In Labor and In Chains

Shawanna Nelson was sentenced to six years in prison for credit card fraud and bad checks, she was 5.5 months pregnant at the time she was incarcerated. When she went into labor at the hospital her legs and arms were shackled to her bed despite the presence of an armed guard.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• prison
• women's rights
• shackling
• hand cuffs
• labor
• pregnancy

[rff2206]

Women are not animals, and this practice must be ended in all fifty states, not state by state.

[2000yrCatholic]

There should be no chains for a pregnant

woman in labor and there should be

no chains for the unborn babies who want to be born.

[DarkMagicianGirl247]

At first I thought it was gonna be about slavery

[a3rodenhauser]

Oh come on! it's not like she's gonna run around while in labor or even after giving birth!!! Jeez!

[29Essan]

@knutgordon

you have no heart. so cold.

[knutgordon]

@MySnaz

Rather we men tend to not let emotions or compassion blindly trump cold logic and sense. All prisoners from young women in labor to old men recovering from CABG I have ever dealt with in a health care setting were shackled either to the PO or to the bed - Never for a moment left at their own in order to be "nice". No exceptions seems like sound policy to me. I see no real problem with restraint that that allow for some movement beyond the pregnant inmates hurt feelings and pride.

[MySnaz]

@knutgordon You must be of teh male species. No brains, or compassion.

[knutgordon]

No sympathies from me. They got them self into jail so they have to take the lumps coming their way. As far as keeping prison inmates restrained outside the jail perimeters, I see no real problem with it even in labor if done properly. 6 feet of running link to the bed rail and to one wrist will not cause scarring or be an issue in the birthing room and gives them all the space they need to get on their knees / lay on side / into stirrups or whatever woman are doing during labor.

[knutgordon]

@29Essan

Sound fair to me. If people don't want to be treated like a prisoner while receiving medical treatment outside the prison walls, don't become a jail inmate in the first place: simple really.

[29Essan]

@silverton7777

white women deal with this to idiot

[29Essan]

@rff2206

well said

[29Essan]

if i m an inmate and they take me to the hospital cuffed i will not allow anyone to treat me period.