Phila Daily News

Ira's not happy with prison chow

Ex-guru blasts meals, vows hunger strike

By KITTY CAPARELLA & JOSE ANTONIO VARGAS

SO WHAT'S eating Ira now?

This just in: Ira Einhorn doesn't like prison food and he's going on a hunger strike.

"I will not eat food that I know makes me sick. I would rather die," said the ex-hippie guru, 61, from his 8-by-12-foot cell in Graterford state prison.

Extradited three weeks ago from a rustic converted mill in the south of France, he's enjoyed 10 years of luscious French meals.

Creamy brie, pate, lamb bourgignon, avocado salad with pears in a warm ginger-honey sauce - washed down with a 1996 Rothschild Bordeaux.

Now, he's facing a lifetime of three squares and a snack of institutional prison grub - adding up to no more than 2,800 calories a day.

"The Graterford diet is criminal in its neglect of contemporary dietary awareness. All drinks, all yougorts [sic]. All cold cereal is laced with white sugar," wrote Einhorn.

The self-described planetary enzyme made his pronouncement as a dietary enzyme in a one-page handwritten statement received by Reuters news service yesterday.

A prison official, however, could not confirm whether Einhorn has actually missed any meals.

Here's a clue to his latest brouhaha - his bedside reading? A history of psychosomatic medicine.

Einhorn fled to Europe in 1981, spending time in Ireland, Sweden and elsewhere to avoid trial for killing girlfriend Holly Maddux in 1977 and stuffing her in a steamer trunk, discovered in 1979.

Convicted in absentia, he was sentenced to life in prison.

In his latest press release, he described himself as "subclinically both diabetic and hypoglycemic" - a novel designation in the annals of medicine.

"Subclinical? He's just using words to confuse. . .and invoke his eating habits in France," said registered dietitian Leslie Grant, wise to the diets in city, state and federal prisons where she's worked.

Dr. Michael Cirigliano, a practicing internist for 10 years and an assistant professor of medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, said: "I don't know what the term 'subclinical' means. I'm not aware of subclinical hypoglycemia or subclinical diabetes.

"Is he properly diagnosed or self-diagnosed?" Cirigliano asked. "He really needs to seek the help of a medical professional."

Both Cirigliano and Grant said Einhorn could not have been diagnosed as both diabetic and hypoglycemic, unless he's on insulin.

"Einhorn might be describing reactive hypoglycemia. This condition can occur after eating meals with high-sugar content," said Cirigliano.

For those with reactive hypoglycemia, refined and concentrated sugars may not be the best thing to eat, said Cirigliano.

"Fasting - going on a hunger strike - is the last thing you want to do if you suffer from reactive hypoglycemia," Cirigliano said.

Diabetics can become hypoglycemics if they are taking insulin or oral medication and happen to miss a meal or overexert themselves, he added.

Like all inmates entering Graterford, Einhorn was medically evaluated and had blood work done, which would have revealed any ailments.

"I can't tell you Einhorn's medical condition because that's confidential," said Leslie Hatcher, Graterford spokeswoman.

"To my knowledge, Einhorn is not fasting, and he has not missed nine consecutive meals," she said.

However, she could not say whether he's missed any meals.

If Einhorn fails to eat nine consecutive meals, prison policy requires him to be seen by medical and psychological staff, said Hatcher.

Graterford routinely provides special diets for inmates whose health conditions can be checked by staff doctors.

If he had a special diet, he'd have to line up with vegetarians, Muslims and those who request Kosher diets.

All diets must pass muster with state and federal regulations governing prison food, which require 2,800 calories a day.

"Yes, they get vegetables. Yes, they get fruit," said Grant, a member of Dietitians in Corrections, a subgroup of the American Dietetic Association.

"There are no foods not allowed as long as you make it proportionate," she added.

"Looking at his body build and weight, he has not been following a diet for diabetics," she said, noting Einhorn's hefty girth.

Einhorn says he cannot eat a diet of super-rich foods, even though his wife, in earlier interviews, mentioned that she baked him soft pretzels, and made blintzes and salad nicoise. They grew their own vegetables in their garden.

"Somebody has to inform him that this is prison. It ain't four-star cuisine," said Buffy Hall, Holly Maddux's sister, after she stopped laughing.

"This is always about Ira. The universe revolves around him," said Hall. "A hunger strike? OK. Let's see how long you can hold it."

Hall has two suggestions for how Ira can overcome his dietary woes:

"Give him a high colonic and bring that blood sugar down," she said. "Maybe people can send him care packages of fresh tomatoes."

-- Anonymous, August 11, 2001

Answers

During his hunger strike, let him go out and break up rocks or other physical work for about seven or eight hours. Then give him bread and water. After about a week, I think the problem will be solved.

-- Anonymous, August 11, 2001

I had seen the movie about him, the girls body found by police in a closet in his apartment and his escape from the U.S. legal system. I am glad to see he is finally back in the states, in jail...where he belongs.

-- Anonymous, August 12, 2001