State says no to prisoners’ healthcare treatment — again

Taken from a Jan. 14 audio column at prisonradio.org.

Several days ago, the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections appealed the Jan. 3 U.S. District Court ruling that granted an injunction against the DOC’s so-called protocol covering hepatitis treatment (or should I say lack of treatment?).

The state waited almost 10 days to file an appeal saying they didn’t have the time needed to obey a court order that gave them two weeks (14 days) to begin the process.

They also ignored the court’s order that the DOC was enjoined from using its “protocol” — they continue to use it, as if no court order was ever issued.

If that ain’t contempt of court, what can it be called?

The state violates constitutional rights daily — because it can. What’s another court order?

To them, it ain’t worth the paper it’s printed on.

From the very beginning, the DOC has spit in the eye of the judge. They’ve filed false documents. They’ve made misleading claims.

They tried to intimidate him.

Why should they now be any different?

And yet, the battle goes on to save the lives of thousands of prisoners in Pennsylvania dungeons.