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  2020-06-09

  COVID-19 Inside Arkansas Prisons: The Death of Derick Coley

  This article is the second in a three-part series by NPR reporter Anna Stitt. Sponsored by the National Geographic Society's COVID-19 Emergency Fund for Journalists. In this article Stitt mostly focuses on the death of inmate Derrick Coley. He was a healthy 29-year-old inmate who had been up for parole since June of 2017 but once he contracted covid in the Cummins Unit, part of the Arkansas State Prisons, he passed away. In exploring his death Stitt finds that inmates who pay $3 each time they request medical attention ( this was waved from March 23-April 30, 2020) were often not receiving any medical attention and at other times would only see a nurse. The process relayed to her was that inmates must request medical attention four times before they can see a doctor and the only doctor is one whose medical license has been revoked. After several inmates died from covid some inmates began to rebel. Prison staff used tear gas to quell the uprising. This was surprising to inmates Stitt spoke with because the coronavirus is a respiratory virus and at the time over 900 people were infected. As with many large bureaucracies, the prison blames the company contracted to provide medical care, Wellpath, and they pass the buck back to the prison. The concern for prisoners, their family, friends, and advocates is that they could die. Without the ability to social distance, 100% mask wearing, and being able to wash their hand frequently the fear is that a prison sentence, even a relatively short one, could turn into a death sentence.