Geneva Cooley, 72, cries after saying goodbye to one of her close friends and fellow inmates during her final morning in prison of a life sentence without parole for carrying a sock full of heroin in the state of Alabama in 2002, at the Julia Tutwiler Prison in Wetumpka, Alabama, October 7, 2019. Cooley served 17.5 years of her life sentence before a team of lawyers from the clinical program at the Culverhouse School of Law at the University of Alabama fought an appeal for her release based on the sentence she would have been given if she had been convicted today. She was released into the Aid To Inmate Mothers house in Montgomery, Alabama. Her lawyers are now trying to get her parole shifted to New York, where she is from. (Photo by Lynsey Addario/Getty Images Reportage)
The family of Kastellio Vaughan, an Alabama inmate, has retained attorney Lee Meritt to investigate neglect after they shared photos on Facebook of him severely malnourished. Attorney Merritt released a press release saying that Kastellio had been transferred from the Elmore correctional facility in Elmore County, Alabama, to the Stranton correctional facility in Montgomery.
Attorney Merritt states his plans to bring his client justice in the press release.
It reads, “Alabama state prisons have a duty to provide the appropriate medical Care for Mr. Vaughan while he remains in their custody. Prisoners are entitled to the same basic human decency as all others in our country. My office has begun working to ensure Mr. Vaughan received the cure his condition requires.”
It continued, “We are also investigating whether or not ages of the state of Alabama violated their duty of care to Mr.Vaughan by allowing his medical condition to Spyro to the point reflected in the images now circulating the web.”
As we previously reported on Thursday, Kastellio’s sister Kassie took to Facebook begging for a welfare check and medical intervention for her brother after sharing disturbing images of him inside Elmore Correctional Facility. She claims the facility has repeatedly hung up on her when she calls for information and removed her from his contact and visitation list.
The now-viral post comes days after the same facility had to place corrections officer Ell White on leave following a video that shows him beating a distressed inmate who had climbed to the edge of a roof. The Alabama Department of Corrections shared an update to AL.com on Kastellio’s condition via email.
“He is assigned to Elmore Correctional Facility (CF) but is currently housed at Staton Medical Observation Unit,” it stated. “ADOC’s Office of Health Services has fully investigated his situation from a clinical perspective, and he has been offered all necessary treatment for his condition. Also, he has been in touch with his family to update them on his situation.”
Roommates, we will keep you updated as more information becomes available.
