The Prisoner Review Board Denies Johnny Borizov’s Petition for MedicalRelease, Making a Mockery of the Joe Coleman Act.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
May 15, 2023
Media contact: Liam Collier, 516-662-6085, liamcollier4@gmail.com
The Prisoner Review Board Denies Johnny Borizov’s Petition for Medical Release, Making a Mockery of the Joe Coleman Act.
The Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression calls on Springfield to open investigations into medical malpractice in IDOC.
In 2013, Johnny Borizov was sentenced to three consecutive life sentences for a crime he did not commit based on coerced testimony. Today, Mr. Borizov suffers from over 27 medical challenges, including heart and kidney failure. In the last ten years, Mr. Borizov has faced severe medical neglect. On multiple occasions, he has been forced to take unspecified medication without his consent. His dialysis has been unexpectedly canceled and will periodically slip into comas .
Johnny Borizov's mother, Christina, has been a tireless advocate for her son for over a decade. Throughout this period, the Illinois Department of Corrections has retaliated against her by denying Mr. Borizov access to food and medical care. In February 2023, Christina filed a petition for emergency medical release through the Joe Coleman act, which is meant to provide relief for terminally ill people in IDOC. In May 2023, the Prisoner Review Board denied this petition, stating “After further review by the Illinois Department of Correction medical staff, it was concluded that the applicant does not meet any of the required criteria as stated in the Medical Release Act (Joe Coleman Act)”.
Mr. Borizov has less than sixty days to appeal this decision; however, in a clear attempt to prevent any further record of Mr. Borizov’s deteriorating health, Dr. Marlene Henze, who oversees healthcare at Stateville, has ordered that Johnny should not be taken to the hospital under any condition.
The Chicago Alliance calls on legislators in Springfield to open immediate investigations into medical malpractice in IDOC, especially in connection to the Joe Coleman act. It is clear IDOC medical staff did not conduct a proper evaluation, but only further investigation, bolstered by the power of subpoenas, will reveal whether this was due to negligence on the part of IDOC, corruption with the PRB, or retaliation against Mr. Borizov, who has filed multiple complaints due to abuse he has experienced while in their care. Regardless of the intent, the result of this evaluation was that Mr. Borizov is now likely to die in custody.
To this day, Mr. Borizov continues to maintain his innocence. Christina urges supporters to contact their legislators and urge them to open immediate investigations. Christina is also requesting that any community member or activist make a phone call to the Warden Truitt at Stateville to urge him to intervene in this case to get Johnny the care he needs. Warden Truitt can be reached at 815-727-3697 ext. 6704.
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