LETTER WRITING ACTION:
To the Warden of Tennessee Prison for Women:
Express concern at the treatment and
neglect of Christa in her prison.
Emphasise
that Christa is mentally ill and brain damaged, and therefore has special
rights and needs which place extra responsibility
onto the prison.
Ask her to immediately reinstate
Christa's visitation and telephone privileges, grant her access
to personal
hygiene products and to reasonable entertainment facilities.
Ask for an immediate and independent
review of treatment and support for Christa and all other mentally ill inmates,
and of health services in general. This
should include a review of inmate meals and commissary stock by nutritional
experts.
Ask for a reply indicating what action
the warden will be taking on these matters. Tell her who else you plan to write to on this issue.
Be firm but courteous. Emphasise that whatever one's views on the
death penalty, pushing death row inmates into giving up their legal rights to
review by treating
them inhumanely is unethical. Indicate
that Christa's suicide as a result of torture and inhumane treatment would
reflect badly on Tennessee's domestic and international reputation.
1) To The Warden
Cherry Lindamood
Tennessee
Prison for Women
3881
Stewart Lane
Nashville,
TN 37218-3397
2)To the Tennessee Commissioner for
Corrections and the Tennessee
Select
Oversight Committee on Corrections:
· Request their emergency intervention to
see Christa is provided with visits, phone calls, specialist psychiatric
assessment and support, reasonable means of entertainment, and all other
support needed by a vulnerable, suicidal young person suffering from
mental
illness.
· Request an immediate and impartial
inquiry into the treatment of inmates at the prison, particularly those with
mental illness. Request an independent
review of health services and prisoner meals.
· Ask for a reply indicating what actions
the person will take on this matter. Tell them who else you are writing to.
Highlight the urgency of this issue. Emphasise that her family and
supporters feel that her attempt at state assisted suicide is partly
the result
of her inhumane treatment in prison. Acknowledge that the person may
have a different view on the death penalty
than yourself, but emphasise that pressuring inmates into giving up their
appeals by torturing them is unethical.
Indicate the damage to Tennessee's domestic and international reputation
which would flow from Christa's
state assisted suicide given her background of inhumane treatment and
torture.
3) To Donal
Campbell
Tennessee
Commissioner of Corrections
320 6th
Ave. North, Ground Floor Rachel Jackson
Boulevard
Nashville TN
37243-0465
Ph. (615)
741 1000 Fax: (615)
532 8281
4) To Jim Rose
Tennessee
Assistant Commissioner of Corrections
320 6th
Ave. North, Ground Floor Rachel Jackson
Boulevard
Nashville TN
37243-0465
Ph. (615) 741
1000
Fax: (615) 532
8281
5) ToClaire Drowata
Executive
Director
Select
Oversight Committee on Corrections
320 6th
Avenue North 1st Floor Rachael
Jackson Building
Nashville
TN 27243
Fax: (615) 253 0274
E-mail: claire.drowata@legislature.state.tn.us
6) To Philip Pinion
Chairman Select
Oversight Committee on Corrections
109 War
Memorial Building
Nashville
TN 37243-0177
Ph. Staff
contact Aubrey Jerkins on (615) 741 0718
Fax: (615)
253 0306
E-mail: phillip.pinion@legislature.state.tn.us
7) To Senator
David Fowler
Vice
Chairman
Select
Oversight Committee on Corrections
304 War
Memorial Building
Nashville
TN 37243-0211
Ph. Staff contact
Gland Mayas (615) 741 1764
Fax: (615) 253 0280
E-mail:
