[Ppnews] Family of California Prisoner Who Died on Hunger Strike Speaks Out

[Political Prisoner News]

Family of California Prisoner Who Died on Hunger Strike Speaks Out

February 23, 2012
http://solitarywatch.com/2012/02/23/family-of-california-prisoner-who-died-on-hunger-strike-speaks-out/

by <http://solitarywatch.com/author/sal2329/>Sal Rodriguez


The family of Christian Gomez, the 27-year-old 
prisoner who died while on hunger strike at 
California’s Corcoran State Prison, is speaking 
out about the loss of their family member in the 
hope that similar incidents in the future are avoided.

In a phone call with Solitary Watch, California 
Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation 
spokesperson Terry Thornton confirmed that Gomez 
had been placed in solitary confinement in the 
Administrative Segregation Unit (ASU) pending 
investigation of assault on another inmate with a 
weapon on January 14, 2012. Thornton would not 
confirm the status of this investigation. Gomez 
was serving a life sentence for first degree murder and attempted murder.

Christian Gomez had not told his family members 
of his intentions to participate in the January 
27-February 13 hunger strike held by ASU inmates 
<http://sfbayview.com/2011/new-hunger-strike-petition-for-improved-conditions-in-administrative-segregation-unit-at-corcoran-state-prison/>in 
protest of their conditions. According to an 
interview with Gomez’s sister, Y.L., she “found 
out when the coroner Tom [Edmonds] implied that 
there was a possibility of a chemical imbalance 
due to a hunger strike he was participating in. 
That’s the first I heard of this. Back in 
<http://solitarywatch.com/2011/09/22/the-truth-about-solitary-confinement-in-california/>Sep 
or Oct when he first was transferred there he did 
tell me that they were having a hunger strike to 
fight for their rights but he was in general population.”

Contrary to 
<http://solitarywatch.com/2012/02/10/inmate-dies-during-hunger-strike-at-californias-corcoran-state-prison/>earlier 
reports that he had only been on a hunger strike 
for four days when he died, Terry Thornton 
confirmed to Solitary Watch that Gomez joined the 
strike on January 27 with 31 other inmates. This 
means that he had been on hunger strike for a week at the time of his death.

The family says that Gomez had high blood 
pressure, thyroid and kidney problems.  According 
to Y.L., before being sent to Corcoran he had 
been incarcerated at High Desert State Prison for 
four years. “He told me things were a lot 
different at this prison and that he didn’t 
receive the same medical attention he received over at high desert,” said Y.L.

Gomez was found unresponsive in his cell at an 
unconfirmed time on February 2. 
<http://solitarywatch.com/2012/02/17/conflicting-reports-on-hunger-strike-at-californias-corcoran-state-prison/>Reports 
from other inmates indicate that they had pounded 
on their cell doors and screamed to get the 
attention of the correctional officers. He was 
declared dead at Corcoran District Hospital at 12:22 PM.

According to Y.L., “My mother received the call 
of my brother’s death on Thursday February 2, 
2012 at approximately  1pm. She then called me 
hysterically and that’s when I went over to her 
house. When I got there I asked her who called 
and she said someone from the prison. [I] asked 
her if they gave her a number were we could call 
to obtain more info and she said no. They told 
her that she would receive a letter in the mail 
explaining everything and where we could claim 
the body
 I was so upset that things were being 
handled this way, for God sake we were talking 
about a human being not an animal.”

Asked how she would like people to remember her 
brother, Y.L. responded,”he was a genuine person 
that had not lost hope in the system. He knew 
that he would eventually get out. Although he had 
made bad choices in who he hung around with he 
didn’t murder anyone. The witnesses in his case 
never identified him on the contrary, but yet he 
was still convicted. Unfortunately we couldn’t 
afford a good attorney and he got screwed. He was 
very caring with his family and friends and 
therefore he will be greatly missed by those who 
knew him. He had matured a lot in prison and can 
be remembered by those who knew him as a 
prankster. There was never a dull moment with 
him. He always had a big smile when we visited 
him and never discussed how bad things were in 
there to not worry us. He always said he was 
fine. Even in the last letter he wrote on Jan 
30th which my mom received on Feb 3rd he wrote that he was fine.”




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