Girl's Dying Wish To See Incarcerated Dad

[tropicsgoddess]

I was torn about this to be honest. This 10 year old girl died of brain cancer and her dying wish was to see her father who she had a close relationship with and is currently serving his 5 year sentence in Federal prison for a drug related charge. Part of me said that he should've though about his actions and how it would affect his family, but another part of me was thought about how the prison officials could've been more sympathetic to his plight and to honor his dying daughter's wish, despite the fact that typically somebody who is incarcerated does not get that sort of privilege, let alone be able to attend the funeral of a loved on who passed on during the period they are serving their sentence.

[ebonyknight]

Actually, (like most stories) there is more to it than meets the eye.

I heard about this and apparently, the Warden of this prison has been generous in the past about letting this prisoner see his daughter, several times.

Apparently something occurred recently where he wasn't willing to grant the last visit. Considering he allowed him to in the past, but not now, I am sure he had a good reason.

[Norton]

I suppose the rules differ from a Federal Prison to a County Jail, but I know prisoners in Jail are allowed to attend funerals. As a Deputy Sherriff, it was part of my father's job to escort prisoners to hospitals and funerals. Certainly some exception could have been made in this situation.

I find it sad that this girl was punished for her father's crime.

As for a 5 year sentence on drug-related charges, I think it's a waste of prison space. Unless violence and/or theft is involved, I believe consenting adults should not be punished for buying/selling/using drugs. Let's save our tax-money supported Prison space and Police effort for violent crimes and theft.

[rahmota]

Wow that really underscores how callous, evil , heartless and unjust our "justice" system has become. The guy's own daughter was dying and they wouldnt let her see him. A pox and plague upon all those responsible for that cruelty.

Not to go off tangent but I'm with Norton that the guy shouldn't even have been there in the first place. I know from my brief time in lock up over 2/3rds of the people in there where for BS drug related "crimes".

This country needs an enema big time.

[crazylegs]

Having seen the desctructive effect drugs have on people, society and communities I cannot share the sentiment that the man shouldn't have been in jail, however unless there is a serious risk to the public within a set time a lot of prisoners will have permission to attend funerals even if they are cuffed constantly to a prison officer.

[AFPheonix]

While it was a non-violent drug crime, the man was running a meth lab. That particular drug is not a recreational drug like, say marijuana. I don't know about being in for 5 years, but he did deserve some level of punishment. Besides, he was running that lab while his daughter was sick. I wonder if the toxic chemicals he was bringing into the house to cook his drug of choice exacerbated her condition.

He also had gotten to go see her on 3 other occasions. It's not unusual to allow non-violent inmates out on furlough for special reasons, and this would be one, in my opinion.
Despite what he did, he should have been able to go sit by her side one last time. It wouldn't be for his sorry sake, it would have been for hers.

[rahmota]

While it was a non-violent drug crime, the man was running a meth lab. That particular drug is not a recreational drug like, say marijuana.

This is true Meth is a much more serious and dangerous chemical than the drug marijuana.

I don't know about being in for 5 years, but he did deserve some level of punishment.

I will agree that some degree of punishment for breaking the law is appropriate but the drug laws are in dire need of revamping. I will discus that on a war on drugs thread.

Besides, he was running that lab while his daughter was sick. I wonder if the toxic chemicals he was bringing into the house to cook his drug of choice exacerbated her condition.

Given the basic chemicals required to make meth (I learned this in the jail as one of my pod mates was a methcooker, as well as the anhydrous ammonia fertilizer for the farm is one of the main ingredients) unless he was stretching the batch or cutting it with junk then they wouldnt have made the Cancer worse. Wouldnt have helped things much otherwise but would not have affected the cancer.

He also had gotten to go see her on 3 other occasions. It's not unusual to allow non-violent inmates out on furlough for special reasons, and this would be one, in my opinion

True this time it seems like they just wanted to jerk him around. not an uncommon thing for Cos to do. If a prisoner gets on their shit list for whatever whim or reason then basic rights and definately priviledges are ignored or denied.

Despite what he did, he should have been able to go sit by her side one last time. It wouldn't be for his sorry sake, it would have been for hers.

This is true. For them to deny it was just plain cruel and unusual punishment.

[Seshat]

I have heard that meth labs are risky operations, and if they were a legal industry, they'd be definitely zoned to industrial areas and possibly the 'potentially dangerous industry' type of industrial area.

Essentially, that meth labs should not be in residential areas, and have a risk of blowing up.

Now, I have no idea if that's true. But if it is, then I support jail time for people running meth labs in residential areas. It shows a degree of callous disregard for one's neighbours that tips it to criminal negligence at best. Or if the thing actually blows up and kills someone, it should be a criminal sort of manslaughter or some level of negligent homicide.

All that said, I'm not a lawyer or a police officer. Just an opinionated layman.


As for the girl: if she could be moved to the jail, then I see no reason not to let her see her Dad. If she couldn't, then the question becomes whether it was safe for society for the Dad to go to see her. And that, I have no knowledge to make a judgement on.

[rahmota]

I have heard that meth labs are risky operations

Well yes they are. They give off unpleasant to hazardous fumes. If the person doing the batch isnt payign attention to several things there is the possibility of an explosion from either a chemical reaction that goes out of control or the cooking of the batch in the pressure tank that creates the sludge that is then turned into the "crystals". And since unfortunately many of the producers are also users it is not impossible for the process to become out of control. Which is one reason out in the country you have to be careful around abandoned houses/farms and wildlife areas as many of the smarter (or less dumb) cookers have moved their process out of town. Of course there was a report a while back of someone having a big ol van getting pulled over and discovering it was a portable meth lab.


So no it is not something that would be a good idea in a residential area, or would be very healthy to be around. It doesnt do anything to increase the cancer risk from what i can figure (of course though according to california everything causes cancer) but that for another thread.

The main point of this one is that the daughter was dying. She requested her father to be there. The prison officials/courts refused to let him be with her. They where arsemonkeys.