Dream Defenders started a petition demanding the immediate release of Anthony Swain, a Black man who has been held pretrial for 4 years and who recently tested positive for COVID-19.

Dear John,

Anthony is a 43-year-old Black man who has been paralyzed from the waist down for most of his life. For the last four years, Anthony has been sitting in the local county jail waiting for a trial date that never comes. In the midst of a global pandemic, Anthony’s life hangs in the balance. 

Anthony believed that if he wasn't released as soon as possible, he would catch COVID-19 at the jail.  And now our worst fears have come true -- Anthony is ill with coronavirus and now sits in an isolation cell. 

On Mother's Day, he could not breathe. He was taken to the hospital, where he tested positive for the virus. As a person with multiple pre-existing conditions including a respiratory condition, Anthony may never see his family or know freedom again -- all because of a corrupt and punitive money bail system.

Anthony’s life now lay in the hands of Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody. Attorney General Moody can work with Anthony’s legal team, agree to early release, and present a united front before a judge, so Anthony can come home. Yet, the Attorney General’s office has been slow to act. 

It’s time for all of us to join the fight. Together, we can apply enough public pressure to force state officials to release Anthony back to his community.

Sign the petition: Demand Attorney General Ashley Moody and Prosecutor Nicholas B. Cox bring Anthony home.

In February of 2016, Anthony was arrested on drug charges. Before he was locked up, Anthony was a staple in his community. On any given weekend, he could be found at his church with his tight-knit family or doing fish fries to feed people in his neighborhood. 

A judge determined that Anthony Swain was eligible for release, but set his bond at $650,000 -- an amount that no one but the very wealthiest would be able to afford. Since he has been incarcerated, Anthony's condition has deteriorated. He was diagnosed with cystic myelomalacia in 2019, which causes respiratory problems and a severely weakened immune system. To make matters worse, Anthony also has immediate concerns about his health and well-being. He is at risk for long-term repercussions including blood clots, stroke, heart disease, and so much more. Anthony has been forced to endure utter cruelty for too long. An unaffordable bond shouldn't strip someone of their right to live a safe, healthy life.

Currently, thousands of people are being held in Florida jails simply because they can’t afford to pay money bonds in order to purchase their freedom. The state's pretrial system punishes people for being poor, separates them from their families, puts them at risk of losing their jobs, costs them custody of their children -- and now places them in grave danger by needlessly exposing them to COVID-19. For thousands of Floridians, poverty is now a death sentence.

COVID-19 might become a death sentence for Anthony if we fail to act -- John, will you help save Anthony’s life?

Time is of the essence. Last month, several organizations including our organization, Dream Defenders, filed an emergency class-action lawsuit requesting the federal courts to intervene in Miami-Dade County jail. The writing was on the wall. For years, incarcerated people have been forced to live in unsanitary and unsafe conditions. Many have gone without access to proper medical care. Even before this public health crisis, countless men, women, and children have died. 

In response, the federal judge ordered jail officials to provide cleaning and medical supplies as well as a plan to maintain social distancing. Yet, county officials have appealed the decision, citing the judicial order creates an unnecessary hardship. This is unacceptable. If county officials refuse to prioritize the health and wellness of our incarcerated community members then we must step in.

Just a few weeks ago, Charles Hobbs, a man cleared for pretrial release, died of the coronavirus. It didn't have to happen. At various points leading up to Hobb's death, county officials could have made a decision that might have saved Hobb's life. The COVID-19 pandemic lays bare a powerful truth: jails and prisons are violent institutions. No human being should be inside of a cage. And none of us are safe as long as these places are allowed to exist.

Together, we have the power to stop another unnecessary death from happening in the facility.

We have to bring Anthony home. Will you join us in demanding his release?

Yours in freedom,

-- Rachel Gilmer and Jonel Edwards, Dream Defenders