The sick man was released from a New York prison on Friday after suing the state for his parole date.
Steve Coleman, who suffers from advanced kidney disease at the age of 67, was given parole in 2023 after serving for 43 years for murder. However, he remained in jail for another 21 months as he was unable to find a nursing home to accommodate dialysis care.
Experts said many paroleed prisoners across the country are in similar range. This issue is expected to become more severe as prison populations place importance on age and require more complex care.
Coleman sued New York in August, claiming he should be allowed to leave prison and decide on his health care. The lower court ruled him in September, and he appealed. Fourteen medical ethicists had written letters in support of his release.
Wende Correctional Facility in upstate New York released him Friday morning.
Rayner, who met Coleman when he was kicked out of the facility, said he told her he had “no words” to explain his feelings.
The state released him without a nursing home placement, and Rayner said he would receive medical care in New York City. The Department of Corrections initially opposed the idea, claiming in the lawsuit that releasing him without a plan to meet his medical needs was “irresponsible and not safe.”
In a statement, the Department of Corrections confirmed that Coleman has been released and said it must comply with certain conditions of his parole.
Last month, the New York Times reported on the incarceration of New York Coleman and other inmates with illness who remained in jail for months or years after being granted parole.
Doctors and lawyers told the Times that states can only be rough searches for nursing homes. Inmates said they don't have access to the care they need in prison. Coleman, for example, hadn't been dialyzed for several months as the state terminated its contract with the provider. The prison offered to take Mr. Coleman to a nearby clinic, but declined after finding a transport protocol (including strip search and bondage).
Nearly 90 medical paroles were granted in New York between 2020 and 2023, but the state has not said how many people are waiting to be placed in nursing homes.
Another prisoner, Westil Gonzalez, highlighted by the Times, was jailed seven months past his parole date as the state is looking for a nursing home that can handle his advanced multiple sclerosis. It remains. Gonzalez is using a wheelchair and has poor eyesight.
He told the Times in December that despite repeated requests, he was not given glasses. In late January, after the Times article was published, he received his glasses, according to a parole preparation volunteer who supports his case.
