WILKES-BARRE — An order from a Luzerne County judge issued on Monday indicates an ending to an SCI-Dallas inmate’s hunger strike.
Terrence Davis, 39, was sued last week by the state, which was seeking to have the right to forcibly feed him after he skipped more than a month’s worth of meals in an attempt to have himself transferred to another prison.
Davis is serving a life sentence on a second-degree murder charge out of Philadelphia.
The suit, filed last Tuesday, said Davis had “refused to eat his meals or drink any type of liquid” since June 8.
However, an order signed on Monday by Luzerne County Judge Lesa Gelb indicates a plan on how to deal with Davis’ hunger strike.
According to Gelb’s order, Davis has consented to a testing of his vital signs three times per day and a testing of his blood work twice weekly. Davis will not be required to pay for the tests.
The Department of Corrections will provide psychological counseling for Davis, including a psychological evaluation to occur next week. The Department’s suit indicates that Davis had not previously been diagnosed with any mental illnesses.
Davis will also be refunded any money that was withdrawn from his commissary account for his refusal of vital signs testing.
Gelb’s order also indicates that Davis “will resume eating and drinking as of July 17,” but she also orders that the court be notified should he skip as many as nine consecutive meals after beginning eating again on Friday.
The suit was initially filed last week in an attempt to prevent Davis from harming or killing himself as a result of his hunger strike, having lost 20 pounds over the course of it.
“Permitting (Davis) to engage in a suicidal act by refusing to eat or drink will cause a significant disruption to the orderly administration of SCI-Dallas,” the suit reads. “The effects of his death or irreparable harm would demoralize the staff and instill the belief in the inmate population that the prison administration caused and permitted (his) death or injury.”