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Judge orders DiMasi's release
By adamg on Thu, 11/17/2016 - 12:08pm
US District Court Judge Mark Wolf today ordered convicted Massachusetts House Speaker Sal DiMasi released on Nov. 22, after federal officials urged the move due to his declining health. DiMasi had been scheduled to serve another two years of his corruption sentence.
Judge's order (3.7M PDF).
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Comments
I'm OK With This
It seems a cruel punishment to force a dying person to suffer their last days in prison, particularly when their crime was non-violent.
I think many of us are OK
I think many of us are OK with this. The problem is, it must be allowed for ALL prisoners, not just those politically connected.
I appreciate the Judge going the extra mile to make sure DiMasi's release was not due to connections and hope to see the same fair treatment to all prisoners.
This Time I Agree With You 100%, Patricia!
Family couldn't afford to visit for a year?
I don't object to Sal DiMasi getting released early if he is truly sick. He has served more time than the hard core criminals in the state system. Just a hunch but I'm guessing he'll make a miraculous recovery once released.
I found it curious that his family couldn't afford to visit him in NC for the past year? How much does it cost for a couple tanks of gas and a 3 star hotel in rural NC? Sal and Debbie had thousands of friends while in office, including the billionaire Cashmans and nobody could help her visit him? That's either BS or a very sad state of affairs. If they couldn't afford a few hundred dollars to visit him, how are they going to afford his special diet?
I believe Debbie has been
I believe Debbie has been struggling with her own health issues. Traveling while seriously ill is not always possible.
I realize Debbie has had health problems but...
I realize Debbie has had health problems but I believe the ruling, or at least a news report said they couldn't visit for a year due to financial reasons not her health. She seems to be able to appear on the TV news in designer clothes without any problem. IIRC they have an adult daughter that was always shown on TV entering court with Sal and Debbie. Does she work? She couldn't afford a visit that costs peanuts? Just seems very odd.
I'd be a wealthy man if I had all of the money that I gave to friends in need over the years. Nobody could help Deb? Hard to believe nobody could visit due to financial problems but now they can afford to feed and house him once he's off three hots and a cot.
Equally weird, no stops allowed on the way home. I realize his diet is limited but a spouse has been in prison for five years and they can't stop for a bite to eat on the way home? Bizarre.
If the attached pdf is
If the attached pdf is accurate he is at high risk of aspiration due to radiation treatment for his throat cancer and requires supervised feedings. They indicated there was an option for an inmate to perform these supervised feedings but also that family or some else trained in that area would be better. If his aspiration is due to strictures that have not responded to previous attempts at dilation he's likely to remain at high risk for future pneumonia which tends to have poor outcomes as one gets older.
Another interesting statement is that "inmates have a constitutional right to adequate medical care." but not to "optimal medical care".