Michael Cohen and Bernie Madoff lobby for early release from jail over coronavirus

Inmates claim Federal Prison Camps have inadequate numbers of medical equipment, staff and methods of sterilization

Donald Trump's former personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, is among hundreds of prisoners calling for early release due to coronavirus (REUTERS)

Donald Trump’s former personal lawyer and personal counsel, Michael Cohen, is among multiple high profile prisoners in the US asking for compassionate release as a result of coronavirus.

The former attorney is currently serving a three-year sentence at the Otisville federal prison, New York. The 53-year old began his sentence in May 2018 after pleading guilty to charges including campaign finance violations, tax evasion and lying to Congress.

But as the number of coronavirus cases rise in the US, many inmates are pleading for early release or home detention.

On Tuesday, Mr Cohen’s attorney, Roger Bennet Adler, argued in a letter to a senior District Judge for the Southern District of New York that Mr Cohen’s sentence should be amended “as a consequence of the Bureau of Prison being demonstrably incapable of safeguarding and treating BOP inmates who are obliged to live in close quarters and are at an enhanced risk of catching coronavirus.”

That came as Bernard Madoff’s attorney argued that the 81-year-old, convicted in 2009 for his role in a Ponzi scheme, should be released due to the prisoner’s vulnerability to coronavirus.

The letter sent by Mr Cohen’s lawyer cited other US states that had moved to downsize their prison populations since the outbreak to stop the spread of coronavirus, including those in Los Angeles county.

Michael Cohen’s Twitter account shared a change.org petition on Saturday addressed to Mr Trump, calling for non-violent federal prisoners to be released.

In a letter attached to the petition, Mr Cohen claimed Federal Prison Camps had inadequate numbers of medical equipment, staff and methods of sterilization.

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Mr Cohen added: “Without your intervention, scores of Non-Violent Offenders are at risk of death, and these people were not given a death sentence.“

The former lawyer had previously said he should be released from prison early for his contributions to investigations about the US president.