An estimated 2,000 people rallied at the State House with signs demanding the release of Justina Pelletier from state custody and excoriating those in government who could move to have her case closed with a stroke of the pen (the Governor, HHS Secretary Polanowicz, or Martha Coakley).
Jeff Kuhner, of WRKO, sponsored the event, which featured the Rev. Patrick Mahoney and Lou Pelletier, father of Justina. Though Justina has been finally granted rights common to all patients by the JRI Susan Wayne Center in Thompson, CT, she sadly had to celebrate her sixteenth birthday there - still being held under MA-DCF control.
Lou and Rev. Mahoney were in Washington the days prior, meeting with members of congress and working for measures that could hopefully bring her home soon.
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Meanwhile, Justina received quite the surprise at the CT facility; she was wheeled into a decorated gathering room, where her West Hartford friends (whom Justina had not been allowed by MA facilities to see for 15 months) were waiting. Hugs abounded. Justina remains wheelchair bound, but in good spirits.
