USVI Congresswoman Pleads for Dr. Matnard’s Life
Press Release
Painreliefnetwork.org
THE PAIN RELIEF NETWORK (PRN) CHARGES THAT U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS' DOCTOR PAUL MAYNARD WAS WRONGLY CONVICTED AND "NOW THE GOVERNMENT IS PUTTING HIS LIFE AT RISK."
CONGRESSWOMAN DONNA CHRISTENSEN DEMANDS THAT THE DIRECTOR OF FEDERAL PRISONS GIVE DR. MAYNARD MEDICAL TREATMENT OR "LET HIM GO".
(St. Thomas, Virgin Islands) … Siobhan Reynolds, the Founder and President of the Pain Relief Network (PRN), attacked the recent conviction of Dr. Paul Maynard in St. Thomas, as a "sham" and his confinement under "deplorable conditions" in a jail in San Juan, Puerto Rico, as demonstrating the government's "shameful disregard for Dr. Maynard's most basic human and civil rights".
John P. Flannery, a former federal prosecutor and Dr. Maynard's counsel post-trial beseeched Congresswoman Christensen "to do something to save Dr. Maynard's life because he's confined in a hell hole in San Juan that has been the object of prisoners' complaints before."
Congresswoman Donna Christensen responded immediately and demanded that Federal Prison Director Harley Lappin provide Dr. Maynard with proper medical treatment for his medical condition or release him from confinement pending his sentencing scheduled in St. Thomas for June 1, 2007.
Ms. Reynolds said, "I'm shocked that in this day and age they would take a 55-year old doctor, a doctor who was practicing medicine until the moment he was convicted of this supposed crime, put his health at risk, and do nothing to help him. One wonders if they want to kill him."
Mr. Flannery said, "We knew that Congresswoman Christensen as a physician herself would appreciate how dangerous it was for the prison authorities to withhold proper medical treatment from Dr. Maynard. We are grateful for her immediate action"
Congresswoman Christensen told the Prison Director that, "almost from the day of his conviction on St. Thomas, Dr. Maynard has suffered ill effects." She explained how: "his blood sugar went up to over 300, a critical level that is almost double what it should be" and "his blood pressure became dangerously elevated when it had been normal beforehand." She explained how, "since being transferred, [Dr. Maynard] has requested to be seen by a doctor on an almost daily basis but has had no medical attention." In conclusion, Dr. Christensen said: "since being at MDC Guaynabo prison, as a consequence of not being given any medical help, [Dr. Maynard's] health has deteriorated to dangerous levels" and, "in addition to being severely congested to the point of sometimes having difficulty with breathing, he is now coughing up blood, suffering frequently from diarrhea and, as a consequence, has had an extremely rapid weight loss."
The Congresswoman said, "it would make sense for [Dr. Maynard] to be returned to St. Thomas where he could get the care and support of his family that he so critically needs. If his health and safety cannot be assured in custody, either in San Juan, or in St Thomas, then we really should re-consider confining him at all – at least until after he is sentenced…"
The Congresswoman complained that he was at risk for more than his health, and that his individual rights and liberties were at risk, just as they had been for other prisoners at that same federal facility:
"Dr. Maynard is being subjected to conditions such as the denial of access to his counsel and denied unrestricted access to the law library, had his reading glasses taken, and there is the crucial denial of the medical treatment necessary to assure his well-being. Two years ago, a number of inmates at MDC Guaynabo complained about the very same deplorable conditions in Parris v. Chavez, 199 Fed. Appx. 198 (3rd Cir. 2006). It is unfortunate that those conditions have not been remedied. "
Ms. Reynolds said, "Dr. Maynard is lucky to have such strong advocates as Attorney Flannery and Congresswoman Christensen."
" We are concerned, " Reynolds went on to say, "that the same judge from Pennsylvania who ordered Dr. Maynard confined awaiting sentence, put him in the same prison he knew maintained such deplorable conditions. What's worse, this judge refused to consider the bona fide complaints of other complaining prisoners in the past."
Mr. Flannery, Dr. Maynard's defense counsel, said, "Dr. Maynard and his family now have some hope, thanks to Congresswoman Christensen."
Mr. Flannery, former NY federal prosecutor, and former Special Counsel to the US Senate Judiciary and to the US House Judiciary Committees, is now in private practice in Virginia with the law firm of Campbell Miller Zimmerman, PC. .
The Pain Relief Network (http://www.painreliefnetwork.org/ ), founded by Ms. Reynolds, is a network of pain patients, family members of people in pain, physicians, attorneys, and activists who are "working toward a day when people in pain will be afforded the simple dignity and compassion due all ill Americans."
