Hollywood star Joaquin Phoenix of Joker fame is calling on New York Governor Andrew Cuomo to release inmates from the state’s prisons due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Phoenix appeared in a video released on Tuesday by the Release Aging People in Prison Campaign in which he explained why he believes prisoners should be released at once.
“The spread of coronavirus in prisons threatens the health and safety of all of us,” Phoenix said. “When you’re incarcerated there’s no such thing as social distancing and ensuring good hygiene is not an option. Leaders must do everything possible to prevent incarcerated people and those who work in prisons from becoming ill and spreading theThis is a horrible virus.”
“I’m calling on governor Andrew Cuomo to take action in New York by granting clemency to New Yorkers in prison,” he added. “The lives of so many people depend on his action. No one deserves to die in prison from COVID-19.”
A message from Oscar award winning actor Joaquin Phoenix: “I’m calling on @NYGovCuomo to take action in New York by granting clemency to New Yorkers in prison. The lives of so many people depend on his action. No one deserves to die in prison from COVID-19.” #ClemencyNow pic.twitter.com/CEFEkwVTBV
— Release Aging People in Prison Campaign (@RAPPcampaign) April 14, 2020
Though the Release Aging People in Prison Campaign focuses on freeing elderly prisoners in New York who they feel have been given “death-by-incarceration sentences,” Phoenix makes no mention of age in his video and appears to want all prisoners to be released.
Calling for the released of prisoners is becoming the newest “hip” trend in Hollywood amidst this pandemic. Singer John Legend called for inmates to be released the very same day that Phoenix’s video went up.
“The spread of coronavirus in jails and prisons threatens the health and safety of New Yorkers,” Legend says. “Governor Cuomo, it’s time for action. You can make communities across New York safer and healthier by reducing the prison population.”
Leaders must do everything possible to prevent incarcerated people and those who work in prisons from becoming ill and spreading #COVID19. @NYGovCuomo, it’s time for action. pic.twitter.com/xg0UBLYWrQ
— John Legend (@johnlegend) April 14, 2020
You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to know how dangerous it would be to free prison inmates back into the population due to this virus. Earlier this week, a Florida inmate who was released from prison due to coronavirus concerns committed murder the very next day, and this is only the beginning of this kind of crime if liberals get their way and more inmates are released.
For the safety of the American people inmates need to stay where they are. Perhaps they should have thought about possible pandemics before they committed whatever crime landed them behind bars.
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