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San Quentin News THE PULSE OF SAN QUENTIN Award Winner VOL. 2014 NO.6 June 2014 SAN QUENTIN, CALIFORNIA 94964 www.sanquentinnews.com POPULATION 3,873 Amala Foundation Promotes Global Peace Inside S.Q. By Juan Haines Managing Editor May 25 was not a typical Sunday on San Quentin’s Lower Yard. Amid the morning ten- nis matches and basket- ball games that inmates play against the Bay Area community, dozens of Texans came to walk laps and raise funds in support of children who have endured trying times. The originators of the Photo by Sam Robinson fundraiser are inmates Photo by Michael Nelson Al Serrato, Stephen Wagstaffe and Tom Nolan Stephen Pascascio, Sam Johnson, Dwight Kriz- San Quentin band performs for the audience man and Gino Sevacos. San Mateo D.A. It was the fourth one held at San from Amala Foundation walked conversations. Quentin. the fi rst lap in silence as the soft “After walking a couple of “I met Vanessa Stone six years sounds of Love is Space, a de- laps with an inmate and talking, Discusses Criminal ago,” Pascascio said. “When I votional song by Deva Premal, sometimes you get this knowl- asked her what she does, she said fi lled the air. edge and experience that’s un- that she raises money for trau- Upon completing the lap, Justice Policy matized kids around the world. walkers engaged in intimate See Commemor. on Page 10 When I brought the fundraising San Quentin News’ fi fth Fo- nals. idea to the administration, they rum featured San Mateo County Introducing themselves, each were fully on board. The rest New Senate Bills Give District Attorney Stephen M. inmate described his crime, is history.” He added, “It is an Wagstaffe. Wagstaffe and his county of conviction and sen- honor and blessing to help such assistant, Al Serrato, discussed tence. Crimes ranged from bur- a worthy cause.” Hope To Juvenile Lifers criminal justice policy with Inmates, prison staffers, Bay about a dozen convicted crimi- See San Mateo on Page 4 Area people and representatives By Kevin D. Sawyer her in August 1991, news re- Journalism Guild Chairman ports state. After his convic- Correctional Offi cer Saves Inmate’s Life tion, he received a sentence of An inmate serving a sen- life without parole. By Lee Jaspar Lower Yard when the incident tence of life without the pos- At the time, Gonzalez was Journalism Guild Writer occurred. sibility of parole for his part in the youngest person ever to “I called Control and informed a murder that was committed receive such a sentence in Or- During the late afternoon of them that Tarvin was not breath- when he was 16 can now apply ange County. April 10, Correctional Offi cer ing,” Dougery said. “Once the for parole under a new law. Gonzalez did not shoot Arana brought inmate David R. medical staff of the Treatment Edel Gonzalez, 38, request- Bicknell or carry the weapon, Tarvin back to life. Triage Area arrived, I retrieved ed a hearing under Senate Bill but he received the same pun- “My heart quit, and I was (an) Amu-Bag, which is used to 9. He was subsequently resen- ishment as his adult cohorts, dead,” Tarvin said. “I want to supply oxygen to the person. I tenced to 25 years to life. reports say. express my sincere and heartfelt then began giving rescue breaths “I think Edel Gonzalez is “Young people often make appreciation for Offi cer Arana’s while Arana did chest compres- exactly the kind of person that mistakes, and sometimes knowledge and extraordinary sions.” this law contemplated,” Eliza- those mistakes have terrible professionalism.” “Medical staff knew exactly beth Calvin of Human Rights consequences,” said former Arana said when he found what was happening and exactly Watch. state Sen. Leland Yee, D-San Tarvin, he was unresponsive where to go but were not sure at Gonzalez and adult gang Francisco, author of SB 9. “We and without a pulse. File photo members attempted to carjack Sgt. Dougery was working the See C/O on Page 5 Correctional Officer Arana Janet Bicknell and fatally shot See Senate Bills on Page 15 Court Experts: CCWF’s Medical System Is Substandard According to court-appoint- patients’ medical conditions.” spite difficulties in the health ed medical experts, Califor- The report found some care delivery system. nia Central Women’s Facility women were prematurely dis- “With respect to medical in- (CCWF) is not delivering ad- charged from medical beds, take, the process is fragment- equate medical care to female or sent back to housing units ed and does not result in the inmates. CCWF is one of three without their health problems timely identification and treat- women’s facilities in the state addressed. ment of serious medical con- The experts toured CCWF The report “found