Arizona death row inmate claims poor conditions for coronavirus patients
Apr 30, 2020, 4:35 AM
(Getty Images/Scott Olson)
(Getty Images/Scott Olson)
PHOENIX — The father of an Arizona death row inmate claims the Arizona State Prison Complex – Florence is providing unhealthy conditions for his son and other COVID-19 patients.
“He says, ‘Dad, I am so sick, I really feel like I’m going to die,’” Tom Bearup told KTAR News 92.3 FM as he recalled a phone call with his son, Patrick.
“And he says, ‘To be honest with you, I feel like I want to.”
Patrick contracted the coronavirus but recovered while surrounded by new patients.
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Tom is worried about what he describes as a lack of hygiene at the correctional facility.
“They didn’t even have utensils for them to eat with,” Tom said. “They were eating with their fingers.”
He says he also learned from Patrick that inmates like him are rushed to the bathroom before and after their meals because of the antibiotics they were taking, adding poor hygiene to their sickness.
“You’ve got people that are contaminated and you’ve got people that are healed breathing the same air in the same place,” Tom added.
Patrick is nearing the end of his 14-day quarantine, but claims he still has trouble getting out of bed.
He was convicted of killing 40-year-old Mark Mathes in 2002.
On Wednesday, Gov. Doug Ducey (R-Ariz.) said Arizona’s Dept. of Corrections, Rehabilitation and Reentry is making changes at the Florence facility.
