A woman and her attorney’s just filed a lawsuit naming the Maricopa County Sheriffs Office and Joe Arpaio and numerous others as defendants. The suit alleges the woman was shackled during labor and during a cesarean section that was performed while under the custody of the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office.

In part the press release issued by Joy Bertrand, Shannon Peters and John McBee reads as follows:

DECEMBER 20, 2011
Phoenix, AZ
RE: WOMAN SHACKLED DURING LABOR SUES JOE ARPAIO

Mendiola v. Arpaio, et. al

Arizona District Court Number 11CV2512

Yesterday, through her attorneys, Miriam Mendiola-Martinez filed a federal lawsuit against Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, the Maricopa Medical Center, Maricopa County Sheriff’s Officers, and Maricopa Medical Center doctors and nurses, alleging that she was shackled by Maricopa County Sheriff’s officers during labor and after her Cesarean delivery. Her attached complaint, alleges that Sheriff Arpaio and the other defendants violated several constitutional rights, to include the Eighth Amendment rights to be free from cruel and unusual punishment and the right of prisoners to adequate health care.

The complaint states that in December 2009, while she was held as a prisoner in Maricopa County jails, Ms. Mendiola-Martinez was repeatedly shackled during her labor and while she recovered from a Cesarean birth. She also alleges that a MCSO deputy or correctional officer forced her to walk, with her hands and feet shackled, wearing only a hospital gown and with a bleeding surgery wound, out of the hospital and then back into the hospital while she was being discharged from the hospital.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the American Medical Association oppose the shackling of women in labor or recuperating from delivery. In 2008, in Nelson v. Norris, the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals
found the shackling of women prisoners during labor to constitute cruel and unusual punishment, in violation of the Eighth Amendment.

The Arizona Department of Corrections eliminated the practice of shackling women in labor or in postpartum recovery in 2003. In 2007, the United States Marshal’s Service eliminated the practice of shackling women in labor. In 2008,
the Federal Bureau of Prisons eliminated the practice of shackling women in labor.

Ms. Mendiola-Martinez is represented by Attorneys Joy Bertrand, Shannon Peters, and John McBee.

The lawsuit is just one more example of the abuses perpetrated against the Latino community. The lawsuit outlines and alleges egregious behavior on behalf of the MCSO deputies who shackled the woman while giving birth and subsequently forced her to walk with a bleeding surgery wound.

Carlos E. Galindo is a radio talk show host & political analyst conducting radio shows in both English and Spanish on four radio stations in Arizona. Mr. Galindo is a weekly contributor to KPFK 98.7 FM and W60 AM Los Angeles and has appeared on CNN, Univision and Telemundo as a political analyst. Mr. Galindo is also an Op-Ed columnist on Prensa Hispana http://www.carlosgalindo.com

After last week’s release of the Department of Justice’s three year investigation, seventeen months of which was delayed by Arpaio’s typical stall tactics and outright refusal to cooperate, the Department of Homeland Security pulled the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office 287g certification which allowed them to check the legal status of suspected undocumented Immigrants.

There was some brief celebrating regarding the possibility of Joe Arpaio’s demise, perhaps one similar to the one Russell Pearce fell victim to, the will of the people working together in a concerted effort to remove a political cancer.

As the news developed rapidly many of us in the Immigrant community were met with the false hope that undocumented Immigrants would no longer be detained for processing by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

MCSO’s 287g agreement with the Feds allowed Arpaio’s detention officers to check the legal status of those detained in MCSO’s jails. The myth was that only criminal aliens were run through the Fed legal status verification system, however, even those detained for failure to present proper ID or for minor traffic violations were run through the system and detained for ICE. The damage to the Immigrant community is immeasurable. Families are split up and employers loose valued employees.

However Senator Jon Kyl wasn’t about to stand by and allow harmless Immigrants to be given a break. He immediately shipped a letter out to the Feds complaining about a possible lapse in the screening of Immigrants processed through MCSO’s jails. The Feds always willing to oblige a U.S. senator, and in order to avoid bringing on the wrath of the Republicans and those hell bent on making the Immigrants the scapegoats for this nation’s problems, responded with a letter outlining their plans for closing that void that might have been left by denying Joe Arpaio the 287g certification and access to the secure communities program.

In a detailed letter to Senator Kyle the DHS assured the senator that a gap in coverage due to MCSO losing their 287g certification would not occur. DHS indicated in part:

Although ICE has terminated its 287(g) agreement with MCSO, ICE will continue to advance our immigration enforcement and public safety efforts in Maricopa County. ICE has dedicated 50 federal immigration officers to screen, identify, apprehend, and remove criminal aliens found in the jails of Maricopa County. These ICE officers will perform the work previously conducted by 287(g) officers and will ensure that criminal aliens and other removable public safety threats are not released into the community. These federal officers will have full access to Secure Communities and will continue this work until such time as DOJ is satisfied that MCSO has remedied the unlawful practices outlined in the DOJ report. In short, there will be no gap in immigration enforcement in Maricopa County.

I’m sure that Kyl was thrilled that the good people of Maricopa County would not be at risk of harm from their dishwashers, landscapers, housekeepers and cooks.

Meanwhile families will continue to be separated and you might just find that the sushi or the steak that you love to eat might taste a little different. Well, that’s based on the fact that there’s now a new cook working at your favorite restaurant and the guy who normally cooks your food in that fine food restaurant might have been picked up for a traffic violation and is being held for processing by an ICE officer in Joe’s jails.

