Nuh Washington

NOTE: Nuh passed away April 28, 2000 -- more info on his home page

Nuh's health and status - February 2000

The following is a letter that was sent out to all pps/pows to give them an update on the situation with New York 3 political prisoner Nuh Washington who was battling the liver cancer to which he finally succumbed. Nuh asked that it be posted on the web so that those on the outside could read what's going on with him as well. The letter was written by a close friend of Nuh's, Nancy Jacot-Bell.

February 18, 2000

I'm writing to give our pps/pows kind of an update on the health situation of New York 3 political prisoner Albert Nuh Washington. Last week Nuh said it was okay to write you all this form letter and let you know what's been happening. I read this to Nuh last night, and he okayed it to go out to you.

For over a year now, Nuh has been having back pain, which also went down the nerves in his leg and affected one of his ankles and foot and walking, which we thought was sciatica. He tried to treat it with yoga and various stretches, which helped but not that much. He went to the prison clinic for this pain and was told he would receive physical therapy for it at some point in time. By the time he finally got to a physical therapy appointment, the pain was so bad and it was so difficult for him to walk up to the clinic that he had broke out into a sweat, and they suggested he stay in the infirmary [in Clinton at Dannemora, where he'd been since 1992] while he got his p.t. and they did further tests. So he was in this dorm-like infirmary for awhile and off and on they would send him down to Albany Medical Center and the hospital in Plattsburgh for tests. The pain kept getting worse to the point where he just had to lie down all the time. I'm enclosing a statement he wrote for the 12/4/99 Tupac One Nation conference out here, not only because I think it's a really good statement. But also I want you to know that he wrote this when he was in some of the worst pain, and I didn't even really realize how bad it was for him then (we didn't know it was cancer at that point). But he did this because he was asked to, and especially because Herman's and my son Kamel, who Nuh has known all his life, asked him to.

On December 13, 1999, Herman Bell was transferred from Great Meadow at Comstock to Clinton, and Nuh was transferred down to Comstock, because it is closer to Albany Medical Center. It was about that time that I got a call from Nuh that he had liver cancer which had spread into his pelvic region. One of the tests he had, an MRI, showed that the pain was coming from tumors in his pelvic region pressing on his spine. The docs told him they couldn't treat this with chemotherapy. They said that he has 3-10 months to live. But they would give him radiation treatments to reduce the tumors so that he could be more comfortable. So they did this for a few weeks, and it did help him a great deal. Also while he was in the Albany Medical Center, where he could only have legal and immediate family visits, Safiya Bukhari brought his Mom and his brother to visit him, which was really great. Because his Mom is suffering from lung cancer herself, after having several strokes, and they haven't been able to see each other for years. During their visit, she told Nuh that they have a family history of successfully fighting cancer.

When Nuh was transported back to Comstock from the Med. Center, he said it was the first time he was able to sit while being transported in all that time, and that the radiation had worked "112%" to make him feel more comfortable. Until this week, he was in the prison hospital at Comstock, where he was all by himself, not a dorm situation. In fact, he said the only difference between that and being keep-locked is he had a window and a TV. But he said it was okay with him, he likes to be by himself. Because he has had diabetes for a few years, the nurse tests him often thruout the day, and the porters come in several times a day too with food and water. This week, however, he was moved to the dorm, and is being harassed there and not allowed to have his property. He had to throw out a lot of his stuff, send some other stuff out, and after he was sent back from the property room with his bags, this one particularly mean guard said he still had too much property, and he just managed to get his teeth and his radio out before they took back what the property room had okayed for him to take back. Also, he says they're messin with his mail, not letting him have it, holding it for a long time. So his attorneys, Bob Boyle and Liz Fink, are dealing with this. They will try to expedite him being transferred to one of the hospice joints in the state where he can get better care and presumarly better attitude.

