A condemned inmate's fight to receive surgery for agonizing hip pain has pushed Kentucky officials into an uncomfortable debate. Robert Foley, 55, was convicted of killing six people in eastern Kentucky in 1989 and 1991, making him the most prolific killer on the state's death row. His status as an extremely dangerous prisoner was a key factor in the state's difficulty finding a surgeon and hospital to perform the $56,000 operation. Foley, who still hasn't had the surgery, filed a lawsuit in March. Foley's attorney, Jamesa Drake, says the state needs a way to care for condemned inmates, even those with complex needs. The Department of Corrections acknowledged his degenerative hip in a response to the lawsuit, but also said he has been receiving adequate care. It's not unusual for inmates to receive treatment outside of prison, and Foley has twice left death row for other surgical procedures.
