Michigan Political Prisoner Rev. Edward Pinkney on Hunger Strike at Marquette Branch Prison

Rev. Pinkney has advised that he wants the statement below circulated to as many people as possible, the press, your email contacts, radio contacts, etc. He is willing to speak with radio hosts, and he has done so with several around the country in the past few weeks. If you can get this on bhbanco, I will use it on social media, especially on Friday evening during our weekly Twitter storm.

I have included the email I'm using to send to my contacts (including Detroit Free Press and Channels 6 and 10 in Marquette). Feel free to use this email when sending to your contacts and edit it as you wish, but please do not alter the Rev.'s statement.

Thanks!
Polly
414-750-2231

My email:

Dear _____:

I am in contact with inmate Reverend Edward Pinkney, a political prisoner from Benton Harbor, Michigan, who has been housed at Marquette Branch Prison since last October 2015. Last Monday, May 23, the majority of the prisoners held a protest of the horrendous quality of the food served at Marquette by Trinity Services Group, Inc. of Florida.

Rev. Pinkney is on his 6th day of a hunger strike to protest deplorable conditions at the prison.He intends to refuse to go to "chow" so that he does not swipe his chow card 1,050 times.

This one simple act will cost the system money because the food service is privatized and the prison gets a "kickback" if you will, each time an inmate swipes his card. Prior to the hunger strike, Rev. Pinkney would go to chow, swipe his card, and not eat the food (his wife can order some packaged food for him from one company-this is what Pinkney has survived on since his incarceration and up until he began the hunger strike).

Here is Rev. Pinkney's statement:

At Marquette Branch Prison in Marquette, MI more than 700 prisoners came together to protest food served by Trinity Services Group, Inc. to the prisoners. The action by the prisoners was also in protest of the poor conditions at Marquette Branch Prison.

These prisoners unified against government waste and corruption in the prison system. They demanded food that doesn't make them sick.

This unity among hundreds shows what people can do when they come together over a common cause. The protest was not organized by any one individual, but was a culmination of conditions that are unbearable at this prison.

This dangerous food is generally eaten by most of the prisoners, and this leads to health issues that must be treated. Ultimately, the healthcare costs, brought on by this corrupt system, become the burden of unsuspecting Michigan taxpayers.

Those on the outside do not realize the inhumanity of the prison system. Prisoners, when released, do not want to talk about the stress they endured while in the system. Prisoners who participate in peaceful protests are retaliated against by the prison officials.

It is my duty, as a reverend, as a servant of God, as an unjustly accused man, and as a concerned citizen of Michigan, to report to you about these conditions. I have personally witnessed seeing worms in the food and prison kitchen workers have reported that spoiled food containing rodent waste, maggots, worms, and bugs have been served regularly to inmates.

Therefore, I, Reverend Edward Pinkney, have decided I must go on a hunger strike to personally protest the deplorable food and conditions at Marquette Branch Prison in Marquette, Michigan.
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I believe this is the 4th prison to stage a protest over the dangerous, unsanitary food being served by Trinity. As Rev. Pinkney stated, this goes beyond a violation of basic human rights and creates a large burden on Michigan taxpayers, unbeknownst to them. Please investigate and report on this protest and the hunger strike the Rev. has embarked on. If you wish to talk to him, I can arrange that with you.

Feel free to contact me via email or phone 414-750-2231.

Thank you so much.