Thursday, June 9, 2011

Urgent Medical Update on Sr Jackie Hudson/Jean Gump soon to return home

From: Joe Power-Drutis <jpdrutis@gmail.com>

 

June 9, 2011

Urgent Medical Update on Jackie Hudson

Jean Gump soon to return home

 

Sitting with Jackie, in Tacoma on April 30, she spoke of feeling very

well; that she hadn’t felt as good in years. Jackie spoke of the

miracle of a surgery that healed a medical problem that had troubled

her for years. She said she was prepared to go to prison for her

prayerful resistance action of July 5, 2010 at the Department of

Energy Y-12 complex. This facility refurbishes old thermonuclear

weapons making them even bigger and more deadly than before. She

couldn’t know she may well have to pay for this misdemeanor trespass

with her life.

 

A week ago many of you from around the country responded to a warden

and jail system at the Irwin County Jail in Ocilla with a very clear

and definite message; Jackie needed to be taken to the nearest

hospital immediately and be seen for her symptoms that suggested she

had endured a heart attack. They waited an interminable 48 hours to

respond but under pressure by us, respond they did.

 

In the many calls and faxes that were sent, not one was responded to

with any resemblance of truth. Jackie was always “doing just fine”.

Calls coming out to us by other inmates spoke differently.  Last

Tuesday in a conversation with her attorney, Brad Henry, while Jackie

was in Warden Barbara Walrath’s office, Jackie had the opportunity to

request that Brad file a motion to have her released for medical

reasons. Jack said she wanted to wait a while longer, that she would

be seeing the jail doctor, Howard  McMahan, M.D., the next day.

 

The next day came and went as did Thursday and Friday. Last Friday I

was visiting our friends at the Irwin jail and was scheduled to see

Jackie, she never arrived. When I asked to go inside and visit her I

was told that would not be possible. Finally, when I inquired as to

her health I as told, “Miss Jackie is doing just fine”. Are such lies

intentional? Or are they born out of a fear of truth. Truth is a

freeing experience; but I suggest in the case of the officials at

Irwin County, it is something to be feared. They have kept Jackie in

isolation from day one and the jail’s Dr. McMahan was forbidden, by

the local U.S. Marshall, to speak with Jackie’s Primary Care Physician.

 

This morning a group of us arrived at the Knoxville Courthouse to bid

farewell to another dear friend, Jean Gump; Jean was released from

Irwin County Detention because of family hardship. The little time we

had together Jean strongly wanted to alert us to the debilitated

condition Jackie was currently in.

 

Jean came up the Knox County Detention Center (same one Bix is in)

earlier this week in preparation for release. Jackie showed up at the

same place a day ago. Jean went on to explain she had never seen

Jackie look so bad. Her energy was so depleted she could hardly lift

her head. She was so weak it was necessary for Jean to feed her and it

took her a long time to chew small amounts of food. Jean reports that

sometime during the night Jackie fell out of bed; it is not known if

she sustained injuries.

 

At this time we who love Jackie wait for more information. Her

Attorney, Brad Henry, is working to get more complete information. Her

primary care physician is in conference with the Physicians Assistant

at Knox County Detention and a determination is pending whether

hospitalization is imminent for Jackie. Jackie remains for now in

medical at the Knox County Sheriff’s Detention Facility.

 

Tomorrow morning at 9 AM Jackie has an appointment to be in front of

H. Bruce Guyton, U.S. Magistrate Judge in order to be released for

medical reasons. Sue Ablao arrived in Knoxville Tuesday evening and is

awaiting for all these things to play out; Sue will return to the

Northwest with Jackie in order for her to receive further appropriate

medical care.

 

To access previous updates, link onto:

http://groups.google.com/group/plowshares-news/topics

 

 

 

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