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Northampton County
Correctional Facility
ATTN: Ed Cummings, M3 666 Walnut Street Easton, PA 18042
Computer Hacker Severely Beaten
after Criticizing Prison Conditions
Target of Campaign by U.S. Secret Service
MEDICAL [ Sept 12, 1996 AM ]
No further details yet available to regarding Ed's visit to the orthopedist, Dr. Jaeger. We're valiantly trying to find this doctor and get the visit rescheduled...
Ed has still not been given any painkillers other than regular Tylenol. Tuesday night, for the *first* time, they offered him something to help him sleep. It worked nicely, alhtough whatever it is, they have to grind it up and put it in warm water for him to drink through his teeth...and it tastes pretty nasty.
During the day on Wednesday, they didn't give Ed his fourth can of Ensure (dinner). We saw him at about 7:45 and he was hungry but glad for the visit. Today, they've started giving him Sustecal (instead of Ensure). If anyone has the nutritional details on this product, please let us know. So far, Ed hasn't been able to look at the can.
The visit Wednesday night lasted until about 9PM. After they strip searched Ed and returned him to his cell (they do this to all prisoners after they have visitors), he had missed his opportunity to receive his 10PM Tylenol. He asked for his sleeping medicine shortly after 10 and was given something. He noticed that the taste was different and that there were pieces of brown coating in the mixture, which was not true the night before. Whatever medication they'd given him Tuesday night put him to sleep within about 20 minutes. The stuff they gave him at 10PM didn't work at all. He waited about 2 hours and then finally asked the nurse to check what medication he'd been given.
The nurse checked - nothing had been written on his chart. She then gave him the proper medication which helped him sleep. Ed saved the cup from the mystery medication for possible analysis. He didn't seem to suffer any ill effects from the unknown dosage, fortunately...
During the visit, we expected Ed to look pretty gruesome. The pain he's in is obvious in his eyes, and the swelling of most of his face is severe. The scars he'll have are under his jawline on each side of his face and they seem to be healing fairly well. Ed said his surgeon, Dr. Elstein, was really good.
For those of you who asked about Ed's missing teeth, we have good news. He wasn't given back his missing teeth because NONE FELL OUT. The surgeon told Ed that he had very strong teeth and that they probably prevented even more damage from occurring. What Ed *thought* was a hole from missing teeth, through which he could stick his tongue (prior to surgery), was in fact one of the severe breaks in his jaw protruding between his teeth.
LEGAL
Ed spoke to his lawyer today - Ken is following up on his letter of last
week asking the judge to revisit the sentence. We hope to hear more later
today, although we no longer expect to hear from Ken directly. He doesn't
think media attention is the right way to go on this case.
Ed disagrees on this... which is why you're all listening to these details! There may have been a time for caution, but that time has long passed. Some people may think that Ed should not have filed the appeal or the grievance and just sat quietly in jail, even for the potential extra nine months. Ed insists that he will not sit still for injustice. Even after all that has happened, he _still_ feels this way.
POLITICAL
Apparently our call to the Northampton County Executive, Mr. Frank
Bilotta, was useful.
When we arrived at the jail last night, there was a handwritten note at the guard's desk, giving authorization for three adults to visit Mr. Cummings. It said that the guard was to review our ID carefully and to permit us the extra 30 minute visit courtesy extended to visitors from over 15 miles away if we were entitled to it. The note also told the guard to radio to the guard supervisor when we arrived. We were treated almost like VIPs (well, at least as far as prison standards go).
Ed's uncle did not join us for the visit. If you had been jumped by a guard from that prison just the day before, you might have stayed away too.
Mr. Bilotta also seems to have facilitated Ed's receipt of the correct forms to file criminal charges against the guy who beat him up. Ed was woken up this morning by the Deputy Warden (Richard Zettlemoyer). Mr. Zettlemoyer gave him the forms and was polite. Ed sleepily realized that he only had a 3" bowling-scoring-type pencil (given to him by the prison) and would probably need to fill out the forms in ink. He asked Mr. Zettlemoyer for a pen and was given one. (It doesn't sound like much to those of us with access to office products, but prisons do NOT give out this kind of stuff. You're supposed to buy it from the commissary. Ed still doesn't have any money, and we of course were not allowed to give him any. He must receive money orders via mail to the prison.) Providing the pen seemed like a TRUE benevolent act to Ed.
MEDIA
Ed has spoken to Declan McCullough and Brock Meeks at length. They are still
planning to visit and interview him, although they've been told that they
don't qualify for 'professional' visitation.
Media interest in Ed's case has been luke warm, to put it nicely.
PHONE USAGE [ 9/12/96 PM ]
Supervisor Terley, one of the guards who was joking with us during the visit
last night, informed Ed this afternoon that he was only allowed 15 minutes
of phone usage daily. Considering that Ed is without a clock, a window, a
TV, a radio, and barely any reading material, limiting his phone usage is
practically criminal. Ed asked the supervisor whether this was in the
rulebook. Mr. Terley replied that it is.
Ed then consulted the NCCF rulebook. The 15 minute daily phone limitation
_is_ in the rulebook for inmates under DISCIPLINARY observation/lockdown. Ed
is under MEDICAL observation and should not be subjected to this rule. Ed
also noted that the rulebook specifies a penalty of 3 days with _no_ phone
usage if an inmate (subject to the rule) exceeds the time limit.
If his phone privileges are cut back or off, we can all
imagine what that will do to the detail potential for these messages.
