Justice System Decided to Release Certain Inmates from Prison

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act enabled the Justice Department to release individuals from federal prisons and place them on home confinement to safeguard those who were most susceptible to COVID-19 during the pandemic. As a result of this provision, over 11,000 people were released from federal prisons. This stemmed from five inmates dying from Covid-related illnesses in Ohio and Louisiana. Prisoners were considered based on their age, health, and length of remaining sentence.

To understand the reasoning of the moment, here is a letter from Bill Cosby’s attorney, from March 2020, on why he should be released:

I’m very concerned for Mr. Cosby’s health in prison during the Coronavirus epidemic. The reason: Mr. Cosby is elderly and blind — and always needs to be escorted around the prison by support service inmates.

Those inmates could fall victim to the Coronavirus and easily spread the disease to Mr. Cosby as they wheel him around in a wheelchair. Among their duties, the inmates bring Mr. Cosby to the infirmary for appointments and clean his cell.

In addition, Mr. Cosby is constantly in contact with the correction officers who could contract the disease on the outside and bring it inside the prison, potentially exposing Mr. Cosby to the virus. Prisons and jails around the country are becoming infested with Coronavirus cases — and it’s only a matter of time before Mr. Cosby’s prison likely falls victim to the virus.

For the record, Mr. Cosby has not been tested for the virus — but is feeling fine — other than being blind and his blood pressure spiking at times.

Cosby was indeed not eligible for release, as he was convicted of a violent offense and was deemed a sexual violent predator. But he was released in July 2021, when a judge threw out his conviction due to issues with his prosecution. So don’t shed a tear for America’s Dad.