Dear friends,

This morning Eric called and informed us that his pericarditis woke him up at 6 am. He was having chest pains, trouble breathing, and was unable to lie down. Because of this, he went out for sick call and was given an EKG. The jail doctor told him that he was fine and that he NEVER had pericarditis - in direct contradiction to the diagnosis from the doctors at UC Davis Medical Center in the spring. When Eric asked to see the results of the EKG, the doctor refused and sent him back to his cell. Later, Eric requested to see the doctor again and they refused to see him. Eric's lawyer has filed a memo with the court and sent it to Scott Jones (the jail commander) and the US Marshalls Service.

It is imperative that Eric be allowed to see a doctor and that he be given the proper medical care. Pericarditis can be a VERY serious condition - especially left untreated. It is URGENT that everyone call the jail immediately and demand that Eric be allowed to see a doctor and that they give him the medical care he needs. If the jail cannot provide this, they need to send him back to UCD Med Center where he can get the proper care.


The phone number to the Correctional Health Services Division is: (916) 875-9782.

You can also email them at: inmatepatientcare@saccounty.net.

You should also call the main jail line at: 916-874-6752 of 916-874-6905, leave a message with them, and also request to speak with Captain Scott Jones.

Their website says that they log all calls and emails and that you will receive a response within 24 hours. Make sure that you have Eric's x-reference number when you call: x 2972521. They might also ask for his location, which is the Sacramento County Main Jail. If you get an answering machine, leave a long detailed message, include your name and number if you would like to receive a call back.

We are fairly certain that this recent flare-up of pericarditis is directly linked to Eric's atrocious diet. He is still not receiving vegan meals. His substandard diet consists primarily of small amounts of empty carbs, hydrogenated oils, and a bit of protein. It is crucial mention this when calling the jail about his condition, and demand that he be given vegan meals immediately. They have given him vegan meals and outside medical treatment before and can easily do it again, anything less could have severe repercussions for Eric's health.

We will keep you updated about this situation as more information becomes available.

Sentencing Postponed

Eric's sentencing has been moved to January 10. This is an upsetting development, as Eric was looking forward to getting out of the Sacramento County Jail - once moved to a federal facility, his general living conditions will likely improve dramatically. He will probably have access to better food, more outdoor time, more social interaction, contact visits, etc. The longer we have to wait for sentencing, the longer we have to wait to start the appeals process. Please continue writing Eric during this time (details about writing Eric can be found on his website: www.supporteric.org). This is proving to be a particularly difficult time for him, and he needs everyone's support.

Also, please plan on coming to sentencing on January 10 to support Eric. We would love to have the courtroom full for him on this day.

Finally, please consider writing a letter to the judge to urge the lowest possible sentence for Eric. The US Attorney is still indicating that they will be pushing for the maximum sentence of 20 years. The judge needs to hear from Eric’s friends and family – he needs to know that Eric is a well-respected, honest, compassionate, non-violent person. It is important for Judge England to know that the acts charged in the indictment are out of character for Eric. Some things you might mention in your letter include:

(1)How long you have known Eric

(2)How you met him and how you know him (i.e. school, work, mutual
friends, etc.)

(3)Any experiences you have had with Eric that demonstrate what you think
are important aspects of his character

Address your letter to:

Judge England
U.S. District Court, Eastern District of California-Sacramento
501 “I” Street
Sacramento, CA 95814

Please DO NOT send your letter directly to Judge England. Instead, please send them directly to Eric’s lawyer:

Mark Reichel
555 Capitol Mall, 6th Floor - Suite 600
Sacramento, CA 95814

Please mail your letter with your original signature as soon as possible. Again, letters should be sent to Eric’s lawyer, Mark Reichel, and not to the judge.

Reminders and Miscellaneous

Eric is still doing fine on books. Please refrain from sending him more until further notice.

Eric's next hearing is still on calendar for November 15. This will be a hearing on the motion for a new trial and acquittal, which can be viewed on Eric's website.

Earth First! journal recently published an article about Eric and his case. The article can be viewed online at: http://www.earthfirstjournal.org/article.php?id=326

Dear friends,

Eric called this evening with an update on his medical condition. At 8:00 this evening he was called out to talk to a sargeant who discussed his medical situation with him. After this conversation, the sargeant sent Eric back to medical to be seen by a doctor. The doctor (a different doctor than the one he saw earlier in the day) took his vitals and acknowledged that he had pericarditis in the spring. She asked him if this felt like the same thing, and Eric said that it did. The doctor said she would request that blood work, an ECG, and an x-ray be done - but more than likely none of this will happen until after the holiday weekend (on Tuesday). She also went over with him the medication he received in the past and said she would put in a request that he begin receiving it again. Eric received medication at around 9:30 this evening. When Eric tried to discuss the cause of the pericarditis (more than likely, his diet) the doctor was evasive and sent him back to his cell.

Because his diet is almost certainly a cause of the pericarditis, Eric has decided to begin a hunger strike, once again, to gain access to vegan food. The last "meal" he ate was at 8:30 am - a banana and two pieces of bread. The jail has provided Eric with vegan food in the past and there is absolutely no reason they cannot do it now. Please call the jail and request that Eric be given vegan meals immediately.

The phone number to the Correctional Health Services Division is: (916) 875-9782.

You can also email them at: inmatepatientcare@saccounty.net.

You should also call the main jail line at: 916-874-6752 or 916-874-6905, leave a message with them, and also request to speak with Captain Scott Jones.

Their website says that they log all calls and emails and that you will receive a response within 24 hours. If you get an answering machine, leave a long detailed message, include your name and number if you would like to receive a call back.

When you talk to them (or leave a message) make sure you mention the following things:

1) Eric's x-reference number: x-2972521 (if they ask, he is housed at the main jail)

2) Eric needs to be given vegan food immediately. His heart condition will persist until the underlying causes are treated, and his nutrition is integral to this.

3) Eric needs to receive an ECG, blood work and an x-ray ASAP. These tests are imperative to determining other possible causes of the pericarditis. Again, until they fully understand what is causing the condition, they will only be treating symptoms. [When Eric visited the UC Davis Medical Center in the spring, the hospital requested that the jail do blood work to determine what might be causing the pericarditis. It is uncertain as to whether or not this ever actually happened.]

Eric has not received vegan meals from the jail since one week before his trial - the beginning of September. It has been difficult for him to maintain his health since that time, with so little nutrition available. Because of this, he begins his hunger strike with a body whose health is already depleted. We cannot stress how urgent it is that the jail begin feeding Eric food he can eat, and that they fully address his medical situation.

Thank you all for your continued support.

For more information about pericarditis, go to: http://heartdisease.about.com/cs/pericarditis/a/pericarditis.htm


www.supporteric.org