‘Juvenile Lifers’ Worry They’ll Lose Their Lives From COVID Before They Get Their Shot At Freedom
The Supreme Court ruled that the cases of teenagers who were sentenced to life must be reviewed because they weren't yet adults when they were charged with crimes. While thousands of sentences have been overturned, there's still inmates who are waiting for their cases to be heard. In other news: what prison outbreaks can teach researchers about herd immunity, Massachusetts' court refuses request to release prisoners and more.
The Marshall Project:
Sentenced To Life As Teens, They Fear Getting Coronavirus Before Getting A Second Chance
Darnell Johnson long believed that he would die alone in a prison cell. In 1998, a Michigan court sentenced him to life behind bars without the possibility of parole for killing a woman and shooting two others during a botched armed robbery when he was 17, court records show. Johnson had been in prison for more than a decade when the U.S. Supreme Court issued two rulings, one in 2012 and another in 2016, that said “juvenile lifers” like him must have their sentences reviewed, taking into account that they were not yet adults when they committed their crimes. In many states, hundreds saw their prison terms shortened or were released. (Hager, 6/3)
The Marshall Project:
What COVID-19 Prison Outbreaks Could Teach Us About Herd Immunity
As states unevenly begin to reopen, researchers are scrambling to learn more about the coronavirus and “herd immunity.” That is when a large enough portion of the public has contracted the disease and developed antibodies so that it restrains the spread of the virus. Prisons, it turns out, may be a key place to study the nature of this virus—including how it transmits and how immunity to it works. Because while antibody rates for the general public, estimated between 1 and 20 percent in most places, remain far too low for herd immunity to kick in, it’s an entirely different story in a number of prisons. (Lartey, 6/1)
Boston Globe:
State’s Highest Court Refuses To Release Prisoners Due To Coronavirus
The state’s highest court on Tuesday denied a lawsuit seeking the quick release of convicted prisoners due to the ongoing pandemic.In its ruling, the court acknowledged that prisoners are at an increased risk for COVID-19, but found that incarceration during a pandemic does not necessarily amount to cruel and unusual punishment. The court noted that the state’s Department of Correction has followed federal health guidelines and is conducting extensive testing in its facilities. (Coleman, 6/2)
WBUR:
Mass. High Court Refuses To Release Convicted Prisoners Because Of COVID-19
The justices, however, did rule that those involuntarily committed to addiction treatment can seek immediate release. The SJC also asked a Superior Court judge to continue to review issues related to the case. (Becker, 6/2)
Boston.Com:
What It's Like Inside A Mass. Prison During The Coronavirus Pandemic
Patricia Olsen said she doesn’t know which of her friends are dead or alive. It’s what’s unknown, she said, that’s the hardest. As an inmate at MCI-Framingham, Olsen said incarceration is all about structure and routine. Her days would normally start at 7:15 a.m. when she’d leave her cell to take a shower before heading to the chow hall. After breakfast, she’d go to work as a digitizer for Massachusetts Correctional Industries. On the weekends, she would go to church, spend time with her friends of almost 15 years, cook a good meal, and draw to relax. (Cromar, 6/2)
USA Today:
Federal Prisons Under National Lockdown Amid George Floyd Protests, Most Severe Restrictions In 25 Years
The federal Bureau of Prisons has ordered a national lockdown amid civil unrest in cities across the country in a move that resembled the agency's most severe restrictions at its facilities in 25 years. Federal authorities, already struggling to contain deadly outbreaks of the coronavirus that has left 68 inmates dead, had imposed nationwide restrictions on inmate movements in March in an attempt to limit the virus' spread. But officials took the more restrictive action late Monday as a surge of violent clashes between protesters and police erupted after the death of George Floyd, whose neck was pinned under the knee of a Minneapolis police officer. (Johnson, 6/2)
The Oklahoman:
County Jail Unveils Pod Dedicated To Veterans
Oklahoma County Jail officials on Tuesday unveiled a newly-repainted room dedicated to those who have served in the United States armed forces as part of an effort to increase mental health treatment for inmates. Jail officials said they hope that the refurbished pod, a group of 50 cells with a maximum capacity of 98 inmates, will show inmates who have served in the military that law enforcement officials care about them even when they’re incarcerated. They also hope that the pod will boost the morale of jail employees. (Green, 6/3)
