A group of House lawmakers are calling for answers amid reports that two pro-life women were denied “necessary medical care” while in prison awaiting sentencing. House Pro-Life Caucus Co-Chair Chris Smith, R-NJ, authored the letter to the United States Marshals Service (USMS) Director Ronald Davis and Federal Bureau of Prisons Director Colette Peters. Pro-life advocates Jean Marshall, […]
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A group of House lawmakers are calling for answers amid reports that two pro-life women were denied “necessary medical care” while in prison awaiting sentencing.
House Pro-Life Caucus Co-Chair Chris Smith, R-NJ, authored the letter to the United States Marshals Service (USMS) Director Ronald Davis and Federal Bureau of Prisons Director Colette Peters.
Pro-life advocates Jean Marshall, 74, and Heather Idoni, 59, along with several other advocates, were convicted of violating the controversial Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act for blocking access to a notorious late-term abortion clinic in Washington, D.C.
On May 15, Marshall was sentenced to two years in prison, plus three years of supervised release. Idoni will be sentenced on May 21. They have both already spent nine months at the Alexandria Detention Center in Alexandria, Virginia, while awaiting their sentences.
According to a May 16 news release from Smith’s office, the letter to the BOP and USMS Directors was penned in light of reports that “Marshall was denied hip surgery despite excruciating hip pain and two visits to the emergency room since her incarceration.”
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Idoni, who has diabetes and recently suffered a stroke while in prison, according to the news release, “says she has suffered gross medical neglect while incarcerated, including denial of essential prescription medication that has raised suspicions her medical records could have been falsified by jail staff.”
Rep. Smith; Pro-Life Caucus Co-Chair Andy Harris, R-MD; Judiciary Subcommittee Chairs Andy Biggs, R-AZ, and Chip Roy, R-TX; Rep. Harriet Hageman, R-WY; Rep. Rebbie Lesko, R-AZ; and Rep. Claudia Tenney, R-NY, signed a letter, stating they are very concerned over the reports.
They requested that Davis “provide a clear and comprehensive account of the care provided to Ms. Idoni and Ms. Marshall during their time in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.”
The letter added that “the U.S. Marshal Services is required to provide appropriate medical care for all prisoners… This is defined as ‘necessary to diagnose or treat a medical condition, which, if left untreated, would likely lead to a significant loss of function, deterioration of health, uncontrolled suffering, or death.’”
Smith noted that Marshall and Idoni had been in United States Marshals Service custody, according to the press release. Marshall was sentenced on May 15 to serve the rest of her sentence in the custody of the Bureau of Prisons. Idoni is in the custody of the United States Marshals Service until her sentencing, which is supposed to take place on May 21.
“Additionally, we ask Director Peters to advise us on what actions the Bureau of Prisons has taken to ensure Ms. Marshall is receiving appropriate care. We also ask for information on actions the Bureau of Prisons plans to take to provide appropriate care for Ms. Idoni if she is placed in Bureau of Prison custody,” the lawmakers noted.
LifeSite News previously highlighted the difficult conditions and mistreatment that Idoni and Marshall have reportedly suffered during their incarceration.
Idoni “was placed in prolonged solitary confinement for 22 days and deprived of sleep with the lights of her cell kept on continually. The mother of five and adopted mother of 10 was forced to appear in full shackles in federal court in March 2024 for a pre-trial hearing in a manner usually reserved for dangerous or violent criminals,” LifeSite reported:
Jean Marshall, 74, was deprived of sufficient clothing and heat during extreme freezing winter cold, resulting in the contracting of pneumonia, which went untreated for three weeks.
She has been denied an urgently needed hip surgery, contrary to her physician’s instructions, resulting in excruciating pain and debilitating use of her right leg.
In the letter, the lawmakers referenced other reports from LifeSite detailing the women’s experiences in the prison.
The lawmakers requested a response from the Directors by May 17 and noted that they will be working to schedule a follow-up conversation.
LifeNews Note: McKenna Snow writes for CatholicVote, where this column originally appeared.
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