MEDIA ADVISORY
Contact: Kenyatta Thompson, kthompson@katalcenter.org | (860) 937-6094
Yan Snead, ysnead@katalcenter.org | (518) 360-1534
Follow on Twitter @KatalCenter #FreeThemNowCT #COVIDBehindBars
Wednesday: Family Members of Incarcerated People & Community Groups to Hold Protest at Hartford Correctional Center, Demanding Governor Lamont Address COVID-19 in Jails and Prisons
With over 1600 Incarcerated Individuals Testing Positive for COVID-19 and the Virus Continuing to Spread, Governor Lamont Has Failed to Address the Crisis of COVID-19 in Connecticut Jails and Prisons
Hartford, CT – On Wednesday, November 18th at 11:00 am, families of incarcerated individuals and community groups will gather outside of Hartford Correctional Center for a protest and speak out to demand Governor Lamont address the issue of COVID-19 in correctional facilities. As the pandemic continues to spread across the country, correctional facilities make up some of the worst outbreak sites of the virus in the country. In mid- October, there was a COVID-19 outbreak in Hartford Correctional Center, and 56 incarcerated people tested positive for COVID-19. Since then, the number of positive cases has grown to 191 incarcerated individuals, which underscores how the inaction of Governor Lamont continues to put incarcerated individuals’ lives in threatening danger.
The press is invited to attend and hear testimonies from CT constituents who will speak about the individuals left behind by Governor Lamont amidst the worst health crisis of our time.
WHAT: Protest and speak out at Hartford Correctional Center to demand that the Governor address COVID-19 in state prisons and jails
WHEN: Wednesday, November 18th, 2020 | 11-12PM
WHERE: 177 Weston Street Hartford, CT 06120 (Hartford Correctional Center)
WHO: Family members of those currently incarcerated; constituents; and the Katal Center for Equity, Health, and Justice
More Background
Since the onset of the pandemic, 1,686 incarcerated individuals have tested positive for COVID-19, and 7 incarcerated individuals have passed away across Connecticut jails and prisons due to COVID-19. Katal along with community groups, public health experts, and family members of those incarcerated have called on the Governor to use his executive authority to develop a comprehensive plan that saves lives and addresses COVID-19 in prisons and jails. Katal has repeatedly requested a meeting to discuss these concerns and on September 28, Katal sent a letter to Governor Lamont demanding a comprehensive plan. Governor Lamont did not respond to the letter and has refused to meet with families and community members most impacted by the risks of COVID-19 behind bars. Governor Lamont must act now to save the lives of incarcerated residents, who are disproportionately Black and Latinx.
Governor Lamont must take the necessary preventive measures to release incarcerated individuals and build a comprehensive plan for COVID-19 to save lives and keep his constituents safe. The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine released a new report calling for large-scale releases and decarceration to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 which directly aligns with demands set forth by family members of incarcerated people and community groups across the state.
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