Jarvis Recovering from COVID-19

After a few days experiencing symptoms of a high fever, dry cough, and belabored breathing, Jarvis checked into the San Quentin infirmary on June 24, where he tested positive for the coronavirus. He has since been monitored and treated daily, and is recovering steadily.

“This place has turned into something out of a horror novel,” he stated, reporting chaotic and crowded conditions in the midst of what some state officials have declared the worst public health disaster in U.S. prison history. As of July 9, the CA Dept of Corrections has tracked the infection of 1,639 inmates, 200 staff members, and 7 deaths at San Quentin. While Jarvis’ case has not required hospitalization, skyrocketing cases affecting the aging and medically vulnerable prison population has threatened to overwhelm the Bay Area’s response capacity, resulting in transfers to hospitals beyond the region. “I’m a witness to a story and I can’t wait to share it with everyone,” says Jarvis.

This month marks the 30th year since the 1990 wrongful conviction that brought Jarvis to death row. Shambhala Publications will release the reissue of his first book, Finding Freedom, next week, on July 14.