I visited Nuh on January 20th and January 23rd in the visiting room at Comstock. They only allow immediate family to visit in the hospital part of Comstock, so he manages to get himself down there in a wheelchair. We had a really wonderful time, as usual, and he looked and seemed a lot better than I thought he would. He was quite a bit thinner - part from the cancer and part from the fact he lost his false teeth this year and it took months for him to get a new pair. During the time he didn't have them, he had lost 24 pounds from not being able to eat most foods, but this brought him down to a good weight for him. Then maybe he had lost another 25-30 pounds behind the cancer. But his eyes were bright, he had good energy to talk, he's as witty and sharp as always - perhaps even more so - and we all had a great time. On 1/20 I was visiting with the Victory Gardens farmers, Carol Dove and Michael Vernon, as well as David Gilbert, who is also in Comstock, who Nuh hadn't seen since 1988. So he was especially pleased to see Dave, who has been a tremendous source of love and support for Nuh during this ordeal. You sit at these long continuous bench-like tables or really barriers, about 2.5 to 3 feet wide between you and your visitor. We were all able to visit together. When I went back to see Nuh on January 23rd, it was just him and me. I told him the Bay Area Jericho Committee wants to do a tribute to him in mid-March. And he started crying. I thought I upset him by, possibly, reminding him of the possibility of dying in the near future. But he said no, he was just so moved by people's kindness and thoughtfulness to give him a tribute. He said it happens to him every day now, people's kindness moves him so deeply it causes him to cry with appreciation.

Nuh and I have talked once a week on the phone every week for about the last 10 years at least. Since we learned of this illness, I told him I would be available when he can get a call, every other day, if he wants to call me. Most of the time he does, which is a tremendous blessing to me, to be able to talk with him this often. He's gotten lots of letters from folks. And folks should keep sending him cards and letters, because all of people's love is what is making him actually feel so much better and seem so much stronger and more relaxed. He said he eats two goods meals a day. Plus he got a food package in January also, so he has some candy and snacks he can eat if he wants to. Now that he has his teeth, he said last night he was enjoying some cashews from his food package. So having an appetite, a taste for food, is a good sign.

Recently, solely out of wanting to help Nuh, a public call was put out (via email and the San Francisco Bay View newspaper) for his release, asking folks to initiate a campaign to contact the NY authorities demanding his release because of his illness, and to send their letters to attorney Joan Gibbs. Also there was a public request for funds for a headstone for Nuh, help with his funeral costs, etc. Nuh read about both of these in the San Francisco Bay View newspaper - said that was the first he heard about either plan. We were both rather taken aback by the public request for money for a headstone/funeral costs. I felt it was quite premature to make it into a public request, and inappropriate, as he is still alive and is actively fighting this liver cancer. He is not eligible for a medical/compassionate release, because of his charge. So he and his attorney, Liz Fink, have discussed filing a petition for clemency, which will happen when they decide it should happen. So this should explain the enclosed statement by Nuh. Let me reiterate, he really appreciates all the love and support that's being sent his way. But he wants to conduct his legal strategy re: clemency with his attorney their way. If they need our support, they'll let us know, and they'll have it immediately. We're not listing Liz Fink's address right now, because we don't want her to get deluged with emails. If people want an email update, Nuh wants them to contact jericho98@usa.net. But please tell folks that if they have an idea of how to help Nuh, the very first thing they need to do is tell Nuh about it. Then he can contact me or Safiya Bukhari (who also talks to Nuh often) and then we can get back to them. Or they could also contact me at the NY3 address or email Safiya Bukhari at the jericho98@usa.net email address. I'll list Nuh's address at the end. Nuh said friends had visited him on Friday 2/11 and on Saturday 2/12. And on Friday Dave was in the visiting room too, so they got to see each other again. Also on Friday he and his visitors took pictures together. (He said last night he's sending me a picture to make copies from - next letter I'll send a copy.) First they were standing and his friends were supporting him. Then they wanted one of him just by himself, so he actually stood up all by himself and had the photo taken, which amazed many of the folks in the visiting room. In fact one guy, who has known Nuh for a very long time, asked the guard if he could go up and give him a hug, which he did. As Nuh's visitor on Saturday said, Nuh is awesome! He is really fighting this cancer diligently and bravely. He has been fighting hard for the last 28 years to gain his release from prison, contributing greatly to the legal work that has been done all this time. And he still has an active case. Nuh not only doesn't give up, but he knows how to remain optimistic. Also, Nuh is a very spiritual man. He says he is not afraid to die - that when Allah calls him, he'll be ready. But of course, he wants to remain on earth for as long as he can, just as we all do - to enjoy its many blessings and to keep on with his magnificent participation in our liberation struggle. ...

We all really appreciate all your best love and prayers for one of our dearest and strongest comrades.

Love, Nancy Jacot-Bell

Note: This letter is reprinted here on www.prisonactivist.org at the request of Nuh Washington.

[ Back to Nuh Washington home page  ] [  Nuh Washington: No Death in a Cage! - column by Mumia Abu-Jamal ] [  Black History Month, 1995: Remembering George and Jonathan Jackson - statement by Nuh ]

This page maintained by Jericho Amnesty Movement/SF Bay Area and the Prison Activist Resource Center
Last updated 28 April 2000.