NO RELEASE=NO COMPASSION FOR CALIFORNIA PRISONERS

Fight for the compassionate release of Kee Kee Sellers

Keith Wayne Sellers (KeeKee) is a transgender prisoner at Corcoran state prison. He is 32 years old. He is dying of AIDS related complications and Valley Fever. He has only a couple of t-cells and a very high viral load. He cannot walk or sit up by himself. He wants to die outside of prison. You can Help!

Despite the support of prison doctors, the warden, family members, the judge, the district attorney and several state legislators, KeeKee's request for a compassionate release was recently turned down by California Department of Corrections Director Cal Terhune.

Director Terhune like others in Governor Gray Davis' administration are "politicians" first and compassionate human beings last. The CDC Director is violating the compassionate release legislation that went into law on January 1, 1998 by refusing to release this dying prisoner.

KeeKee clearly poses no threat to the community. He has a room waiting for him at a community hospice. His family wants him close to them as he approaches the end of his life.

You can help! Contact Director Terhune! Let him know that you support a compassionate release for KeeKee and that he should immediately reconsider his denial and grant early release for this prisoner.

CALL, WRITE, OR FAX TODAY:

C.A. TERHUNE, DIRECTOR
California Department of Corrections
P.O. Box 942883
Sacramento, CA 94283
Tel: (916) 445-7688
Fax: (916) 322-2877

 

I just made a very polite call, dishing my thickest southern accent, and
taking as much staff time as I could. Let me suggest that the more we
engage these folks in long conversations the better. I asked for the
director of corrections to return my call at his leisure....made sure
they had my name address and phone number...and made sure that the
reason for my call was also written down. 100 calls like I just made would
take enough staff time for them to possibly reconsider and perhaps
get Kee Kee released. -- Barry

Sample Message:

Dear Director Terhune,

I urge you to reconsider your denial of compassionate release for Keith
Wayne Sellers, E-25027, a dying prisoner at the California State Prison
- Corcoran. Mr. Sellers clearly meets the criteria of the current law
on compassionate release and his release is supported by many employees
of the California Department of Corrections, including prison doctors,
and the Corcoran warden as well as the district attorney and sentencing
judge.

With valley fever and fullblown AIDS and in his nonambulatory
condition, Mr. Sellers is too ill to be considered a threat to the
public safety. In the name of humanity, I demand that you grant
compassionate release to Keith Wayne Sellers.

Sincerely,

______________________

MEDIA ADVISORY

For Immediate Release: June 6, 2000

For More Information Call:

Beth Feinberg, (415) 293-6343
Judy Greenspan (pager) (510) 321-7697

HIV in Prison Advocates Call for Compassionate Release of Dying Prisoner; Demand that Corrections Director Follow Dictate of CA Penal Code Provisions

The HIV in Prison Committee of California Prison Focus today challenged California Department of Corrections Director C.A. Terhune to reconsider his recent compassionate release denial and immediately release Keith Wayne Sellers, a transgender prisoner dying of Valley Fever and AIDS-related complications at California State Prison-Corcoran.

In a letter to CDC Director Terhune, Beth Feinberg, the HIP Committee spokesperson noted, "Mr. Sellers meets the medical criteria for compassionate release." Feinberg went on to quote a letter written by Corcoran physician Dr. Shankar Raman, stating that "Sellers is not expected to live for more than a few weeks." Feinberg, who visited with Sellers in Corcoran's Acute Care Hospital just two weeks ago, noted that Sellers was in a very debilitated condition, had lost over 50 pounds in one month, and was unable to walk or sit up on his own.

"The CDC is violating state law by refusing to release Keith Wayne Sellers," stated Judy Greenspan, Chairperson of California Prison =46ocus' HIP Committee. "Director Terhune's refusal to release Mr. Sellers is shortsighted, politically-motivated and runs counter to the recommendations of his own staff and the sentencing judge." Greenspan noted that two prison doctors, Corcoran Warden George Galaza, the district attorney and Sellers' sentencing judge are all calling for the early compassionate release of this dying prisoner.

