ALMOST THE LAST 2 YEARS.

ILLINOIS HAS HAD A LAW THAT ALLOWS PEOPLE WHO ARE IN PRISON AND DYING OF A TERMINAL ILLNESS OR ARE PHYSICALLY DISABLED THE OPPORTUNITY TO PETITION FOR COMPASSIONATE RELEASE.

IT'S CALLED THE JOE COLEMAN MEDICAL RELEASE ACT.

BUT A RECENT REPORT SHOWS FAR FEWER PRISONERS THAN EXPECTED ARE GETTING OUT.

IN FACT, THE ILLINOIS PRISONER REVIEW BOARD HAS DENIED NEARLY TWO-THIRDS OF ALL MEDICAL RELEASE REQUESTS.

ACCORDING TO THAT REPORT FROM WBEZ AND INJUSTICE.

WATCH.

WE MET WITH A MAN WHO IS IN PRISON AND DYING YET HIS REQUEST WAS DENIED.

HERE'S HIS STORY.

AS HIS OXYGEN MACHINE WORSE NEXT TO HIM.

RICHARD ICKES CONSIDERS HIS FUTURE.

>> THE 72 YEAR OLD.

MAN WHO A TERMINAL ILLNESS.

WE MET DIKES IN A CONFERENCE ROOM AT DIXON CORRECTIONAL CENTER WHERE HE'S BEEN THE LAST 27 YEARS SERVING A LIFE SENTENCE FOR MURDER.

THINKS THE END OF HIS LIFE MAY BE COMING SOON SINCE BEING DIAGNOSED WITH A TERMINAL ILLNESS.

MY HOPE IS WANING.

>> I PERSONALLY BELIEVE ALL ANY OF US HAS IS HOPE.

AND I BELIEVE THAT WHEN YOU YOUR TIME.

AND I AM GOING I WHAT I HEAR IN SUMMER 2022, HE WAS DIAGNOSED WITH IDIOPATHIC PULMONARY FIBROSIS.

>> A RARE TERMINAL LUNG DISEASE.

THEY GAVE ME THE THE RESULTS TO READ.

AND AS SOON AS I GOT TO PULMONARY.

>> IN A FAR, BRUNEAU SAYS I BECAUSE I KNEW WHAT THAT WAS.

KNEW THAT IT WAS A DEATH SENTENCE BECAUSE MY MOTHER DIED WITH THIS DISEASE.

MY BROTHER DIED WITH THIS DISEASE AND OR THE JOE COLEMAN MEDICAL RELEASE ACT.

>> PEOPLE IN PRISON CAN PETITION THE ILLINOIS PRISONER REVIEW BOARD FOR EARLY RELEASE.

IF THEY'RE TERMINALLY ILL AND LIKELY TO DIE WITHIN THE NEXT 18 MONTHS OR DISABLED OR LIKELY TO BECOME DISABLED WITHIN THE NEXT 6 MONTHS.

THIS IS THE LETTER FROM THE DOCTOR FOR STATING THAT I NEED IT.

>> THIS IS THE LETTER FROM THE MEDICAL DIRECTOR VERIFYING THE.

THIS IS THE LETTER FROM THE OPRAH COM SYSTEM LIVES OF ACCEPTING ME.

THIS IS THE LETTER FROM THE BOARD DENYING ACCORDING TO THAT LETTER FROM THE PRISONER REVIEW BOARD, CHAIRMAN DONALD SHELTON.

>> CAN REAPPLY IN 6 MONTHS, THOUGH IT GIVES NO REASON FOR THE DENIAL.

THE PROCESS TAKES ABOUT 90 DAYS TO GO THROUGH FILING A REQUEST OF THE TIME.

IT'S DECIDED.

>> AND THAT THAT TIME IS SET BY LAWS LIMIT.

AND SO WHEN YOU TAKE SOMEONE LIKE RICH, WHO WAS THE NIGHT IN JULY, AND THEN IF HE HAS TO WAIT 6 MONTHS.

TO REAPPLY, THAT'S JANUARY.

