Thread by @DrRJKavanagh

So many people are dying in Mississippi prisons, the state department of corrections is announcing them in batches. Four people have died in just the last couple of days, 13 people in August alone.

At least 67 people have died since December 29, last year.usnews.com/news/best-stat…

Malachi Lewis, 77, died Thursday night at Parchman.

Carl Magee, 63, was pronounced dead Friday morning. He had been incarcerated at the South Mississippi Correctional Institution in Hancock County.

clarionledger.com/story/news/loc…

Eddie Johnson Jr., 51, died on Wednesday night. He had been incarcerated at Central Mississippi Correctional Facility.

David Harris, 81, died Thursday morning at Parchman.

Manner and cause of death are pending autopsy in all cases.

clarionledger.com/story/news/loc…

A DOC spokesperson said on Friday, 510 prisoners had tested positive for COVID, and 112 of those cases were still active.

But they could not say how many of the inactive cases were of people who had died.

wtva.com/content/news/A…

This statement is more than beyond troubling. The state has to know how many people have died of COVID-19 and is deliberately withholding that information.

And note it was made in the context of litigation about the failure of the department of corrections to properly follow proper protocols in keeping people who have tested positive for COVID-19 separate from other people.

Also note, as of May, the MDOC had only tested 1% of state prisoners for COVID, so the idea that only 510 people had tested positive is certainly a massive under-count.

What is happening in Mississippi prisons needs to be on the front page of every national newspaper, but it barely ever rates a mention in the national press. And never on TV news.

This is a humanitarian crisis of massive proportions.