Rudolph Sutton

A photograph of Rudolph (right) and his son, Rudolpho Sutton, courtesy of Rudolpho Sutton, obtained from WHYY.

Rudolph Sutton was a father and grandfather. He was a Marine veteran and an accomplished martial artist. He was a student well-read in topics from philosophy to computer science. His life was tragically cut short on April 8, 2020, when at age 67, he became the first person to die of COVID-19 in a Pennsylvania prison. 

Rudolph maintained his innocence throughout the thirty years he was incarcerated, but he did not get justice in his lifetime. Mere days after his death, Philadelphia prosecutors announced that they would investigate Rudolph’s claim that he was wrongfully incarcerated back in 1990. Rudolph’s son, Rudolpho Sutton, will continue fighting for his father’s exoneration with the support of the Pennsylvania Innocence Project. 

A photograph of Rudolph (left) and his son, courtesy of Rudolpho Sutton, obtained from The Philadelphia Inquirer.

In April, Rudolpho wrote on Facebook: “My father was my guide, my partner, my mentor, my best friend...and a man that did not belong there in the first place. Despite the efforts of police corruption to keep us separate for so long, we forged a bond that can never be broken. He was a Marine Corps veteran, and possessed a unique, brilliant mind. He left a legacy of education, discipline, strength, compassion, and a father's love. His story must be told, and justice must be served once and for all!”

Rudolph is one of many vulnerable people who have experienced fatally inadequate medical care amidst dehumanizing prison conditions. Even before the coronavirus pandemic, Rudolph suffered from high blood pressure and liver problems. Rudolph was hospitalized for ten days in early March, and when he returned to the prison, his health continued to deteriorate. When Rudolph spoke to Rudolpho on the phone in the days before his death, his son could hear his increasingly labored breathing. Despite Rudolph’s visible medical distress, the prison failed to test him for COVID-19 or seek treatment. 

The tragic combination of incarceration and illness took so much from Rudolph. He had books to read, grandchildren to meet, and life left to live. 

This memorial was written by MOL team member Abby Steckel with information from reporting by Aaron Moselle of WHYY, Jeremy Roebuck of The Philadelphia Inquirer, Joshua Vaughn of The Appeal, a press release from the Pennsylvania Innocence Project, and a Facebook post by Rudolpho Sutton.