THEN TAKES 90 DAYS TO GO THROUGH THE PROCESS.

THAT'S APRIL.

HE'S GOT ONLY 2 MONTHS LEFT TO LIVE UNDER THE PREDICTION THE DOCTORS MADE.

>> ATTORNEY BILL NELSON ARGUES THE BOARD IS OVERSTEPPING WITH THAT 6 MONTH WAITING PERIOD SINCE HE'S NOT IN THE STATUTE AND HE SAYS THE BOARD'S LOW RATE OF GRANTING MEDICAL RELEASES DEFEATS THE LAW'S PURPOSE.

THAT DOES NOBODY ANY GOOD AT AT THAT POINT IN LIFE THE STATE HAS PAY A LOT OF MONEY TO TAKE CARE OF PEOPLE.

THE STATE LACKS THE RESOURCES.

>> TO TAKE CARE OF PEOPLE PROPERLY.

AND AND THERE THERE IS NO.

IN MY VIEW P VALID P NO PURPOSE SERVED BY REQUIRING THE A SICK PERSON WHO HAS A LIFE SENTENCE TO SERVE THEIR LAST DAYS IN IN THE PRISON INFIRMARY AS OPPOSED TO A NURSING HOME OR OTHER OTHER FACILITY.

>> APPLICANTS ALSO HAVE TO PROVE THEY HAVE A PLAN FOR THEMSELVES UPON RELEASE.

LAKE SAYS PIN PAL TURNED POWER OF ATTORNEY HELPED HIM SECURE A SPOT HERE IN OAK PARK.

>> HIS PARTICULAR DIAGNOSIS, PULMONARY STRIKES VERY CLOSE TO MY HEART.

I JUST HAD A SISTER WHO DIED OF THAT THIS LAST SUMMER.

SO I KNOW THAT HUGHES LAST YEAR IS GOING TO BE PRETTY HORRIBLE.

AND IT'S GOING TO BE EXTRA WHO ARE BOTH FACING PRISON AND DIKES WOULD HAVE THE RESOURCES TO PAY THE COST OF CARE SINCE HE'S EARNED A SMALL INCOME ON HIS BOOKS AND IS ELIGIBLE FOR SOCIAL SECURITY AND MEDICARE WHEN HE'S RELEASED FROM PRISON.

>> BUT TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE THE MONTH AFTER HIS FIRST PETITION WAS DENIED MEDICAL TESTS THAT YOU I HEALTH REVEALED HIS LUNG DISEASE IS GETTING WORSE.

AND THE DOCTOR TOLD ME THEN THAT SHE'S NOT SURE I CAN.

I BELIEVE IN 6 MONTHS.

>> IT IS AGGRESSIVELY ATTACK MY BODY.

ANOTHER 6 MONTHS COULD MEAN WILL SPEND VERY FEW IF OF HIS LAST DAYS OUTSIDE THESE I WANT TO SPIN WHAT KIND OF HAVE LEFT WITH MY CHILDREN.

I HAVE IDENTICAL TWIN GRANDDAUGHTERS THAT I'VE NEVER SEEN.

>> I WANT TO SEE THEM.

WANT TO SEE MY CHILDREN.

>> AND WE ASKED THE ILLINOIS PRISONER REVIEW BOARD ABOUT THAT 6 MONTH WAITING PROCESS.

AND IN A STATEMENT THEY TOLD US, QUOTE, SIMILAR TO THE ONE YEAR WAITING PROCESS IN THE CLEMENCY PROCESS.

THE PRB IMPOSES A 6 MONTH WAITING PERIOD TO ENSURE BOARD MEMBERS AND STAFF HAVE THE TIME AND RESOURCES TO GIVE EACH PERSON THE DUE DILIGENCE.

THEY DESERVE THESE WAITING PERIODS, PREVENT THE BOARD FROM BEING INUNDATED BY REQUESTS.

THE POLICY INCLUDES THE ABILITY FOR INDIVIDUALS TO PETITION THE BOARD CHAIR TO WAIVE THE 6