News @lemmy.world Stopthatgirl7 @lemmy.world 2 mo. ago

California inmate's wife who was sexually violated during strip search wins $5.6 million in settlement, lawyers say

www.cbsnews.com California inmate's wife who was sexually violated during strip search wins $5.6 million in settlement, lawyers say

Christina Cardenas was subject to a strip search by prison officials and another strip search by a male doctor who sexually violated her, a lawsuit said.

The wife of a California inmate will receive $5.6 million after being sexually violated during a strip search when she tried to visit her husband in prison, her attorneys said Monday.

After traveling four hours to see her husband at a correctional facility in Tehachapi, California, on Sept. 6, 2019, Christina Cardenas was subject to a strip search by prison officials, drug and pregnancy tests, X-ray and CT scans at a hospital, and another strip search by a male doctor who sexually violated her, a lawsuit said.

"My motivation in pursuing this lawsuit was to ensure that others do not have to endure the same egregious offenses that I experienced," Cardenas said.

31 comments

...Cardenas was subject to a strip search by prison officials, drug and pregnancy tests, X-ray and CT scans at a hospital, and another strip search by a male doctor who sexually violated her, a lawsuit said.

I mean, where was she going to hide stuff, folks? X-ray and CT and you still felt the need to go deep in the holiest of holies? She deserves every penny.
drug and pregnancy tests

What in the world necessitates those?
- What in the world necessitates those?
  
  A system designed to abuse and control.
- At least the drug test is on brand. Stupid, but in a way I've come to expect. I cannot fathom what the point of the pregnancy test was.
  
  Probably to make sure she's not pregnant before doing the x-ray and Ct scan
- Pregnancy test before xray and ct scan for precaution maybe?
  
  And all of it was likely unconstitutional
Ok wait, so were the people that took part of this not jailed? That's what I want to know. It are they still working within the system which could result in more?
- You must be new here..
  
  Edit: bad meme, I don’t follow celebrities. James Franco isn’t a good guy it turns out
Wtf.... I'm glad she pursued a lawsuit, holy fuck.
She was told she had to pay for the hospital's services and later received invoices for a combined total of more than $5,000. Despite no contraband being found in any of her belongings or her body, Cardenas was denied her visit with her husband.

One of the prison officials asked her, "Why do you visit, Christina? You don't have to visit. It's a choice, and this is part of visiting," according to Cardenas.

Holy shit. You don't have to visit your family in prison and if you do this is what we'll do to you. Chilling.

A lawsuit filed on behalf of 21 women incarcerated at the California Institution for Women in San Bernardino County includes allegations spanning from 2014 to 2020 of forcible rape, oral copulation, groping and threats of violence and punishment by officers, CBS Los Angeles reported.

Earlier this year the federal Bureau of Prisons announced it will close a women's prison in Northern California known as the "rape club" after an Associated Press investigation exposed rampant sexual abuse by correctional officers.

We have such a barbaric society. We deserve all the terrible shit that happens to us for not stoping things like this. If we actually strove to protect the people who need it, we'd have a more harmonious population. We're assholes.
- Typical Americans: “if they’re in prison, they deserve it”
  
  Violent, disgusting Americans.
  
  I can't imagine why you were downvoted for this. You speak truth--prison in the US is not mean to rehabilitate, it's meant to cause suffering. Families of inmates are collateral and take part in the suffering because, I guess, screw them for being related to a criminal.
Gloria Allred is a fuckin legend. Holy shit, no wonder they got such a big payment. And with a name like that as legal representation, this might actually have a lasting effect.
- I googled Gloria Allred as I'd never heard of her.
  
  Gloria Rachel Allred (née Bloom; born July 3, 1941) is an American attorney known for taking high-profile and often controversial cases, particularly those involving the protection of women's rights. She has been inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame.
  
  Here's her Wikipedia
  
  There is a documentary on her and it is something else, she is a force of nature!
  
  I didn't think she practiced anymore but seeing this, I can see she still is working. And what I remember most about her is she made a lot of money in her career so when she takes these high profile cases, she does so on the cheap or pro bono. She is the worst nightmare of her opponents.
After traveling four hours to see her husband at a correctional facility in Tehachapi, California, on Sept. 6, 2019, Christina Cardenas was subject to a strip search by prison officials, drug and pregnancy tests, X-ray and CT scans at a hospital, and another strip search by a male doctor who sexually violated her, a lawsuit said.

What the hell kind of facility is this? Are they holding Magneto in the basement?
- X-Ray maybe I could understand, like some sort of TSA thing. But what fucking prison has their own CT scanner?!?! And why the fuck would they give a rats ass if she was pregnant?!? Or high? Hell I’d have to be on Xanax to even go inside in the first place.
  
  I’d bet a large sum of money this is a private “for profit” prison. No government bean counter would ever approve of those kind of expenses.
  
  Edit: Nope … California Dept. of Corrections. 🤯

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