Support Tabitha Walrond/NYC Court Appearance 6/30 Via NY Transfer News Collective * All the News that Doesn't Fit June 16, 1999 INTERNATIONAL ACTION CENTER ALERT! SUPPORT TABITHA WALROND! SEND LETTERS TO THE JUDGE TO ASK THAT SHE NOT BE SENT TO JAIL! COURT APPEARANCE WED., JUNE 30, 10:00 A.M. Bronx Criminal Courthouse, 161st St. and Grand Concourse Tabitha Walrond is a young, single mother whose two month-old son, Tyler Walrond, died. Not only has she suffered from a terrible tragic loss, but she now faces a possible four-year jail sentence for "criminally negligent homicide." Many are at fault, most notably, the healthcare system, and especially Medicaid managed care and its clinics, which could have prevented this tragedy. The guilty verdict is wholly unjust. Ms. Walrond had gone to all of her prenatal care appointments, was an exemplary prenatal patient and followed medical advice. She took her baby twice to a Medicaid HMO at a HIP center for check-ups and twice he was turned away because he "did not have a Medicaid card." This violates the law which requires that Medicaid automatically enroll babies if their mothers are covered by Medicaid. City contracts with Medicaid HMO's, including HIP require them to see infants, whether they have a card or not. The card arrived in the mail weeks after the infant's death When the baby was dying, Ms. Walrond rushed to an emergency room in a cab, pounding on the window and called for the driver to go faster. It is worse than a travesty of justice that someone who had done all she did to take care of her baby could be prosecuted and convicted of "criminally negligent homicide," and hounded by city officials and the media. The New York City prosecutors have singled out Tabitha Walrond and blamed and prosecuted her solely for her infant's death and has let the city administration and the healthcare system off the hook. No one else is being accountable, when, in fact, the Medicaid HIP HMO bears responsibility because they could have prevented this tragedy by diagnosing and treating the baby's malnutrition. The Human Resources Administration also bears blame because they supervise the Medicaid system and its HMO's and they should not allow these facilities to deny medical care to anyone. This tragedy also stems from privatized healthcare which denies care to many to cut costs and raise profits. On May 19, Tabitha Walrond was convicted. She was the only one prosecuted and was under attack by an anti-woman prosecutor. This is a blatantly racist, anti-woman, anti-poor attack by the government which is being whipped up by the media. This comes at a time of budget cuts in social programs, when welfare programs and recipients are increasingly under attack, when medical care, including Medicaid, is being cut back for poor people and when privatization of healthcare is on the rise. It is blatantly unfair and discriminatory that the city prosecutors would point the finger of blame at a young, poor, single mother who has suffered a great deal and lets all of those who are really responsible for her child's death off the hook. Women must not be blamed and absolutely not prosecuted for the medical system's inadequacies in delivering quality pre-or-post natal or pediatric care nor for the city's negligence in allowing the Medicaid program, including HMO's, to turn away anyone who is ill, for any reason, and to allow them to cut medical care availability to cut costs. Tabitha Walrond is to be sentenced on June 30th at 10:00 a.m. and faces anywhere from 5 years probation to four years in prison. Her attorneys have asked that "polite" letters urging the judge to exercise compassion be sent to him and asking him not to sentence her to any jail time. A sample letter is below. We ask that you sign your name, put your address (at least your borough or neighborhood), and add if you are a teacher, youth, student, healthcare worker, community activist, parent, senior, etc. Send letters to: Honorable Robert Straus, Justice of the Supreme Court, Bronx Supreme Court, 851 Grand Concourse, Bronx, NY 10451. Send copies of the letters to her attorney: Susan V. Tipograph, 351 Broadway, New York, NY 10013. Send copies to the International Action Center, 39 W. 14th St., Su. 206, New York, NY 10011. CALL THE INTERNATIONAL ACTION CENTER OFFICE OR VISIT OUR WEBSITE TO SEE IF THERE IS A DEMONSTRATION AT THE BRONX COURTHOUSE ON JUNE 30th. -----------------SAMPLE LETTER FOR USE---------------------------- June 16, 1999 Honorable Robert H. Straus Justice of the Supreme Court Bronx County Courthouse 851 Grand Concourse Bronx, NY 10451 Dear Judge Straus: I am writing to you with great concern about the case of Tabitha Walrond, a young woman who has been faced with a great tragedy, that is, the death of her infant son. I ask that Tabitha Walrond, who has already suffered a great loss, not be incarcerated. That would compound a tragic situation and force Ms. Walrond to suffer even more than she already has. Thousands of people from communities throughout New York City--teachers, working people, healthcare providers, parents, community activists, youth and students--are concerned about Tabitha Walrond's case and the difficulties that young, poor women, often single mothers, seeking medical care for themselves or their children, increasingly find themselves in. As that care is privatized, it is harder to obtain. It is becoming more and more difficult for poor people and their families to obtain healthcare. Ms. Walrond did seek medical assistance for her infant son twice and was turned away from her Medicaid HMO--HIP--because her baby did not have a Medicaid card although the laws require that a baby whose mother is covered under the Medicaid program, is automatically enrolled, whether or not he/she has a card. The card was delivered weeks after the baby's death. The responsibility for Tyler Walrond's death lies with many people, most notably the healthcare system, which refused him care twice. Yet Tabitha Walrond is the only person being held responsible. I am concerned about the quality of life for poor women in this city. I am concerned that what happened to Tabitha Walrond may happen to many more young, poor women who may be denied healthcare for themselves and their children. Tabitha Walrond has suffered a great deal. I ask that she not be incarcerated and that compassion be shown for her circumstances. Sincerely, ================================================================= NY Transfer News Collective * A Service of Blythe Systems Since 1985 - Information for the Rest of Us 339 Lafayette St., New York, NY 10012 http://www.blythe.org e-mail: nyt@blythe.org ================================================================= nytrc-06.19.99-17:16:10-22523