Update on Rashid’s Situation (June 5, 2014)

From Prison Radio:

Solitary confinement is torture. Kevin Rashid Johnson has spent decades in the hole. Last week we put out an urgent Medical Alert Eblast urging care for severe headaches and dangerous blood pressure levels. That same day Kevin Rashid Johnson’s legal advisor on his Oregon cases, Ben Haile of the Portland Law Collective, got a phone call through to him. After three weeks
of symptoms, Rashid still has not seen a doctor. Hypertension (high blood pressure) left untreated is a killer especially in prison. Over the next few days, your calls, emails, and faxes made an enormous difference.

A caller, Bruce from Canada, spoke directly to the warden who said “We will get him looked at”.

The Ombudsman personally replied to many emails. When the volume of emails kept going up we heard that some emails were rejected.

After his legal team was denied a visit on May 19th, Dana in California with Peoples’ Action for Rights and Community contacted the TDCJ Access to Counsel Office and they responded with a personal email that legal phone calls and visits are required by law. The Legal team will keep following up to re-schedule this visit.

Just yesterday, Prof. Crispino in Austin, one of Rashid’s supporters, was able to speak to both the warden and the Health Services staff. They are stating that Rashid has now received blood pressure pills, and his pressure monitored.

Rashid has asked that you highlight the nature of solitary and MAX units, and their deleterious affects on all inmate’s health. His concern is for everyone in these control units.

Thank you for keeping the spotlight on Texas.

Here are  five things you can do to help:

1) Please Call and Tell the Warden at the TDCJ Clements unit that health care is a human right. Demand that Rashid see a doctor. TDCJ Clements 9601 Spur 591, Amarillo, TX 79107-9606 806-381-7080

2) Write Rashid today. Send your Rashid Postcard — if you don’t have a stack of them for your friends order them from us, ask us to send you a dozen by snail mail. Use them to have your friends write Rashid.

Let him know that he is not alone!

Kevin Johnson #1859887
Clements Unit
9601 Spur 591
Amarillo, TX 79107

3) Put money on Rashid’s inmate trust account. (here is how)