Starving vegan in jail, he is dying so please help

[compassionategirl]

When you call or write, please mention that this news is spreading all over the internet like wildfire and the world is watching! THis poor man is dying so act quickly, please. Imagine if he was your loved one? YOu would want the vegans all over the world to contact this jail and the sherriff to save this man's life!!!

______________________________

 

Please take a moment to call the sheriff, or at least e-mail. This man is dying.

-David

 

>Sacramento Prisoner Support

>sacprisonersupport[at]riseup[dot]net

>April 21, 2006

>Eric McDavid Alert

>

>Eric McDavid, who was arrested in Auburn, CA in January as part of the

>government’s recent Green Scare, is very ill and needs to see a

>doctor. He

>is passing out, losing weight rapidly and is unable to hold down most of

>what little vegan food he is given. After 98 days of pretrial

>incarceration, Eric is still being denied vegan meals by the jail. Now,

>after this protracted period of malnutrition Eric's health has taken a

>turn for the worse. A doctor and nutritional nurse within the jail have

>both suggested that Eric be given vegan protein shakes yet the jail

>continues to pretend that they are unable to accomodate his health and

>nutritional needs. Eric has not seen a doctor in over a week and his

>health has not improved. The cause of Eric’s poor health is not known

>because he is not getting proper medical attention. All that we know at

>this time is that Eric is ill, suffering from medical neglect and needs

>food he can eat to help recover. Please take the time to contact the jail

>and spread the word about Eric's condition. There is no excuse for this

>persistent medical neglect.

>

>Call the Sacramento County Main Jail and demand immediate medical

>attention and vegan food for

>Eric Taylor McDavid (x-ref #2972521)

>

>Sacramento County Main Jail

>651 I Street

>Sacramento, CA 95814

>916.874.6752

>916.874.8984 fax

>

>Sheriff Lou Blanas

>916.874.7146

>916.874.5332 fax

>[email protected]

[loveliberate]

Thanks for posting this!

[Cristian]

Thanks Nat, I've just sent the sheriff an e-mail, please keep us posted.

[compassionategirl]

No problem guys.

 

And a reminder to everybody else today, please call if you can, or if you cant, send an email and mark it urgent.

 

The man is sticking to his vegan ethics, but doing so is killing him because ppl are ass*****. I dont know what I would do if this was happening to my loved one: i think i would go in with guns blazing!

 

mother f******!!!!

 

They cant give the poor man some beans and rice? vegan protein shakes as the prison doc recommended? PPl can be so evil.

[sinisterkungfu]

There are certain times when your survival comes before your ethics. This is one of them. If this guy dies it's his own fault, and I don't feel the slightest bit of sympathy for him.

[loveliberate]

There are certain times when your survival comes before your ethics. This is one of them. If this guy dies it's his own fault, and I don't feel the slightest bit of sympathy for him.

 

Sorry to hear that you feel that way.

 

I think this is a personal call and Eric should be supported for making a choice that's for the greater good. If Eric dies - it's the jailers fault for not giving him an adequate diet and the governments fault for putting him behind bars in the first place.

 

For ways to help Eric, please see: http://www.supporteric.org

 

For more info on the "Green Scare", please see: http://www.greenscare.org

[sinisterkungfu]

There are certain times when your survival comes before your ethics. This is one of them. If this guy dies it's his own fault, and I don't feel the slightest bit of sympathy for him.

 

Sorry to hear that you feel that way.

 

I think this is a personal call and Eric should be supported for making a choice that's for the greater good. If Eric dies - it's the jailers fault for not giving him an adequate diet and the governments fault for putting him behind bars in the first place.

 

For ways to help Eric, please see: http://www.supporteric.org

 

For more info on the "Green Scare", please see: http://www.greenscare.org

 

If he's in jail he was found guilty of a crime. It's not the governments job to cater to every whim of criminals. It's prison, not a vacation resort.

[loveliberate]

Are you familiar with Chris's case, being in jail or the US legal system?

 

Chris is in jail because he has been *accused*, not convicted, of doing Earth Liberation actions. Whether or not the government considers those actions criminal is besides the point until he has at least gone through a fair trial and been convicted.

 

If he is convicted, that does not mean that he has done anything illegal or wrong. The US government / legal system has convicted many innocent people, often intentionally.

 

Even if Chris did what he is accused of, many people would consider his actions justified, regardless of legality. Laws cannot dictate morality.

 

Beyond those issues, all human beings have the right to be treated fairly, regardless of whether or not someone considers them to be a "criminal".

 

Being able to eat nutritious food that does not violate your personal beliefs is about as basic of a human right as there is.

 

I dont know of anyone who's seen what it's like in any jail or prison that would consider it to be a "vacation resort".

