Penn. Death Row Inmates End Hunger Strike

Feb 5, 2003

 PHILADELPHIA - Death row inmates at the state prison in Graterford ended a hunger strike late Tuesday after corrections officials said they would improve conditions.

About two dozen convicted murderers had participated in the strike, which began Friday.

One death row inmate was hospitalized during the strike, but it was uncertain whether he had refused meals, Graterford spokesman Jerry Galinski said. The rest are in good health, he said.

The inmates were seeking equal treatment with prisoners on Pennsylvania's other major death row, at the State Correctional Institute in Greene County.

Inmates at Graterford, in suburban Philadelphia, are allowed only one, one-hour visit per week, while weekly visits at SCI-Greene can last up to a full day.

The inmates relented after officials outlined a plan to expand the prison's visiting area to accommodate longer visits, Galinski said.

Other demands included lifting a ban on physical contact with visitors, more time out of cells, better sanitation and more frequent access to religious services.

Pennsylvania has carried out only three executions since the U.S. Supreme Court (news - web sites) reinstated the death penalty in 1976.