02 July 2004
I wanted to give you an update on Jeffrey and ask that the alert be removed from the Web site. [FedCURE] and many others worked very hard for Jeffrey and I appreciate that very much. I was able through some congressional leaders to be introduced to Bryan Pownall in the BOP medical office. Bryan helped me with Jeff's medical issures and was very good to us. He was able to get Jeff to the Medical Center in Lexington, KY and into the RDAP program. Our prison system would be very lucky to have many staff members just like Bryan. He is my hero. Jeff is out of the prison system now and is working and doing well. He was released on May 21, 2004.
Please reply to my message and do let me know that you have deleted his information from the Web site.
Thank you and good luck in your work.
Sincerely,
Gayle T. Johnston
Dated: 29 April 2004
Thank you for your concern for Jeffrey. He is doing ok. God has sustained him thru of all this even though there were times when we did not think he would make it. He is currently scheduled to complete drug school on May 21st and is to leave the Federal Medical Center in Lexington, KY and will go to a half way house in Florence, SC. He was so in hopes he could find a job before he got there but that has been a difficult thing
to do. We are still praying that God will open the door and someone will hire him. They would have a good worker. He has been working in the Library, teaching English and Math and tutoring GED grads but has been happy to have the work to keep him busy. Please join us in praying for a job somewhere. He has to have a 40 hour a week job and I just know there is one out there somewhere.......
Thanks for caring. Let me hear from you again soon.
Thanks,
Gayle Johnston
I will tell Jeffrey that you asked about him. HE will appreciate your caring.
Dated: February 8, 2003
Date of Alert(s): January 25, 2003, September 21, 2002
ISSUES: Medical Neglect of Federal Inmate with Muscular
Dystrophy and extraordinary complications
INMATE:
Jeffrey Johnston Reg #97497-071
Estill FCI, P.O. Box 699
100 Prison Road
Estill, SC 29918
CURRENT STATUS:
On February 6, 2003, Jeffrey Johnston?s mother, Gayle, contacted
Federal CURE with the news that Jeffrey had been transferred that
day from the Federal Prison Camp (FPC) in Estill, SC to Federal
Medical Center (FMC) in Lexington, KY.
ACTION(S) FedCURE INITIALLY
REQUESTED:
1. Jeffrey Johnston be immediately examined by independent medical
specialists, including a neurologist and a pain management specialist,
to assess and treat his conditions, including but not limited to
abuse or neglect on the part of FPC Estill and or the FBOP. Inmate
Johnston was taken to an independent neurologist for an examination
in October, 2002.
2. Jeffrey Johnston be immediately provided with all testing, treatment,
medication, and any other medical recommendations made by these
independent medical specialists, including but not limited to pain
management and physical therapy. Further, the FBOP provide Jeff
the level of care as recommended in the opinions of Dr. Schwartz-Watts
in her comprehensive medical evaluation. The opinions were based
on 15 years? medical records and notes from duly licensed physicians,
specialists, medical centers and hospitals. Although Inmate Johnston was taken to an outside neurologist, the FPC Estill
medical personnel, despite very specific written recommendations,
did not perform any of the medical procedures/tests recommended
by that neurologist.
3. The FBOP immediately determine the availability of bed space
at either FMC Butner, FMC Lexington or FMC Rochester and affect
an immediate transfer of Jeffrey Johnston via a medical transport.
Although Inmate Johnston was told in November,
2002 that he would be transferred to FMC Lexington, that transfer
did not occur until February 6, 2003.
4. The FBOP provide Jeff clear copies of all medical records, including
lab results for the period of January 2002, his medical intake at
FMC Butner, through to the present. Inmate
Johnston has only received a partial copy of medical records from
the BOP. These records did not contain copies of his lab reports.
5. The FBOP conduct an investigation into the conduct of all FPC
Estill medical staff that have been involved in the absence and
or refusal of appropriate medical treatment in contravention of
community standards for medical care, international human rights
conventions, and the Federal Bureau of Prisons? own policies. The
BOP has not publicly stated whether or not they would conduct an
investigation into the negligence of the FPC Estill medical staff.
6. The FBOP investigate and correct the violations of their own
policies and procedures set forth in specific Program Statements
that ensure prompt, consistent, competent medical care for all inmates.
We are not aware of any initiatives to address
the violations of BOP Program Statements by their medical personnel,
and
7. The Regional Office of the Bureau of Prisons in Atlanta, Georgia,
take immediate responsibility for assuring that Jeffrey Johnston
receive the same standard of care at FCP Estill that he would receive
if he were an unincarcerated member of the Estill, SC community.
This simply did not occur despite repeated
requests to the BOP.
WHAT YOU CAN DO:
1). Send Jeff an encouraging cards or letters to let him know that
people are aware of his condition and care about him. You can also
e-mail copies of your letters to his mother.
Jeffrey Johnston, #97497-071
Lexington FMC
P.O. Box 14525
Lexington, Kentucky 40512
Gayle Johnston, his mother
Gayle3@ftc-i.net
2). Visit our website at www.fedcure.org
and learn more about Federal CURE's advocacy work on behalf of federal
inmates and their families. You can help us assist federal inmates
by becoming a member of Federal CURE. Membership information is
available online at www.fedcure.org
or by contacting us at Federal CURE, Incorporated, P.O. Box 15667, Plantation,
Florida, 33318-5667.