Contact:
Rabiah Burks, 202-822-6700
rburks@famm.org

FAMM Calls for Investigation of Fredrick Turner’s Death

 

WASHINGTON, DC – On Friday, FAMM President Kevin Ring sent a letter to the U.S. Attorney General William Barr and Acting Director of the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) Hugh J. Hurwitz, urging an investigation into the preventable death of Frederick Turner, who was found unresponsive in his cell at the U.S. Penitentiary in Florence, Colo., on June 13, 2019.

Ring wrote that FAMM and Turner’s family requested that Turner be transferred due to the constant death threats he received for refusing to join a gang. Turner’s death raises questions about the BOP’s inability to keep people in their custody safe.

For nearly three decades, FAMM has united the voices of affected families, the formerly incarcerated, and a range of stakeholders and advocates to fight for a more fair and effective justice system. FAMM’s focus on ending a one-size-fits-all punishment structure has led to reforms to sentencing and prison policies in 6 states and is paving the way to programs that support rehabilitation for the 94% of all prisoners who will return to our neighborhoods one day.

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FAMM is a national nonpartisan advocacy organization that promotes fair and effective criminal justice policies that safeguard taxpayer dollars and keep our communities safe. Founded in 1991, FAMM is helping transform America’s criminal justice system by uniting the voices of impacted families and individuals.