Umatilla Protest Calls for Justice for Eddie Dungan
UMATILLA, Ore. – A protest took place outside the Two Rivers Correctional Institution, organized by a group seeking to raise awareness for Eddie Dungan, an Oregon native who died while incarcerated in 2023. The protest was held by the "Justice for Eddie Dungan Group", which advocates for better care in Oregon's Department of Corrections. Christy Running, the founder of the group and Dungan's sister, shared her thoughts following her brother's death. "After my brother passed away, I took it very personally and have really dove into the policies and procedures," she said. "And come to find out, inmates, incarcerated individuals are supposed to have adequate treatment. Almost exactly the same as you would if you were out on the streets. "Steven Parker, an Oregon representative for the group and a former incarcerated individual, discussed his experiences with medical resources in correctional facilities. "I have also witnessed medical malpractice on myself," he stated. "I fought many years for a skin condition that was on my hand. They [The corrections facility] put you on sick call, which is usually about 8:00 in the morning that you get called down to medical speak with a nurse, and then they determine the nurse determines if you qualify to see the doctor. It could take weeks to be seen by the doctor. "Dungan passed away on January 8, 2023, just two months after being transferred to Two Rivers Correctional Institution. Running recalled her conversations with her brother prior to his death. "I spoke to Eddie days prior to his passing, but I also came and visited him on the 22nd of December, and he was very concerned about not receiving, you know, medicine that he had been prescribed for years," she said. Parker explained the organization's goals. "I want to open the door for us to be able to show the public what is actually going on behind these walls...because the way that things are being done is not right," he emphasized. Running stated that they are pursuing a lawsuit against Two Rivers Correctional Institution and Oregon's Department of Corrections, among others. NonStopLocal has reached out to the Oregon Department of Corrections for a comment on the matter but have not heard back yet.