Action Alert –Prison Officials Denying Russell Maroon Shoatz Treatment for Prostate Cancer – Call Prison Today
by the Editors
Political prisoner and former Black Panther Russell Maroon Shoatz #AF3855 was informed that he had prostate cancer on December 9, 2014. Prison medical staff has not provided any treatment to date. Cancer does not wait for the prison bureaucracy. Maroon’s health, his life, and his rights are being violated every moment he is denied necessary cancer treatment.
Call SCI Graterford and PADOC Secretary Wetzel today and demand that Maroon be provided immediate, necessary medical care for his prostate cancer.
Call:
SCI Graterford Superintendent Michael Wenerowicz: 610-489-4151
SCI Graterford Chief Health Care Administrator Joseph Korszniak: 610-489-4151
PADOC Secretary John Wetzel: 717-728-4109
Please be firm and respectful when talking to prison staff.
Talking Points:
Russell Shoatz was informed that he has prostate cancer on December 9, 2014. He has not received any treatment to date.
The oncologist told him in December that the cancer was “aggressive” and that treatment should begin in January.
A urologist told him in January that he was going to receive radiation treatment.
There is no medical reason for a two-month delay prior to receiving necessary cancer treatment. In fact, delaying treatment only increases the likelihood of further irreparable damage to a patient's health and frankly endangers his life. Russell Shoatz needs immediate health care, and continued refusal to provide this is illegal, and puts his life at risk.
If you would like to write a letter in addition to a phone call please address and send to the following address:
Superintendent Michael Wenerowicz
PO Box 246
Graterford, PA 19426
Secretary Wetzel
1920 Technology Parkway
Mechanicsburg, PA 17050
Navid Zarrinnal is an Iranian journalist and host of The Colony Archive podcast. He joins us from Tehran to discuss the US and Israeli aggression and explains why the left must be in solidarity with…
The United States attack on the Islamic Republic of Iran began on February 28. Our guest provides analysis on this U.S. aggression from an anti-imperialist and Black left perspective. Erica Caines is…
The U.S. is careening towards economic and military disaster, a moment when the Black radical tradition is missing but badly needed.
“We salute all peoples who are fighting/We honor all those who have died/For the cause of freedom.”
This lecture was delivered on February 3, 2026, at the University of British Columbia, Vancouver (Canada) for the monthly series “Black History and the Project of Black Studies.”
