold in real time when I was incarcerated for blowing the whistle on the CIA’s torture pro- gram. I was friendly with a pris- oner I’ll call Bill. Bill was 68 years old and do- ing 30 years for a non-violent or- ganized crime conviction. He’d served more than half his sen- tence. I saw him in the hall one day, doubled over in pain. He told me that he’d never before experienced back pain like this. I suggested that he go to sick call in the morn- ing and ask for Tylenol, the go-to painkiller in U.S. prisons. He did, but he got no relief. A couple of weeks later, Bill was walking with a cane and in obvious distress. He told me again that his back pain was excruciat- ing. He’d asked the medical unit for an X-ray, and he’d been de- nied. The physician’s assistant had just given him more Tylenol. Two weeks later, Bill was in a wheelchair. I went to the chap- lain and said that Bill was being denied medical care. He agreed to intervene. Bill was sent to an outside hos- pital for an MRI, which found stage 4 cancer of the spine. Bill applied for compassionate release so he could die at home, surround- ed by his family. The warden went to see him in his cell. Would Bill agree to sign a paper agreeing not to hold the prison responsible for failing to diagnose and treat his cancer? He refused. Two weeks later, Bill died in his bunk in prison, alone. This shouldn’t have happened. Compassionate release was cre- ated exactly for prisoners like Bill. Dying prisoners who pose no threat to society whatsoever should be sent home to be with their families. It’s the only moral thing to do. OtherWords columnist John Kiriakou is an associate fellow at the Institute for Policy Studies and the winner of the 2015 PEN Cen- ter USA First Amendment award. OtherWords.org. The Law Offices of Patrick John Sweeney, P.C. Patrick John Sweeney Attorney at Law 1549 SE Ladd, Portland, Oregon Portland: Hillsoboro: Facsimile: Email: (503) 244-2080 (503) 244-2081 (503) 244-2084 Sweeney@PDXLawyer.com Stairs (12-16 stairs - With Other Services) : $25.00 Area/Oriental Rugs: $25.00 Minimum Area/Oriental Rugs (Wool) : $40.00 Minimum Heavily Soiled Area: Additional $10.00 each area (Requiring Extensive Pre-Spraying) UPHOLSTERY CLEANING Sofa: $69.00 Loveseat: $49.00 Sectional: $109 - $139 Chair or Recliner: $25 - $49 Throw Pillows (With Other Services) : $5.00 ADDITIONAL SERVICES • Area & Oriental Rug Cleaning • Auto/Boat/RV Cleaning • Deodorizing & Pet Odor Treatment • Spot & Stain Removal Service • Scotchguard Protection • Minor Water Damage Services SEE CURRENT FLYER FOR ADDITIONAL PRICES & SERVICES Call for Appointment (503) 281-3949