He was known by his nickname, Silk, but of course that was not his legal or his committed name, which was Todd White. He worked in the kitchen and worked out in the gym by lifting weights. On Tuesday, May 26, while he was at work, he complained about chest pains. Kitchen management called the prison’s medical offices, and they sent a cart to transport him up to the unit for examination. Upon arrival, Silk was administered an EKG, or electrocardiogram, to reflect his heartbeats and its condition. Sometime thereafter, a medical staff person determined that there were no cardiac abnormalities. He was sent back to his kitchen job.
Once there, the chest pains returned and kitchen staff, seeing him, ordered him back, not to the medical unit, but to his cell on the block. Silk, back on the block, tried to call his family, but unfortunately no one answered the phone. So, he gave his cellie the phone and returned to the cell to rest. His cellie made some calls and went out into the yard when yard was called. When his cellie returned to the cell, he found Silk lying on the cold, concrete floor. He immediately called for medical assistance. It was far too late. Todd “Silk” White had died of a heart attack on Tuesday, May 26, 2026, at 62 years of age. With love, not fear. This is Mumia Abu-Jamal.
These commentaries are recorded by Prison Radio.
