Tuesday, April 29, 2008

The Weight of Incarceration

Inmate withering away on jail food

Broderick Lloyd Laswell has dropped more than 100 pounds since September, but you won't see him on Biggest Loser, and it's not part of a successful health plan. In fact, he's not even happy about it. Laswell weighed 413 pounds when he was arrested in September on murder charges in Bentonville, Ark. He's down to 308 and is filing a lawsuit. "The only reason we lost weight in here is because we are literally being starved to death," he said. Capt. Hunter Petray told the Morning News of northwest Arkansas that inmates are fed a 3,000-calorie-per-day diet, which is above average, though probably less than someone clocking in at four-bills is used to. "About an hour after each meal my stomach starts to hurt and growl," Laswell says in his complaint. "I feel hungry again." Jailers are on watch so that Laswell does not escape by sneaking through the cell bars.

This guy went into the slammer at twice my size. Stomach hurting and growling an hour after each meal? I'm down with you bro.

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