June 11, 2020: Compassionate Release Disparity

Early in the Covid-19 pandemic, Gov.DeWine outlined a plan to release older inmates that met certain criteria to minimize their Covid-19 exposure.

Let's review two inmates that met all of the established criteria. Both had spotless institutional records, both had a place to go upon release, both were productive and involved while incarcerated. Only one was released under Compassionate Release.

Inmate A -

Served 9 years of a 15 year sentence, out date of 2026.

Owes the State of Ohio in excess of 12 million dollars.

Medical Condition - Asthma

Inmate B -

Served 23 years on a 15 to life sentence, has an out date in November 2020

Owes no restitution, fees or fines.

Medical Condition - Advanced stage Pancreatic Cancer.

Inmate A was granted Commpassionate Release and is enjoying time with family and friends, making plans for the future.

Inmate B will die in a prison hospital, alone. This is indicative of the systemic inconsistency that plagues ODRC. We see it daily, nothing is ever done the same way twice, from inmate discipline to recreation times.

An argument could be made that Inmate A received preferential treatment because of political attachments.' Inmate B is a man that has paid his debt and deserves to be released under the same criteria as all other Compassionate Release inmates.

We can only guess at the heartache Inmate B must be enduring. Imagine being terminally ill and watching others around you leave ODRC as you worry if anyone will care when you die. So close, but so very far away...

Relatable Song of the Week - Wide River to Cross, Levon Helm