Resistance Behind Bars: The Struggles of Incarcerated Women

In the face of this looming economic crisis and the threat of running out of cash, does it really make sense for the State of California to spend $9.7 billion keeping 317,375 behind bars (which amounts to spending approximately $35,587 per person in prison)?

from the " Christian Science Monitor

California lawmakers just got a Henry Paulson-like ultimatum from state officials: If they don't act, the state could be forced to suspend road, bridge, and other public-works projects as early as next week.

Today the NY Appeal Court submitted the following decision regarding Venice and Patreese’s appeals:

http://www.nycourts.gov/reporter/3dseries/2008/2008_09642.htm

The court reversed Venice’s conviction, but she will have to face a new trial like Renata. And unfortunately the court affirmed Patreese’s conviction and reduced her sentence from 11 years to 8 years.

As soon as we hear about Renata’s trial and Venice’s new trial we will post it here.

3 Dec 2008

Greetings friends & supporters of Free Battered Women,

I am writing with several updates, and a request to support incarcerated survivor Ms. Maureen Carroll!

*Parole Reversal*

Sadly, on November 21, 2008, Governor Schwarzenegger publicly released his decision to reverse parole for Daisy Jane Benson despite the fact that the Board of Parole Hearings had found her suitable for parole. Free Battered Women joins with Ms. Benson and her supporters in grieving over the Governor's reversal. We remain committed to supporting Ms.

Monday, November 24, 2008

Dear Amici, Activists, and Allies:

We are so pleased to let you know that on November 19, 2008, after serving only one year from the date of sentencing, Theresa Lee Hernandez was released from prison.

Ms. Hernandez was arrested in 2004 and charged with first-degree murder (a crime with a potential penalty of 25 years-to-life imprisonment) and second-degree murder for having suffered a stillbirth.

Earlier this year, the Working Group to Enhance Services to Incarcerated Women in Philadelphia succeeded in getting a policy passed at the county facility banning shackling of incarcerated women in labor. This is a big first step; before the policy passed, all women in labor have been restrained. Currently, there are 36 pregnant women right now at the county facility:

Philadelphia Prison System
Procedural Directive

Stephanie Walter's essay, "Let My Voice Be Heard," (from Tenacious #11) and Yraida Guanipa's "Four Hours Home Visit" (from issue 12) have been reprinted in the latest Zine Yearbook!!

Both issues are now out of print. For those of you in NYC, Issue #11 can be found at the Barnard Zine Library.

from

Dear Friends,

I'm thrilled to let you know that another incarcerated domestic violence survivor has been released from state prison!

Many of you know Vonda White, a 69-year-old woman who has been a leader at the California Institution for Women during her nearly 30 years of incarceration.

One of the femal​es,​ Renat​a Hill is havin​g her re-​trial​ this THURS​DAY,​ NOVEM​BER 20th,​ 2008.​ and FIERC​E!​ is mobil​izing​ our peopl​e down there​.​

If you are inter​ested​ in showi​ng up, here is the info:​

Thurs​day Novem​ber 20, 2008 100 Centr​e Stree​t (​Part 91 - 15th Floor​)​ Judge​ Name:​ McLau​ghlin​ 10 AM.

FIERC​E!​ will be meeti​ng outsi​de 100 Centr​e Stree​t at 10 AM. Look for us!

It is very impor​tant that you all show up; this case is one of many examp​les of how the LGBTQ​ Commu​nity is affec​ted and not defen​ded by our syste​m.​

For more info conta​ct:​
Glo at 646-​336-​6789 Ext. 203 / Glo@​fierc​enyc.​org
John at 646-​336-​6789 Ext. 205 / John@​fierc​enyc.​org

Background info:

from freebatteredwomen.org

NO ON PRISON OVERCROWDING! RELEASE ELIGIBLE PRISONERS NOW!RALLY AND PRESS CONFERENCE
*Tuesday, November 18th, 8:30 a.m.
***United States District Court for the Northern District of California**
*450 Golden Gate Avenue, between Larkin and Polk in San Francisco*

On Tuesday, November 18th the Federal three-judge panel will meet in San Francisco to deal with the continuing issue of prison overcrowding. California's prisons are over 150% capacity. *We need to let them know that the only solution to prison overcrowding is prisoner release!*

The overwhelming defeat of Proposition 6 sent a strong message that the public does not want to spend millions of more dollars on a failed prison system. Proposition 9 passed, but only due to a well-funded media campaign filled with misleading information. Unless we challenge it now, prisoners will be incarcerated well beyond their mandated sentences. Join family members, friends and advocates for people in California's prisons to demand:

PAROLE ELIGIBLE PRISONERS NOW!

RELEASE LOW-RISK AGING PRISONERS, INCARCERATED SURVIVORS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, AND MEDICALLY INCAPACITATED PRISONERS!

STOP THE CRUEL AND UNUSUAL PUNISHMENT OF PEOPLE IN PRISON!

*INVEST IN COMMUNITIES NOT IN PRISONS!*

For more information call 415-255-7036 ext. 314 or email info@womenprisoners.org

If you haven't already, please don't forget to *send a free fax to Governor Schwarzenegger *at http://www.freebatteredwomen.org/Alert_Daisy.html urging him to release incarcerated domestic violence survivor Daisy Jane Benson.

from Free Battered Women

Dear friends:

It is with great joy that we announce that another domestic violence survivor has been released from state prison through the efforts of the California Habeas Project!

Brenda Clubine was released Wednesday, October 22nd, 2008, after serving 26 years on a 16-to-life sentence. She originally had been convicted of 2nd degree murder for the death of her abusive husband.

Due to a successful *habeas* petition under the law that the CA Habeas Project works to implement (PC Sec.