Woman Shackled While She Gave Birth

[The Straight Story]

Woman Shackled While She Gave Birth


McALLEN, Texas (CN) - A South Texas sheriff's deputy kept a woman in handcuffs as she gave birth, though she begged in pain for the cuffs to be removed, the woman claims in court.

Christina Mejia Gutierrez sued Hidalgo County, its Sheriff's Office, Sheriff Guadalupe Trevino and Deputy Garza in Federal Court.

Shackling a woman while she gives birth is illegal in Texas, though Mejia does not raise this claim in the lawsuit, which does not include Deputy Garza's first name.

Mejia says she was incarcerated in the Hidalgo County Jail for theft and was seven months pregnant when her water broke.

...

Mejia claims Garza was following a Hidalgo County Sheriff's Office policy of restraining pregnant inmates even when they are not a "substantial flight risk."

http://www.courthousenews.com/2013/07/30/59800.htm
That policy is illegal in Texas, under HB 3563 , which the Legislature passed in 2009 and Gov. Rick Perry signed into law.

[Xipe Totec]

1. Since when does County Sheriff's Office policy trump state law? nt

[msanthrope]

3. Look, there's some asshole in Lousiana who thinks Lawrence v. Texas doesn't

apply....and is arresting gay men for consensual sex.

Some people just need to be sued to fix their stupid.

[Orrex]

2. She's lucky she wasn't tasered and deported.