sen.david.fowler@legislature.state.tn.us
8) To Bob McCoy
Secretary
Select
Oversight Committee on Corrections
206 War
Memorial Building
Nashville,
TN 37243-0123
Ph. Staff
Contact Beverly Stanton (615) 741 1946
Fax: (615) 253 0209
E-mail:
rep.bob.mckee@legislature.state.tn.us
9) To Senator Ben Archly
Select
Oversight Committee on Corrections
303 War
Memorial Building
Nashville,
TN 37243-0206
Ph. Staff
contacts Toot Haskins, Joyce Johnson and Rachel
Sullivan (615) 741 3791
Fax: (615)
741 6098
E-mail:
sen.ben.atchley@legislature.state.tn.us
10) To Senator
Ward Crutchfield
Select
Oversight Committee on Corrections
13 Legislative Plaza
Nashville, TN 37243-0210
Ph. Staff
contacts Cindy Gore and Jane Bauer (615) 741
6682
Fax: (615) 741 2886
E-mail:
sen.ward.crutchfield@legislature.state.tn.us>
11) To Senator Gene Elsea
Select
Oversight Committee on Corrections
318 War
Memorial Building
Nashville
TN 37243-0213
Ph. Staff
contact Evelyn Henderson (615) 741 2525
Fax: (615)
741 7200
E-mail:
sen.gene.elsea@legislature.state.tn.us
12) To Senator
Thelma Harper
Select
Oversight Committee on Corrections
2 Legislative Plaza
Nashville TN 37243-0219
Ph. Staff
contacts Tevin Thompson and Ursula Holmes (615) 741 2453
Fax: (615) 741
1933
E-mail:
sen.Thelma.harper@legislature.state.tn.us
13) Senator James
Kyle
Select
Oversight Committee on Corrections
10 Legislative Plaza
Nashville TN 37243-0028
Ph. Staff
contact Marsha Milan (615) 253 0221
Fax: (615) 253
0221
E-mail:
jkyle@smithlawetal.com
14) Senator Robert
RochelleSelect
Oversight Committee on Corrections
4 Legislative Plaza
Nashville TN 37243-0217
Ph. Staff
contacts Bonny Briney and J.A. Bucy (615)741 4109
Fax: (615)
741 3993
E-mail: sen.Robert.Rochelle@legislature.state.tn.us
15) Lois
DeBerry
Select
Oversight Committee on Corrections
15 Legislative Plaza
Nashville TN 37243-0191
Ph. Staff
contacts LaWanda Lollar and Mary Freeman (615) 741
3830
Fax: (615)
741 3992
E-mail: rep.lois.deberry@legislature.state.tn.us
16) Edith
Taylor Langster
Select
Oversight Committee on Corrections
35 Legislative Plaza
Nashville TN 37243-0154
Ph. Staff
contact Jackie Floyd (615) 741 1997
Fax: (615) 741
7664
E-mail: rep.edith.taylor.langster@legislature.state.tn.us
17)Shelby
Rhinehart
Select
Oversight Committee on Corrections
34 Legislative Plaza
Nashville TN 37243-0137
Ph. Staff
contact Martha Batchelor (615) 741 3879
Fax: (615)
741 1984
E-mail:
rep.shelby.rhinehart@legislature.state.tn.us
18) Curry Todd
Select
Oversight Committee on Corrections
204 War
Memorial Building
Nashville
TN 37243-0195
Ph. Staff
Contact Betty Melton (615) 741 1866
Fax: (615) 532
8221
E-mail:
rep.curry.todd@legislature.state.tn.us
18)John Mark Windle
Select
Oversight Committee on Corrections
201 War
Memorial Building
Nashville
TN 37243-0141
Ph. Staff
contact Linda Smith (615) 741 1260
Fax: (615)
532 8221
E-mail: john.windle@legislature.state.tn.us
Copies to: Governor
Don Sundquist
State
Capitol
Nashville TN
37243-0001
Ph. (615) 741
2001
Fax: (615)
532 9711
E-mail: dsundquist@mail.state.tn.us
Office of
the High Commissioner for Human Rights
8-14 Avenue de la
Paix
1211 Geneva
10
SWITZERLAND
Human
Rights Watch
1630 Connecticut
Avenue, NW, Suite 500
Washington,
DC 20009
Organization
of American States
17th St
Constitution Avenue, NW Washington,
DC 20006
European
Union Delegation to the United States
2300 M.
Street, NW Washington,
DC 20037
Please
forward copies of any replies received to:
Ann Atkinson
P O Box 270262
Nashville TN 37227-0262
E-mail:
phillipachantry@yahoo.com.au
Support
Death Row Women
thanks you for your assistance.