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After attempting to find justice for 29 Mississippi inmates, Jay-Z and Yo Gotti are going bigger by filing lawsuits on behalf of over 200 prisoners in ‘Parchman Farm’ penitentiary, MS.
The two rappers, along with the ROC Nation team, are going after the Department of Corrections Commissioner, Nathan Burl Cain, the healthcare provider for the Mississippi prison system, Centurion, in hopes of improving conditions for the inmates. Parchman has been in need of change for a while, but with a new Covid-19 outbreak within the prison, the situation has never been more critical.
The penitentiary is a historically unjust place with horror stories being told by past residents throughout its lifetime. It has already been described as a ‘torture chamber’ on multiple accounts and gets its nickname of ‘farm’ after the infestation of rats, cockroaches, black mold, and animal feces everywhere. Inmates also experience constant flooding with a shortage of running water and electricity. with In other words, it is a breeding ground for disease and death. Now, as Corona Virus numbers increase within its walls and add to the death toll, assistance is on its way in the form of systematic reform.
In a statement given to Complex, Yo Gotti explains, “The situation in Parchman is dire. More and more of the incarcerated population are reaching out for help and pleading for immediate medical attention, especially as the coronavirus threatens their lives… Mississippi Governor Reeves, Commissioner Burl Cain and Centene — as the parent company of Parchman’s healthcare provider Centurion — can’t continue to neglect this tragedy and let the death toll rise. We will hold them accountable and fight for the rights of the incarcerated.”
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