Jon Kyl

Carlos E. Galindo is a radio talk show host & political analyst conducting radio shows in both English and Spanish on four radio stations in Arizona. Mr. Galindo is a weekly contributor to KPFK 98.7 FM Los Angeles and W60 AM Radio, Los Angeles, San Diego and has appeared on CNN, Univision and Telemundo as a political analyst. Mr. Galindo is also an Op-Ed columnist on Prensa Hispana and the Tucson Citizen in Arizona.

http://www.carlosgalindo.com

Well Cain is out. We knew it was coming. Simply put, Herman Cain isn’t presidential material. We know it has nothing to do with the color of his skin, given that we have a black president. No, Cain’s problem was, amongst many, the fact that he wasn’t up to speed on the “issues.” Put aside the womanizing and the lying, which in the past, have actually been qualifiers for the presidency, simply put, Cain is a political dunce.

I couldn’t help but visualize Cain with 3×5 index cards in his hands as he struggled with the Libya issue in a recent interview with the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel editorial board. He was also visualizing those index cards, and unfortunately for him, his brain couldn’t access his memory banks quick enough, causing him to have what many call a Jan Brewer or Rick Perry moment.

As Cain drew upon his memory he muttered:

“Okay, Libya,” said Cain, glancing up. “President Obama supported the uprising, correct? President Obama called for the removal of [Muammar] Gaddafi. Just wanted to make sure we’re talking about the same thing before I say, ‘Yes, I agreed. No, I didn’t agree,’” said Cain.

“I do not agree with the way he handled it for the following reason,” Cain started, before cutting himself off. “Nope, that’s a different one.” Cain shifted in his chair, adjusted his jacket and looked up again.

“I got all this stuff twirling around in my head,” he added.

It was a painful moment even for me. I think most of us were aware that this was the start of his demise. As I previously stated, Cain’s womanizing didn’t seem to be a problem for the GOP or the faithful Tea Baggers that yearned to see a black man give the other black man occupying the white house a run for his money. It was amazing to watch these hypocrites, men and women alike, paint the women who reported Cain’s extracurricular activities as promiscuous vixens.

Keep in mind that when someone runs for the presidency, their entire family is subject to scrutiny, and even if they themselves are squeaky clean, as in Gloria Cain’s case, they have to deal with the candidates misdeeds, missteps and misconduct.

I Imagine the pressure for Gloria Cain was just too much to bear. I don’t doubt one bit that Gloria was aware of Herman’s sexual promiscuity, many women in long marriages are well aware of their husbands infidelity and choose to ignore it for the sake of preserving their marriage. For God’s sake, if you’re married to a man for 43 years you know his every whim, desire and faults.

Eventually Cain’s sexual appetite proved to be his demise. One too many accusations. Ginger White and his alleged 13 year affair proved to be the final nail in his political coffin.

Cain eventually decided that he would allow Gloria to decide whether or not he would leave the race for the GOP nomination. Why does the song I’m Leaving It All Up To You” come to mind?

Gloria’s decision was loud and clear. Gloria said no more, and the Cainster hung up his political apron, much dirtier than the one he wore while running Godfather pizza.

Remember, I said Cain was a political dunce, I never said he isn’t a greedy S.O.B. that has lied and cheated his way to the top. Cain suspended his campaign. He didn’t dissolve his campaign! The difference is, that when you suspend your campaign you can continue to raise and receive funds to pay off any outstanding debts, and of course, the clincher, Cain get’s matching federal funds next year. In layman’s terms, matching federal funds means you and I will be handing Cain some of our hard earned bucks, also referred to as taxpayer money.

During Cain’s long drawn out and often babbling campaign suspension speech in which his wife was acknowledged by the mostly Tea Party supporters by chanting “Gloria, Gloria Gloria”, Cain announced the launch of a new project, a website.He plugged the site www.thecainsolutions.com as if he were plugging his infamous and flawed 9-9-9 plan.

Cain doesn’t want to have to return the millions received as he rose in the polls touting his 9-9-9 plan, I suspect he’ll turn his campaign into a PAC, which is of course allowed under FEC rules. That allows Cain to stay in the political manipulation game by using his political action committee.

So the Herman will go back to being Herman! Womanizing, lobbying, and rubbing shoulders with those who buy politicians like him.

His relationship with the Koch brothers I suspect will get better. After all, he followed orders well and did exactly what he was told. The Koch brothers ties to his campaign were obvious. Mark Block, “the smoker” from the Cain campaign youtube video also worked alongside Cain lobbying for Americans For Prosperity, one of the Koch brothers advocacy organizations from 2005 to 2011. Block was Cain’s campaign manager and served as overseer for the Koch brothers.

Cain has always known his place around rich white men. He learned it from his father who was a chauffeur for Coca Cola’s president Robert Woodruff.

Herman Cain is living proof that the good old “boy” system is alive and well, and the masters of that system are the major players in the Grand Old Party.

Nein, Nein, Nein I did not have sex with these women

Carlos E. Galindo is a radio talk show host & political analyst conducting radio shows in both English and Spanish on four radio stations in Arizona. Mr. Galindo is a weekly contributor to KPFK 98.7 FM Los Angeles and W60 AM Radio, Los Angeles, San Diego and has appeared on CNN, Univision and Telemundo as a political analyst. Mr. Galindo is also an Op-Ed columnist on Prensa Hispana and the Tucson Citizen in Arizona.

Listen to our live radio broadcast every Friday from 5-7 PM on The JOLT Tucson 1330 AM or via the web on http://www.carlosgalindo.com