By ESTEBAN PARRA and LEE WILLIAMS
The News Journal
10/20/2005
WILMINGTON -- The Delaware Coalition for Prison Reform and Justice on Wednesday called for Correction Commissioner Stan Taylor to resign or be fired, and for Gov. Ruth Ann Minner to "end her silence" and take action to solve health care problems in Delaware's prisons.
In addition, the coalition implored state Auditor R. Thomas Wagner to investigate health care spending within the Department of Correction.
Wagner, who said he learned of questionable financial and medical practices in Delaware prisons after reading a series of stories in The News Journal, wants to investigate, but needs to find a way for his shorthanded staff to perform the audit, he said.
One way to do this, Wagner said, is to hire an outside firm or independent accountants, with experience in medical health care.
"The bottom line is [inmates] are in our care, or the care of the state of Delaware, for good or bad," he said. "But it should not be for indifference."
The newly formed coalition called for an independent investigation into prison health care, emergency medical teams to be sent into the state's nine facilities and the hiring of more guards, adding to a list of similar demands made in recent weeks by the American Civil Liberties Union of Delaware, Common Cause of Delaware, lawmakers and other state civic organizations.
The U.S. Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division is conducting a preliminary inquiry into inmate health care and prison management. A decision about whether to escalate the probe into a formal investigation is expected in the coming days or weeks.
'Refused to lead'
"The Minner administration and Stan Taylor have refused to lead, defending prison conditions and claiming it is not even a crisis," the Rev. Christopher Bullock, who chairs the coalition, said at a press conference at Canaan Baptist Church in Wilmington. "We are disgusted at this lack of action."
Sen. Charles L. Copeland, R-West Farms, and Rep. Hazel D. Plant, D-Wilmington Central -- two coalition founders -- vowed to propose legislation to reform the Department of Correction.
"If the governor doesn't move and Taylor doesn't resign, Senator Copeland and I will have legislation ready for January," Plant said. "We are not here to get anybody out of jail. We are concerned that while they are in jail, we want them treated like human beings."
Copeland said he's received three types of responses about prison issues from his colleagues in the Senate. Some support the coalition's efforts. Some believe correction issues have become too politicized, and others don't believe it's an issue.
"They say nobody cares. My response is this: Andrew Jackson ... said one person with courage makes a majority," Copeland said, looking around the packed room. "And I see a lot of people with courage here."
New Castle County Councilman Penrose Hollins, D-4th District, unveiled a letter he received Wednesday from Mark Brainard, Minner's chief of staff. The letter was sent in response to concerns and a call for an inquiry that he and New Castle County Council raised about prison conditions.
Brainard's letter to the council attacks The News Journal, refers to a written response from Taylor, and says that delivering health care to inmates is difficult and complicated.
"What has been lost in the public discussion of this issue is what has been done to improve the system and what the Governor and Commissioner have done in recent years to improve the quality of care for a demanding population in very trying financial times," Brainard wrote.
Taylor and Brainard, Hollins said, missed the point.
"He thinks this movement is about the dispute with the newspaper," Hollins said. "This movement is about protecting Delaware citizens. This is a human rights issue."
State defends itself
Brainard did not respond to the coalition's call for Taylor's ouster or to their other demands. Instead, in an e-mail sent Wednesday to The News Journal, he said Minner's administration would work with elected officials.
"Leadership requires hard work over a period of years, not press conferences and tours during the past month. The administration's work and record on improving inmate health services has been repeatedly outlined to the public, members of the General Assembly and members of the media. We will continue to work on this and other issues facing the Department and look forward to working with any elected official interested in continuing our efforts to provide quality medical care to our inmates."
Department of Correction spokeswoman Beth Welch said "the commissioner and I have no comment."
The Coalition for Prison Reform and Justice was created after a six-month investigation by The News Journal highlighted AIDS-related inmate deaths and suicides over the past four years; allegations by inmates and former prison employees of poor medical treatment for cancer, meningitis and hepatitis; and a no-bid $25.9 million contract awarded this year to St. Louis-based Correctional Medical Services to manage health care in the state's prisons.
Plant and Copeland said they plan to challenge a decision by Taylor and the Delaware Attorney General's Office that blocked the public release of a recent audit by the National Commission on Correctional Health Care -- the group that has accredited health care in Delaware prisons.
Taylor and the attorney general contend the accreditation report is not a public document.
Bullock closed the press conference with a prayer, after a quick interjection by Plant.
"If prayer don't get 'em, we got something else," Plant offered.
Said Bullock: "We pray that God touch the heart of the governor. Give her mercy, and help her look beyond politics. ... God we pray the leadership of our state will either lead, get out of the way, or follow."
Contact Esteban Parra at 324-2299 or eparra@delawareonline.com. Contact investigative reporter Lee Williams at 324-2362 or lwilliams@delawareonline.com.
