A Chicago inmate wants $200,000 because she was shackled while giving birth. What do you think?
Marilu Morales was eight months' pregnant when she was incarcerated. When she went into labor three days later, a sheriff's deputy shackled her hand and foot to the hospital bed, the lawsuit alleged.
Morales was in labor for four hours before a physician ordered the deputy to remove the shackles shortly before she gave birth, the lawsuit said. The shackles were allegedly put back on immediately after the baby was born.
We're debating this here at the office. It seems like the deputy was just doing his job, what do you think?
Morales was in labor for four hours before a physician ordered the deputy to remove the shackles shortly before she gave birth, the lawsuit said. The shackles were allegedly put back on immediately after the baby was born.
We're debating this here at the office. It seems like the deputy was just doing his job, what do you think?
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Pete Lawler on -
I was always taught and teach during my Transportation classes that the inmate stayes restrained in some form at all times. Just doing his job...
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Permalink Reply by Jeff Wade on -
I think the deputy was doing his job, and should not be held liable. Although if the state law does in fact prohibit restraining offenders in labor, then his department needs to change their policies.
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Permalink Reply by LadyBastet on -
I was under the impression that it is against the law to shackle an inmate to a hospital bed. At least, when I went to training, that is what I was taught.
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Permalink Reply by Michael Miller on -
The amazing part is that she only wants $200,000. After a little research I was able to find that the 200,000 dollar amount is only the beginning. According to the Chicago Tribune the lawyer for Morales plans on trying to make this a class action lawsuit. This in theory would give previous Chicago female offenders the possibility to going the lawsuit if they to had to go through the same ordeal as Marilu. According to the Chicago Tribune the policy of having a pregnant offender unrestrained during the last stages of labor until the baby is delivered derives from when a woman remained unrestrained the entire time and ended jumping out a window ripping out her stitches and bleeding to death.
A simi wise man once said if you can’t do the time don’t do the crime. The woman was in no way physically harmed by the actions of the officer or the staff of the hospital. The emotional distress that she encountered is a direct correlation of her actions which put her under the custody of the department. Our law enforcement officials, judges and society in general needs to quit coddling offenders.
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Permalink Reply by LadyBastet on
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Michael Miller stated, "Our law enforcement officials, judges and society in general needs to quit coddling offenders."
My sentiments, exactly!
Michael Miller said:The amazing part is that she only wants $200,000. After a little research I was able to find that the 200,000 dollar amount is only the beginning. According to the Chicago Tribune the lawyer for Morales plans on trying to make this a class action lawsuit. This in theory would give previous Chicago female offenders the possibility to going the lawsuit if they to had to go through the same ordeal as Marilu. According to the Chicago Tribune the policy of having a pregnant offender unrestrained during the last stages of labor until the baby is delivered derives from when a woman remained unrestrained the entire time and ended jumping out a window ripping out her stitches and bleeding to death.
A simi wise man once said if you can’t do the time don’t do the crime. The woman was in no way physically harmed by the actions of the officer or the staff of the hospital. The emotional distress that she encountered is a direct correlation of her actions which put her under the custody of the department. Our law enforcement officials, judges and society in general needs to quit coddling offenders.
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Permalink Reply by Eric Crawford on -
he was doing his job. but i think you can also take it case by case and how you wold shackle the inmate.
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Permalink Reply by Sheila on
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He was just doing his job. When the Dr. asked to have the inmate unshackled, he do so. He placed the shackles back on after the baby was delivered. After all, she is still an inmate.
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Permalink Reply by Gunny on -
An inmate is an inmate the only difference is the hardware in the grion area and chest area. This Correctional Officer was doing his sworn duty and that is to protect the public. So what if she was a female who's delivering a baby, this inmate is just looking for a meal ticket to support her habit in the future. As a former supervisor at Perryville the females that were released would violate their parole on purpose so that they could come back and have the state pay for the delivery of the baby when finding out that they were pergnant.
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Permalink Reply by Joseph R. Mackey on
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No mention of her giving up the kid or what will happen to it? The deputy/officer was doing his job. What is she incarcerated for? Is it a violent crime, whats her history (escape, violence) and what tpye of custody should she have been in (min, med or max)? Before we or the courts can make an educated guess they need all the facts
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Permalink Reply by Gunny on
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As long as the Deputy was following policy and procdure and his eastiblished post orders. This Deputy was doing his job as he was suppose to. Another issue that needs to be looked at. What was the inmates institutional and public risk to staff and the civilian population ? Is the inmate a potential flyt risk ? Is she a repeat offender ? Does she have known relations to high profile gang members of the community ? There are many factors to consider, the bottom line is that the Deputy was doing his job and was to ensure that the staff present and the civilian public were protected at all times. I would love to meet this Deputy and shake his hand for standing by his work ethic in doing his job.
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Permalink Reply by K. Carney on -
From what I can find Morales was being held on Possession of Controlled Substances Charges and was arrested when she was 8 months pregenant....gonna be a steller mommy this one if she's holding at 8 months I'm bettin she was also using.
The shackles were removed at the Dr's request at the last stages of labor and then reapplied after the birth, in accordance with state law. The argument now is what constitutes labor according to her attorney and he wants to make it a class action suit. The Deputy did his job according to policy and procedure and apparently the state law as P&P interprets it so good on him.
What it amounts to is mommy wants a pay day and this is as good an excuse as any for the tax payers to fund her life. Her attorney is playing silly lawyer games cause he sees $$$$$$$$$$$$$. Sad part is they'll probably settle out of court cause it's cheaper.
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Permalink Reply by Killa Kamm on
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I think the deputy did the right thing in our policy here any inmate at the hospital is to be shakled at all times even when going through surgery. Maybe they have not seen the reports of the injuries that several officers have recieved from inmates while in hospital duties. One of recent was killed in Maryland while in the hospital room.
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