President Obama decided not to release all of the torture pictures, but that’s already old news. What was the big deal, anyway? We already knew that torture happened; in fact, we signed on to that program a long time ago. It’s the story of our modern era, a story haunted by women prisoners.
The Women Behind Bars website shows a picture of a smiling, healthy young woman: “Gina Muniz, in 1998, before she was incarcerated in the LA County Jail and the California state prison system for her first arrest, related to the theft of $200 related to a rapid onset of drug addiction-in the aftermath of her father’s death. The theft was bizarrely classified as a carjacking, although no one was harmed, and no car was stolen. Muniz received life in prison; her lawyer told her she was agreeing to seven years when she pled guilty.” Her mother, Grace Ortega, took the photo. It must have been a happy occasion. Six months after Muniz was arrested, she was dead: “Gina Muniz, September 2000, handcuffed to her deathbed and under 24-hour-guard in Modesto Community Hospital. Next to her is her daughter Amanda. Gina suffered horribly for six months from diagnosed but untreated cervical cancer. When it was diagnosed in L.A. County Jail, early and aggressive treatment would more than likely have saved Gina’s life. Grace Ortega, her mother, was finally able to win compassionate release for her daughter two days before her death, so that she could die at home”. Her mother, Grace Ortega, took the photo. Compassionate release.
Today is June 3, 2009. Yesterday, “Texas carried out its 200th execution under the eight-and-a-half year governorship of Richard Perry on Tuesday. Terry Lee Hankins, 34, was executed by lethal injection shortly after 6pm Texas time. He had been sentenced to death in 2002 for the murder of two of his wife’s children in 2001. Terry Hankins was the 16th person to be executed in Texas this year, out of a national total of 30. This was the 1,166th execution to be carried out in the USA since judicial killing resumed there in 1977, with Texas accounting for 439 of them. Another five men are currently scheduled to be put to death in Texas by mid-September….Texas is home to about seven per cent of the population of the USA and is where fewer than 10 per cent of the country’s murders occur. The state accounts for 37 per cent of the USA’s executions since 1977, and 41 per cent since 2001.”
In America, bad men wear pink underwear. In Texas, bad men are executed. Bad women, too, like Frances Newton. In 2005, “40-year-old Frances Newton became the third woman to be executed by the state of Texas since 1982 (and the first African American woman in the modern era) despite the strong possibility that she was innocent.” What exactly is this modern era? Francis Newton was “only the third woman executed by the state of Texas since 1982, and the first black woman executed since the Civil War. Unique in that historical sense, in other ways the Frances Newton case is painfully unexceptional.” Since the Civil War, since 1865? Francis Newton was the third woman executed in Texas since 1982, and the first Black woman since the mid 1800s. Francis Newton is the modern era, and the modern era goes way back.
On May 20, 2009, the New York State Legislature passed Bill S01290A, which “Provides for the care and custody of pregnant female inmates before, during and after delivery; prohibits the use of restraints of any kind from being used during the transport of such female prisoner to a hospital for the purpose of giving birth, unless such prisoner is a substantial flight risk whereupon handcuffs may be used; prohibits the use of any restraints during labor; requires the presence of corrections personnel during such prisoner’s transport to and from the hospital and during her stay at such hospital.” It’s called an anti-shackling measure: “the new law will make New York one of just four states in the country that restrict the use of restraints on incarcerated women during pregnancy or childbirth. California and Illinois were the first to put any legal limits on the practice — in both cases, after a series of lawsuits forced the states to overhaul their disastrously inadequate prison healthcare systems. Before the restriction, in Illinois, it was standard practice to chain female inmates to their hospital beds before, during and after the births of their babies. As one advocate told the New York Times, “What was common was one wrist and one ankle.” (A policy that, frighteningly enough, looks positively benevolent compared to Kansas’s, North Carolina’s and Washington’s, which allow women to be locked in belly chains and leg irons while they’re in labor, according to a 2006 investigation by Amnesty International.)” Four states restrict shackles for women prisoners during childbirth. Four. That leaves 46 states to go.
Women prisoners haunt the modern era: some die of lethal neglect, others die by lethal injection, others in shackles bear children. We signed on to this program a long time ago.
(Photo Credit: California Coalition for Women Prisoners)
Grace, Mother Of Gina Muniz, My daugthters Picture was removed. What is the big deal? Its not going to bring Gina back. pictures state facts, and give information. My daughter Is one of thousands of women denied medical, and Torture in are back yards. no one lifed a finger for Gina. When Gina was at L.A County Jail, She was diagnosed with stage 2B cervical cancer entirely treatable, early-stage illness. a (WOMEN GUARD) heard my daughters loud crieds the, Guard Name Bracken, seen Gina was bleeding all over her self, then guard Bracken, came over and look at her with disgust and then throw toilet paper rolls into her cell. when Gina was trafer to Chowchilla prison, ( CCWF) she was giving Motrin twice daily for pain. Ginas suffering started out as horribly as it ended. the lawyer, that lied to my daughter and to Gina’s family. his Name is (Jack Alex ) from West Covina, CA its so easy to judge, or to look the other way, when its not happening to you. Are True Judge, is God.
