76-Year Old Nun & Peace Activist Hospitalized from Prison

How the U.S. treats nuns who try to do the work of Christ...

Nuns receiving awards for peace, Ardeth Platte, Carol Gilbert, and Jackie Hudson on the right. NFFA Archive nuclear-free.com

(KNOXVILLE, Tenn.) - Forward by editor: There aren't many things that bother me more than the story you are about to read. The people of this nation have their moral structures turned upside down and their actions are inexcusable. Along the way a few brave souls like Sister Jackie Hudson, God bless her, have what it takes, the courage to take a stand against this nation's savage military/industrial complex. She is right. That she would be incarcerated in a 'privately owned' 'contracted' federal prison plunges everything America stands for right off the cliff... (more below)
- Tim King

A 76-year old nun and peace activist was hospitalized after being denied medical care at a federally contracted private detention facility.

Sister Jackie Hudson, OP, age 76, who has been in prison since her conviction on Federal trespassing charges resulting from her peaceful protest at the Y-12 nuclear weapons facility last July was hospitalized for serious medical complications resulting from being denied care while at the Irwin County Detention Center, a federally contracted private detention facility in Ocilla, Georgia.

Hudson is one of eight people in federal custody awaiting sentencing for an anti-nuclear demonstration at the Y-12 nuclear weapon site at Oak Ridge Tennessee.

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She and seven others, including two other nuns from her congregation, the Dominican Sisters of Grand Rapids, were first held at the Blount County Detention Center in Tennessee, then transported to Irwin County Detention Center (ICDC), a private facility in Ocilla County, Georgia which is operated by Michael Croft Enterprises under a U.S. Bureau of Prisons contract. On Saturday afternoon May 28th Sr. Hudson began experiencing intense chest pain and shortness of breath.

Sr. Hudson’s symptoms suggested heart failure, and this was not ruled out until after 60 hours of intense pain, when on the morning of May 31st she was finally taken to the local hospital emergency department. From Saturday afternoon May 28th through Tuesday morning May 31st, in spite of numerous attempts, Sr. Hudson was denied access to a physician, her attorney or family members.

During the 60 hours between Saturday afternoon May 28th, 2011 and Tuesday morning May 31st, Warden Barbara Walrath was “unavailable” and directed her staff to let no one, including her attorney, speak to Sr. Hudson. The ICDC Nurse who was on duty was not required to consult Dr. Howard C. McMahan the medical Director of the Irwin County Detention Center who under the ICDC procedures was not on call and thus was not notified of Sr. Hudson’s condition and did not examine her until June 1st.

The source of Sr. Hudson’s continuing upper chest pain had not yet been determined, and she remained in isolation in the “medical room” of the ICDC until she was transported back to Knoxville where she had been ordered to appear before H. Bruce Guyton, U.S. Magistrate Judge this morning at 9:00 am in order to be released from prison for medical reasons.

Sisters Carol Gilbert, Jackie Hudson, and Ardeth Platte, Plowshares Nuns, inspire action and participate in nonviolent civil resistance against the illegal and immoral occupation of Iraq.

When Hudson arrived at the Knox County Sheriff’s Detention Facility in Knoxville on June 8th, the Physician’s Assistant in charge recognized the seriousness of her condition and had her sent to the University of Tennessee Medical Center.

Hospital staff are giving Hudson medication to keep her pain free, while treating her Pneumonia and stabilizing her kidney function.

This morning at 9:00 am, Hudson’s attorney, Brad Henry, appeared before Judge Guyton, and in Hudson’s absence petitioned the court for her release pending sentencing.

The judge granted the request pending Hudson’s acceptance of the conditions of her release. Henry, accompanied by a U.S. Marshall and Federal probation officer, went to the hospital where he obtained Hudson’s signature.

Sister Hudson will remain at the University of Tennessee Medical Center until strong enough to be released to recuperate in Knoxville.

She will then travel home to Seattle where she will return to the care of her doctors at the University of Washington Medical Center.

Past reports on Plowshares for Peace

Mar-21-2011: 'Disarm Now Plowshares' Sentencing This MonthSalem-News.com

Mar-28-2011: Nuclear Activists Receive Prison Sentence, Cheers, Prayers - Salem-News.com

Apr-19-2011: News conferences Announces Puget Sound Nuclear Weapon Free Zone - Salem-News.com

Feb-12-2011: WHEREAS Politicians Sign Proclamations: People Must Hold Them Accountable - Eileen Fleming Salem-News.com

Roxanna Brown, as a reporter in Vietnam

More on Roxanna Brown

By Tim King

The only thing that bothers me more is the story this brings to mind; that is the death of a woman who at one time, was the youngest credentialed news journalist in the Vietnam War, who was killed by federal authorities who arrested her, and then refused her medical care once she was incarcerated at SEATAC, the airport in Seattle. Roxanna had become, over the course of her life, one of the most educated authorities in a particular category of ancient Chinese art. She was a museum director in Bangkok, Thailand and apparently, art thieves had hijacked her electronic signature and used it to carry out art theft. Roxanna flew to the U.S. to attend a seminar on ancient art and was arrested after landing, and treated like a criminal when she was the farthest thing from the sort.

I spoke to federal agents who were involved in the investigation and it can be demonstrated and the information was available to the Seattle agents making the arrest, that she had been cleared from an investigation that had in fact involved her signature. However she had nothing to do with it and a female agent who read my story took the time to contact me and explain how our theory of her baseless arrest was true. A large sum, almost a million dollars, would later be awarded to her family for her wrongful death. To me, it isn't a fraction of what she was worth, all of the money in the world was not worth this woman's life.

As far as I am concerned, the time for an actual Revolution is drawing closer right here on U.S. soil.

Roxanna Brown was arrested by mistake, possibly a willful arrest made by authorities who ultimately knew she was not actively being investigated.

The thing is it doesn't matter, because nothing is more important than life itself and its value in the world is falling and falling and the U.S. is at the forefront of the movement, this, the land of baby boomers and millions of people preparing to retire. I suspect we are all in trouble.

Sister Hudson was arrested for standing on the wrong U.S. soil and daring to speak out. I believe in her with everything I have in my heart and continually find disgust in the politics of this once great nation.

Please visit this reports about Roxanna Brown:

Jul-10-2009: Death of Vietnam War Photographer Roxanna Brown is Costly for SeaTac - Tim King Salem-News.com

Jul-10-2009: Death of Vietnam War Photographer Roxanna Brown is Costly for SeaTac - Tim King Salem-News.com