[VeganGirl2006]

I agree with loveliberate's post completely. If prisons can accomodate various religious beliefs, then various food beliefs should also be accomodated. If this guy, regardless of his guilt or innocence, chooses not to eat animal products, the system has to accomodate that!

[Crash]

There are certain times when your survival comes before your ethics. This is one of them. If this guy dies it's his own fault, and I don't feel the slightest bit of sympathy for him.

I hope you don't mean that sinister. This guy is putting his money where his mouth is so to speak and not compromising on his ethics. Let me assure you that I too am against anything illegal; however, I am also against the willful neglect and starving of an individual put in the systems' care. The state is required to take care of every individual in their care. Since this individual is in their care and his requests are not unreasonable, they should be met. Further they are legally obligated to provide him with the nourishment and medical attention he needs. Like others have already noted - there are dietary modifications made for beliefs and allergies - why not ethics and convictions ?

[willpeavy]

They cant give the poor man some beans and rice?

 

Good point, beans and rice has plenty of protein and it's cheap. I wonder what the jailer's justification is. If it's cost, then I'll mail them the freakin 50 cents a day it would cost for a plate of rice and beans.

[Tarz]

Email sent.

[crashnburn]

Sending email. Shouldnt some local vegan people go there with a big bowl or rice & beans and give it to them so that atleast he can eat something for now?

[loveliberate]

Sending email. Shouldnt some local vegan people go there with a big bowl or rice & beans and give it to them so that atleast he can eat something for now?

 

A great idea but it rarely works that way - the cops are likely to claim that it would be a security risk & that they cant be giving Chris "special treatment". Also, it would not change the underlying problem - jails & prisons need to provide nutritionally adequate vegan options.

[veggymeggy]

There are certain times when your survival comes before your ethics. This is one of them. If this guy dies it's his own fault, and I don't feel the slightest bit of sympathy for him.

I do absolutely believe the jail should provide vegan food....but I'm kind of in agreement with you too. It doesn't seem worth dying for. But then again, I'm hardly of the level of passion of most vegans on the board.

[crashnburn]

All our emailing wont work.

 

Some people need to go there with FOOD / SOME PRESS and maybe some connections with the DA / COUNTY / GOVERNMENT system.

 

I think Sac has a vegan group.

[loveliberate]

All our emailing wont work.

 

Some people need to go there with FOOD / SOME PRESS and maybe some connections with the DA / COUNTY / GOVERNMENT system.

 

I think Sac has a vegan group.

 

Emails & calls probably wont do the job by themselves but they will definitely help. The more attention this gets and the more the jailers know that people who care are watching, the better!

[Kathryn]

Can't prisoners receive packages? I used to correspond with a vegetarian prisoner years ago (until things got weird!) and he always asked me to send him food.

 

Unless someone is in solitary, they can get packages.

 

Sending some unopened protein powder and nuts and canned beans and rice would help.

 

Does this guy not have a lawyer?

[FormicaLinoleum]

My understanding of the situation is that he has some vegan food available through the commisary, and he was buying food from there for a while. But then he stopped doing that because he believes that he shouldn't have to, that the jail should be providing him with nutritious vegan food. So it's not actually the case that he is completely without access to vegan food. Sending food won't address the issue because he doesn't simply want food, he wants the jail to give it to him.

 

It sounds like at this point, it's beyond a need for food. He needs medical treatment; I don't think he could simply start eating again and be okay. But he is also not getting the medical treatment he needs.

[compassionategirl]

Thank-you to the compassionate people here that have tried to help Eric. You truly are compassionate and caring people. If only there were more of you. Please keep the emails and calls coming.

 

 

Sinister: re "its his own fault if he dies, i dont feel sorry for him one bit, prison isnt a vacation resort, jails shouldnt have to cater to crimnals whims" - truly one of the most ignorant and callous sentiments I have ever read here on VB&F, and I have read many. Loveliberate, I agree with every single word in your informed response to Sinister's ignorance of Eric's situation. I guess, Sinister, it is his own fault too that he is being denied medical attention? The prisons' and the govnt's hands, if Eric dies, are totally clean, right? What part of "basic human rights" dont you get? Veganism to some people isnt just something they do at vacation resorts.

I find your trivialization of people's ethical beliefs like that highly offensive. Is that what your veganism is to you? A "whim". Newsflash: It isnt a "whim" to most ethical vegans, but a fundamental conviction.

 

Will: I thought the same thing. If it is a matter of cost then I will send the "freakin fifty cents" a day for some rice and beans for this guy!!! But it isnt that the prison cant accomodate Eric's needs, it is because they dont want to. Why? Because Eric has dared to challenge the status quo of environmental and animal exploitation and they have contempt for him because of that. At least that is my impression of it.

 

Eric deserves our respect, not our condemnation or vitriol. How pathetic that there are sentiments on this thread to the contrary.

