The Spirit: “The Pennsylvania Superior Court has denied Jerome “Hoagie” Coffey’s most recent appeal, a decision his attorneys and supporters say is ‘morally indefensible,’ ‘legally incorrect,’ and ‘deeply disappointing.’ After over 30 years behind bars fighting for his freedom, Coffey is unflinching, and says “the fight goes on.”

‘The opinion was issued first thing in the morning on Christmas Eve,’ attorney Rupalee Rashatwar, who has represented Coffey for years, told a reporter recently. Rashatwar had argued this latest appeal, on Oct. 21, before a three-judge panel in downtown Philadelphia.

She and the rest of his legal team took a beat to digest the difficult news. ‘It takes one to two weeks to be able to set up a call with Hoagie,’ she said, keeping with policies at SCI Pine Grove, where Coffey is held – so she thought she’d have some time to prepare for that call. A friend noted the bureaucratic bitterness of having him not be among the first to know.

But Coffey called her on Christmas Day, ‘just to wish me a “happy Christmas.” So I had to break the news to him.’

His response was steadfast: ‘We continue to fight.'”

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