"Several legislators including Senator Tom Hayden, Assemblymember Carole Migden and Senator John Vasconcellos have called Director Terhune's office to support Mr. Sellers' compassionate release," Feinberg said. "Last Thursday, Mr. Sellers left the Corcoran hospital in a wheelchair and returned to his cell so that he can spend his last days with his fellow prisoners and visit with his family in general population," said the HIP Committee spokeswoman. "The next day, his compassionate release was denied."

On October 8, 1997, compassionate release legislation was signed into law [Section 1170(e) of the state penal code] by then Governor Pete Wilson. Under this law, prisoners within six months of death and found to no longer pose a threat to the public safety are eligible for early release from prison. "Unfortunately, given the current political climate, very few dying prisoners are being granted compassionate releases," Feinberg noted. "We will continue to fight until Mr. Sellers is released from prison," Feinberg said.

Resources Available from the HIP Committee:

1) June 6, 2000 Letter to CDC Director Terhune urging compassionate release reconsideration.

2) Letter from Sentencing Judge Raymond Youngquist supporting compassionate release.

3) Diagnostic Letter from Dr. Shankar Raman.

4) Family members and legislators are also available for comment.

SUCCESS ~ THANKS !

MEDIA ADVISORY MEDIA ADVISORY MEDIA ADVISORY

For Immediate Release: July 5, 2000

Keith Wayne Sellers, a Dying Transgender Prisoner, Wins Compassionate Release to Community Hospice; Spends July 4th Holiday with family members and supporters

The month long battle to win the release of Keith Wayne Sellers (a.k.a. Kee Kee), a transgender prisoner dying of AIDS-related complications and valley fever, ended this week with her release to a community hospice close to her aunt and brother. On July 4, family members and supporters joined her to visit and celebrate her release.

Sellers, who was serving a prison term for bank robbery, became very ill from valley fever and complications related to AIDS in May of this year. According to Beth Feinberg, a member of the HIV in Prison (HIP) Committee of California Prison Focus (CPF), Sellers became so ill that she was rushed to the prison hospital. "She came very close to dying and that's when we started advocating for her compassionate release."

Feinberg began calling prison doctors, state legislators, the sentencing judge and Director C.A. Terhune of the California Department of Corrections. "Everyone except Director Terhune was ready to release Kee Kee Sellers due to her critical condition," commented the prisoners' rights advocate.

According to Judy Greenspan, Chairperson of CPF's HIP Committee, supporters then launched a letterwriting and fax campaign to CDC Director Terhune's office. However, even with the support of key state legislators, the Director firmly refused to release the dying prisoner. "Director Terhune's attitude and actions come from a prison administration that follows exactly in the footsteps of the governor ñ no parole for lifers and no release for dying prisoners," commented Greenspan.

Director Terhune did order Sellers moved from the California State Prison at Corcoran to the hospital at the California Institution for Men. "Doctors at CIM immediately initiated the compassionate release process," Feinberg noted. "That action, along with the continuous stream of letters and phone calls, finally convinced Director Terhune to release Kee Kee," Feinberg said. Sellers was released last week first to a local hospital and then to a community hospice. Feinberg traveled to southern California to spend the July 4th holiday with Sellers and her family.

Resources on Compassionate Release:
1. HIV in Prison Committee of California Prison Focus - (510) 665-1935; email: judyg@igc.org
2. Women's Positive Legal Action Network - (510) 839-7654; email: wplan@pacbell.net

For more information contact:

HIV in Prison Committee of California Prison Focus
2940 l6th Street, #307
San Francisco, CA 94103
Tel/Fax (510) 665-1935
website: www.prisons.org/hivin.htm

see also important prison-rights websites at CRUCIAL LINKS