A CALL FOR THE COMPASSIONATE RELEASE OF SHAWN “FLIP” JOYNER WHO SUFFERS FROM TERMINAL BRAIN CANCER (2022)

Shawn “Flip” Joyner is a VA prisoner suffering with terminal brain cancer. On August 23,2021, after being rushed to the ER from Nottoway Correctional Center where he was diagnosed with grade 4 Glioblastoma, he underwent surgery to remove a cancerous mass from his brain. He also suffers cancerous tumors in his kidney and lung. Part of his kidney was also removed, while the cancer remains in his lung.
At that time specialists predicted that he had 10-18 months to live. On top of enduring his own condition, Flip’s elderly mother has been recently diagnosed with kidney disease requiring daily dialysis and hospital care. He desires to be there to support her and attend to her care.

The complications that attend his conditions and the separation from his mother during her own suffering make life painful and difficult for him, made all the worse by his being warehoused in a prison cell. Under these combined burdens and a haunting sense of hopelessness, he shared with me that he often thinks of giving up on his own medical care and chemotherapy. But he suffers in silence.

Flip is a quiet and humble Black man in his 40’s, with a greying beard and fatherly disposition. I initially heard about his condition from other prisoners who hold him in high regard, and sought him out to offer what help I could to bring attention to his situation. The fact that I offered to help generate support for his compassionate release nearly brought him to tears. Flip not only appreciates every bit of support he can get, but is more than deserving of it and of his immediate release to live out his final days with his loved ones who also need him there with them.

Flip has served 15 years in prison and has 20 years remaining to complete his sentence on a robbery conviction. His terminal cancer renders his sentence a death sentence, and an agonizing one. Aside from the reality that there is no justice for Black men, who are disproportionately targeted for mass imprisonment in Amerika, there is no compassion for those who suffer agonizing terminal illnesses like Flip Joyner. We must call and count on the public to compel the system to give what justice and compassion we can wring from it.

Dare to Struggle Dare to Win!
All Power to the People!

Join the call-in, e-mail, and letter-writing campaign for the compassionate release of Shawn “Flip” Joyner. Contact the Governor of VA at:

Gov. Glenn Youngkin
Governor Office
P.O. Box 1475
Richmond, VA 23218
Telephone: 804-786-2211
Email: socmail@governor.virginia.gov <mailto:socmail@governor.virginia.gov>

Flip’s family also has a online petition at: https://www.change.org/p/virginia-department-of-corrections-get-my-father-out-of-prison-only-has-8-months-to-live <https://www.change.org/p/virginia-department-of-corrections-get-my-father-out-of-prison-only-has-8-months-to-live>

Shawn also has a pending petition for executive clemency. We encourage people to also contact the following number and email address to lend support to this effort as well:

Telephone: (804)692-2542
Email: pardons@governor.virginia.com <mailto:pardons@governor.virginia.com>
Phone: (804)692-2542