signifi- ditions,” the report said, add- last July to conduct obser- cant problems related to time- ing there is no standardization vations and interviews with liness and quality of care in to laboratory tests ordered for medical staff and inmates. several systems.” Most of the newly arriving inmates; in- They inspected facilities, clin- problems were attributable stead, nurses independently ics, medical bed space, medi- to overcrowding, insufficient order laboratory tests without cal records and various hous- health care staffing and inad- a physician’s order. ing units. equate medical bed space. “Providers do not write The facility’s records show Many older women with a medication orders but sign the care was sporadic and “pro- higher need of medical care File photo viders did not address all the were transferred to CCWF de- See CCFW’s on Page 7 California Central Women’s Facility Page 2 SAN QUENTIN NEWS www.sanquentinnews.com June 2014 Inside Edition #57 San Mateo D.A. 1 DeNevi’s Paintings 9 EDITORIAL Amala Foundation 1 Tony Saunders 9 Senate Bills 1 Amala Walk 10 C.O. Saves Life 1 Alliance Banquet 11 CCWF medical system 1 Arts & Entertainment 12 Good Eye Care in Prison Editorial 2 ‘OG’s’ Perspective 13 Lengthy Prison Terms 3 Book Review 13 By Arnulfo T. Garcia Second Striker Cap 3 FCC Collect Calls order 13 Editor-in-Chief Prison Pop & Crime 3 Health & Wellness 14 With the federal courts de- Scott Walker 4 Health Care Concern 14 claring that California’s pris- Rehabilitative Services 4 Youth Deliquency 15 ons could not provide adequate Reid Technique 5 New Sentencing Law 15 health care because they were FBI Studies 5 Month of Ramadan 16 overcrowded, inmates often S.Q. Veterans 6 Jonathan Wilkerson 16 feel neglected by a perceived uncaring system. But, that as- Mark Titch’s Obit 6 News Briefs 17 sumption is not always true. Execution case 7 Letter to the Editor 17 There are numerous health Execution drugs 7 Sports 18 care providers who are con- CRI graduation 8 Sports 19 cerned about inmates’ medi- Rehab. Gardening 8 Asked on The Line 20 cal needs, and they often take extraordinary efforts to meet Ex-gang member 8 Father’s Day 20 patients’ needs. They serve in- mates in a variety of ways — from the nurse, who fi rst sees WWee CCanan UUsese YYourour HHelpelp an inmate, to outside special- ists; numerous people provide The San Quentin News is not supported fi nancially by the California prison system and depends on outside assistance. If you would like to help, there are two ways, a wide range of services. Most both of which are tax-deductible. To contribute with a check, send it to Prison of these doctors, nurses and Media Project, c/o Media Alliance, 1904 Franklin Street, No. 818, Oakland, CA technicians try their best to do 94612. Do not use this address for general correspondence. Instead, write to a good job. the San Quentin News, 1 Main Street, San Quentin, CA 94964. To contribute However, the manner in which with a credit card, go to our website, www.sanquentinnews.com, click on Support, and then on that page go to the bottom paragraph and click on Here. That will take a doctor, nurse, technician or you to the page where you can use a credit card. A special thanks goes to Marin medical staff member treats in- Sun Printing in San Rafael where our paper is printed. The following groups and mates infl uences the perception individuals have already made contributions: of that service. Is the health care FOUNDATIONS provider kind and polite or are The Annenberg Foundation, Columbia Foundation, Marin Community they harsh and arrogant? Foundation, Pastor Melissa Scott, and RESIST Infl uencing how an inmate INDIVIDUALS perceives his or her medical care is that inmates are aware Violet Adkins*, Lois Ahrens, Nassim Alisobhani, Alliance for Change, Corey Anderson, Faye Antolin, Daniel Barton*/Attorney at Law, Christopher B., Stella everything in prison is fi ltered through a strict system crafted Batzel, Peter Bentley*, Luci Berkowitz*, Iris Biblowitz*, Jeremy D. Blank, Ann Photo by Michelle Rochelle Boone, Anne Bozack, Susan Breiding, PL Brown, Bruce and Maris Budner, around custody. So, sitting in a Terry Butler, Robert Canning, Julia Carney, Kasi Chakravartula*, Celia Chazelle, holding area overseen by custo- Tara Kesecker in front of the CCHP hallway Roze Albina Chez, Abby Chin, Yevgenya Chityan, Mac Coffey, Ann Colburn, dy staff can make an inmate feel Kathleen Correll, Joseph Coyle, Colorado CURE, Angela Laura Curtis, Kevin that they are no more than an inmates might not be getting and she wants to be involved in Danaher, Leigh Davenport, Marcus Davies, Christine Dell, Daniel Elber, Claire Elizabeth DeSophia*, Teresa Dillinger, Lisa Doering, Mark Drevno, Braden number in an uncaring system.