[sinisterkungfu]

blah blah blah

 

Doesn't it get a little old always having to be indignant and up in arms about something?

 

I never said a word about him being denied medical attention. Of course that is wrong. However, any person who is confronted with a choice of starving themselves to death, or breaking some ethical conviction they have, and choosing to starve instead doesn't deserve 'compassion'. As someone mentioned earlier, he has access to a place he can purchase vegan, or at least vegetarian food, but he won't use it because he feels the government should be bending over backwards to conform to his demands, which is ridiculous since he is a prisoner. He should consider himself lucky enough to be imprisoned in a country that doesn't torture it's criminals.

If he dies from choosing not to eat the food he has available to him, then I don't feel the least bit of sympathy or compassion for him. What is he trying to do, become some type of martyr for veganism? That's freakin ridiculous. There is nothing admirable or respectable about that.

[Tarz]

He should consider himself lucky enough to be imprisoned in a country that doesn't torture it's criminals.

 

Not that lucky. The US prison system, and some of the stuff that goes on within those prison walls, is rather questionable..........

[sinisterkungfu]

He should consider himself lucky enough to be imprisoned in a country that doesn't torture it's criminals.

 

Not that lucky. The US prison system, and some of the stuff that goes on within those prison walls, is rather questionable..........

 

I don't disagree with that, however there are many places that are much much worse.

[CollegeB]

www.supportpeter.com

 

 

Peter must very soon raise $12,500 for attorney fees to fight his recent South Dakota charges head on. Three days before Christmas, South Dakota State Attorney Vincent Foley filed serious burglary charges over an 8.5 year old mink release for which Peter is already serving federal time. With the judge having the option of running the sentence consecutive, Peter faces up to 22 years in the South Dakota State Peniteniary.

 

(These new charges are by far more serious than those for which he was already sentenced, two of the three carrying a maximum sentence of 10 years.)

 

Citing discontent over the relative shortness of Peter's federal sentence, this dusty and forgotten case was unearthed, bringing most to assume this was not a move in the interest of justice, but in retaliation for Peter's defiant statement to the court at his November sentencing.

 

Once again, Peter is fighting for his freedom. Your help proved invaluable towards improving the outcome of Peter's federal case (as he is often eager to express - read Peter's thoughts and gratitude for your help HERE), and we need to make one last fundraising push to get Peter out of prison and back on the streets fighting for the animals. And so, we urgently need to raise $12,500. For a case this serious, a skilled attorney is once again a must.

 

The barbarity of this offense against animal liberation activists and thus the animals themselves is truly upsetting. This time there is a lot on the line.

 

Here's what we can do to help him. One, organize a benefit. Set up a show, host an auction, organize a film showing, screen a t-shirt...be creative. If you know someone who runs a record label, ask them to release a benefit record. If you know someone in a band, ask them to play a fundraiser.

 

Please help in any way you can as we work towards the $12,500 mark.

 

If your hands are full - and with so much injustice in the world, we hope they are - please consider a monetary donation to Peter's Defense Fund The money will go directly towards fighting Peter's South Dakota case full force.

 

Lets make this time right here right now count for Peter. Remember the magic number: $12,500. We can do it!

 

Support Peter Through His Commissary Fund!

The perfect way for someone with only a small contribution to help in a big way. Commissary is the prison store which allows Peter his most crucial lifeline during this prison sentence: correspondence. These funds allow for the purchase of stamps, paper, typewriter ribbon, as well as small necessities. Donate via money order to:

 

Federal Bureau of Prisons

Peter Daniel Young

..10269-111

Post Office Box 474701

Des Moines, Iowa 50947-0001

 

The deposit must be in the form of a money order made out to the

inmate's full committed name and complete eight digit register number. The Bureau of Prisons will return funds that do not have valid inmate information to the sender provided the envelope has an adequate return address. Personal checks and cash can not be accepted for deposit.

 

The sender's name and return address must appear on the upper left hand corner of the envelope to ensure that the funds can be returned to the sender in the event that they can not be posted to the inmate's account. The deposit envelope must not contain any items intended for delivery to the inmate. The Bureau of Prisons shall dispose of all items included with the funds.

 

or donate via Western Union instantly at www.westernunion.com. Just follow the following instructions for the send form: Under "Payment Info," insert "Federal Bureau of Prisons" in the first line, leave the next two blank, at the city code, insert "FBOP." Insert "DC" in the state code. Under "Sender Info" include your name on the first line, "..10269-111 Peter Young" on the second, and include your personal info in the remaining lines. Hit send and money will be deposited into Peter's account instantly!

 

 

 

DONATE RIGHT NOW! anything is better than nothing!

[sinisterkungfu]

Isn't there some law that prevents people from being tried for the same crime more than once?