To whom it may concern,
These are real dark, uncertain and frightening times to be incarcerated in Virginia. Especially for those of us with pre-existing health conditions. I’m 58 years old and I have a multitude of health issues (COPD, elevated A1C Levels, high cholesterol levels, A-Fid heart rhythm disorder), and I wear an anti-embolism compression sock on my left leg. What’s scary at this time of the COVID-19 pandemic is that not enough people care about prisoners and what we’re going through.
I’m several hundred miles away form my family and at their age they can visit me only once every two to three years. But the parole board is aware of this and my declining health yet every year I see them they give me the same reason for turning me down for parole. I’ve bene locked up for 30 years and I’ve been turned down for parole 16 times. Each time they tell me it’s because of the crimes I committed. You think I killed several people. However, I didn’t kill anyone, nor was I convicted of killing anyone. I saw the parole board on the 21st of April and five days later, without considering all the rehabilitative programs I’ve taken and how my character and conduct has improved over the years the board still turned me down. Their reason was the crime committed. Go figure. To make matters worse, with my pre-existing health condition, if I contract COVID-19 it will almost surely be a death sentence for me. Not enough people care about us in here – is sad but true. It’s a real possibility that the virus will hit this place, and if it does, it’ll spread like wildfire, and it’s like I’m sitting here waiting to die. I can’t put into words how dark and scary my world is. The parole board isn’t releasing anyone with violent crime and the governor only wants non-violent offenders released. It seems if you committed a violent crime, you have pre-existing health issues and cover-19 hits, you could be looking at a death sentence. If your crime is nonviolence you can go home.
Mentally doing so much time, not given a fair chance at parole, and the COVID-19 pandemic is wearing me down and words are no comfort to me because only a few of us know that our health and COVID-19 could lead to our death. I wasn’t sentenced to die in prison but with COVID-19 it might happen. There’s not even a place in this prison for people with pre-existing health issues to go if the virus hits this place. I’ve always seen a bright future for myself. Lately my future seems dark and uncertain. I’m scared.
The Governor, DOC, and the General Assembly needs to start releasing people. You have guys that are 70 and 80 years old who have done 40 plus years. Release them while there able to take care of themselves. If not, the bill to take care of them will be placed on the people of Virginia. Not enough people care about prisoners.