Grace Ortega: Iam the Mother of Gina Muniz, In the book (women Behind Bars) On page 283. It says ( Seeing her grief, a much older, married male family member offered his “support” to Gina, and then gave her a taste of a drug cocaine.) Then it goes on to say: (He then stared demanding sexual favors, whice she provided to him for a time in exchange for money to buy more drugs) I Ginas Mother like to set the record straight: First of all his not a Family Member His name is ( George Fernandez 15 or 20 years older ) Then my daughter. (George Fernandez, looks like Jaba, the hut. From StarWars.) His a “MONSTER” from hell. In January 2001 I Ginas mother went to Alhambra School District, Trasportation Department bus drivers. I made a complaint. With Director of Human Resources. and Investigations. I met with Donna Perez George Murray, I told them everything I knew, how the Monster George fernandez, Was giving Gina money to buy drugs. Taking her On the District school bus, to buy drugs. With money George Fernandez was giving to Gina. For his evil plan to drug rape my daugther, in a motel. I mention to the investigation Team ( Just what if my daugther would of drop some drugs on the school bus? and one of the children would of found the drug. I told them I wanted a investigation, and wanted the Demon in Jail, For what he did to my daugther. I told them i would take a lie detector test, and the monster should too. and I gave them the witness names. Donna Perez, George Murray, did a half A– investigation. and slap the monster on the hand. The District covered the demon tracks, to protect them self. GEORGE FERNANDEZ, IS A MONSTER! AND MORE SHOCKING! HIS MARRIED TO A CHILD MOLSTER. HER NAME IS (MARELEN FERNANDEZ) AND I HAVE ALL THE PROVES ON BOTH MONSTER’S They both evil monster’s will have great unhappiness, and great suffering. It’s call “CARMA” The Lord, does not forget. MAY MY ANGEL GINA MARIE MUNIZ R.I.P. AND MAY THE LORD ONE DAY SOON BRING JUSTICE, TO AMANDA GINAS, ONLY CHILD. MY GRANDAUGHTER THE LORD HAD GIVING ME TO LOVE, N CARE FOR.
Dear, Silja Talvi
Thank you, For helping me to heal, and for always sharing Gina’s story. in your book, and when you speak. To God, for bringing all of us together at a perfect time. for continued guidance my life. In Nov 29, 2000 was a day of Joy! Gina went home to Jesus, and On Dec 5 2000, 10 years ago Today, Was the day I put my daugther, to rest in the arms of Jesus. I like to Thank each and everyone of you from the bottom of my heart. Legal Services for Prisoners With Children: for bringing Gina home to die in peace, with her daughter, and family, at her side Thank you Donna Wilmont for continually encouraging me not go give up! I Love you all. To Califorina Coalitiion for Women Prisoners: Thank you, for all your support, and for your NewsLetters, The Fire Inside: To National Radio Project/Making Contact Thank you, for believing” in my family, for being Gina’s and Amanda’s voice. I want to thank you, for the Gina’s Story, A CRISIS OF CARE: Part 1. and Part II. and Part III. Executive Producer/Host:Tena Rubio and Mike, Tena, No one could Of said the story better then you. your gentle, sweet voice, brought comfort into my heart, Thank you for Coming out to my house, making Amanda, and all of us, laugh” again. Thank you, for never giving up! On Gina’s story, And for making it happen. Thank you all, I feel very blessed to have been a part in your lifes too. Producer and Associate Producer; Andrew Stelzer and Puck Lo, Intern: Elena Botkin-Levy Executive Director: Lisa Rudman. To Omnia Foundation who helped make this show possible and to an Angel named Matt Fidler, Sound and Media”who wrote and produced the music. you are truly a gift from god may God continue to use you and to guide you. with your gift. your music brought peace, and tears to my eyes. I truly Love you all. God Bless, All the women who have died of medical neglect, before and after my daugther. Always My Daugther and Now My Angel, With Angel Sitting On My Shoulder. Gina’s Momma
[…] All women suffer lack of women’s health services in prison. Women in some states are still being shackled in childbirth. Women are dying of thoroughly treatable illnesses. More than half of female inmates report having […]
[…] In 36 states, women prisoners in childbirth are handcuffed to beds and delivery tables, are shackled, are refused family in the birthing room, and are denied access to their […]
[…] In 1998 Gina Muniz was incarcerated in the LA County Jail and the California state prison system for her first arrest, related to the theft of $200 related to a rapid onset of drug addiction-in the aftermath of her father’s death. The theft was bizarrely classified as a carjacking, although no one was harmed, and no car was stolen. Muniz received life in prison; her lawyer told her she was agreeing to seven years when she pled guilty. Six months after Muniz was arrested, she was dead: “Gina Muniz, September 2000, handcuffed to her deathbed and under 24-hour-guard in Modesto Community Hospital. Next to her is her daughter Amanda. Gina suffered horribly for six months from diagnosed but untreated cervical cancer. When it was diagnosed in L.A. County Jail, early and aggressive treatment would more than likely have saved Gina’s life. Grace Ortega, her mother, was finally able to win compassionate release for her daughter two days before her death, so that she could die at home”. Compassionate release. […]
My name is Christian Estrada. Gina was my first love when I was 15 or 16. To here what Gina went through hurts my heart. I did not find out until 2017 when she had passed and to this day I remember the first time I met her. It seems like yesterday. I know she is in a better place now but this could have been avoided if the non-caring idiots at the County Jail would have had an inkling of compassion for her. Those deputies who oversee the inmates treat inmates as if they where cattle instead of human beings. My heart goes out to Gina’s daughter, mother, and the whole family that stood by Gina through it all. God bless you and I know Gina is in heaven.