Legal Question in Criminal Law in Pennsylvania

Medical care when imprisoned

My adult son, for whom I have legal power of attorney, is in prison for transporting a loaded gun without a permit to carry. He was given 18 to 36 months in State Prison (Coal Twsp). He is a diabetic and has contracted cellulitis. It started in his foot and has advanced to his groin. He has been to the Geisinger Memorial Hospital for IV antibiotics and has been in the prison infirmary. This all started several months ago and instead of getting better he is getting worse. He should have been paroled long ago and I cannot understand why they are keeping him there, spending all the State funds when he is a 100% disabled veteran who could receive all medical care from the VA. I can't seem to get anyone to talk to, don't know where he stands for being paroled. His case was supposed to be revisited May 2008 but we still haven't heard anything. On his previous incarceration, he contracted scabies and at that time I tried to file a grievance against the prison in Lehigh County where he was jailed, and now this at Coal. I want to do what I can to get him out of there before he loses his leg. Can we file a grievance against the penal system? He is 54 years old; I am 77 and this situation is causing him and me a lot of grief.


Asked on 5/27/08, 6:29 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys
John Gibson John W. Gibson, Esquire

Re: Medical care when imprisoned

You probably have a better shot at applying for re-parole with the sentencing Judge. The best people to talk to about this are the the attorney who represented him at sentencing and the Adult Probation and Parole Officer who has his case. I'm not sure how the Department of Veterans Affairs handles transfers at this time but years ago they would not take a patient from jail unless the patient was to be released after treatment. That probably hasn't changed.

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Answered on 5/29/08, 10:31 am


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