Frail people are left to die in prison as judges fail to act on a law to free them
NPRFrail people are left to die in prison as judges fail to act on a law to free them Enlarge this image toggle caption Julia Robinson for KHN Julia Robinson for KHN Jimmy Dee Stout was serving time on drug charges when he got grim news early last year. A federal compassionate release law allows imprisoned people to be freed early for "extraordinary and compelling reasons," like terminal illness or old age. Enlarge this image toggle caption Julia Robinson for KHN Julia Robinson for KHN The lag in compassionate release is particularly alarming because prisons are teeming with aging inmates who suffer from cancer, diabetes, and other conditions, academic researchers said. Sponsor Message COVID-19 made things even worse The pandemic only compounded the problem, because incarcerated people with preexisting conditions are especially vulnerable to serious illness or death from COVID-19, said Erica Zunkel, a law professor at the University of Chicago who studies compassionate release.
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