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<div align="center"><b>Renees’s Story by Sara Olson and Rene Gonzalez
<br><br>
I<br><br>
</b></div>
Women are entering U.S. prisons at twice the rate for men. Furthermore,
we are sentenced to longer time than men for the same acts. I asked a
young visitor, who is writing her Ph.D. thesis on the plight of women in
America’s prison system today why this is so. She replied that it’s the
old patriarchal reason; when women commit crimes we become “fallen
women”. Women who step outside the norm of acceptable female deportment
are worse than men who, after all are expected to: <br><br>
A. Be violent<br><br>
B. Love guns<br><br>
C. Act Crazy<br><br>
D. Make mistakes<br><br>
Furthermore, women are getting very long or life sentences for aiding and
abetting, after the same sentence they would already have gotten for
actually committing the act.<br><br>
This is Renee Gonzales’s story. She is serving life without the
possibility of parole plus seven years. It wasn’t until she came to CCWF
that she heard the word LWOP (pronounced El-Wop). Her roommate Jean P., a
sixty year old woman who is also an LWOP, told Renee “when you came here
there were 58 LWOPs, six months later there are
62!” <br><br>
Recently, a poll was taken in the Scott Peterson case. Californians
wanted Peterson to be LWOPed rather than get the death penalty. They
think it’s far worse. They’re right!! Renee agrees. She says “Go ahead
and give me the death penalty. It would be cheaper for the state, and
it’s worse to be LWOPed than get the death penalty. Just stick the needle
in my arm”. Many women here who are LWOPed or face terms such as
75-to-life say the same thing. Unfortunately, as the culture of
California and in the other states becomes more vengeance-oriented, these
women may get their wish.<br><br>
Mandatory sentence guidelines have hiked to unreasonable amounts.
Citizens seem to support, or their governments do, spending tax money on
punishment and imprisonment rather than for education, healthcare, and
public works. The man Renee allegedly kidnapped and tried to kill had
been, in the 1940s, convicted of manslaughter, served seven years and was
released. He killed somebody. She asks, “What am I doing here? All I did
was get out the masking tape and try to get him out of my house!”
<br><br>
California continues, under Governor Schwarzenegger, to rarely parole
lifers. The Board of Prison Terms confers a parole on a lifer and, then,
at its headquarters in Sacramento, other BPT staffers deny the decision,
write the explanation and submit it to the governor who automatically
concurs with the recommendation. Slick! In his first year in office,
Schwarzenegger has denied 68% of parole Dates per BPT opinion. Alas, for
LWOPS there isn’t even that small hope.<br><br>
<div align="center"><b>II<br><br>
</b></div>
I want to ask you, is it fair? Is it justice to send a woman to prison
for Life without Parole for trying to defend and protect her family? My
name is Renee Gonzales. I am 47 years old and I am currently serving an
LWOP sentence plus seven years at CCWF (Central California Women’s
Facility) in Chowchilla, CA. Here is my
story. <br><br>
Yes, I’ve had problems with drugs in the past but I’ve worked hard to
overcome them. Before this happened, I volunteered at the local senior
citizens center in Perris, CA and I was paid by the state to be a
caregiver for my
father–in-law.
<br><br>
During this time, I was tested monthly for drugs by the state. I never
gave them a dirty test. I have two daughters, ages 12 and 28, living with
us at home. My husband Louis and I were both working with CPS (Child
Protective Services) to regain custody of Marissa, our granddaughter. We
were subject to random drug testing. The day after the alleged crime
occurred, I went to Children’s Court in Riverside, CA and was awarded
custody of Marissa, due to the fact that we were doing so
well. <br><br>
I have never been involved in a violent incident. Louis and I were trying
to turn our lives
around. <br><br>
Here is what happened on August 8<sup>th</sup>, 2001: I was sleeping in
bed. My husband woke me and told me to help him get Larry Esparya out of
the house. Larry had been living with us for a few months. He was
homeless when he was kicked out of his sister-in-law’s place. We felt
sorry for him and allowed him to stay temporarily. He abused our
kindness. He refused to work and he started to steal from us in order to
supply his drug habit. <br><br>
My husband asked me to help get Larry out of the house because he is
messed up on drugs. Larry said he needed a glass of water so he went in
the kitchen for it. He came back with a knife and attacked Louis with it,
yelling that he wasn’t going
anywhere. <br><br>
I was scared for our lives. I tried to help my husband restrain Larry. I
ran back and forth between the living room and the bedroom where my kids
slept. I realize now that I should have called 911 but everything
happened so fast that I just reacted and I didn’t
think.
<br><br>
I saw the string and masking tape I was using earlier to bundle boxes and
newspapers and I grabbed the tape. I wanted to tie Larry’s hands so he
couldn’t knife anyone. I openly admitted in court that I tried to tie
Larry up but it was a desperate moment. I thought if I told the truth,
the jury would understand how scared I was. I didn’t know any better but
I realize now it wasn’t the smartest thing to
do. <br><br>
My husband told me to leave. I got out of the house with my kids. We went
to a friend’s house. The next thing I knew, I was arrested for
kidnapping, torture, and attempted murder. An attorney was appointed to
my case. I was in jail for a year and a half. During this time, my
attorney never came to see me. He had a block on his phone so I couldn’t
call him. I only saw him when I was scheduled for court. I asked him if
the DA was willing to make any deals. He told me “no”. He said that I
didn’t have anything to worry about because my case was about “a simple
act of
self-defense.”
<br><br>
After going back-and-forth for a year and a half only to be told another
court date was postponed or rescheduled, my attorney said “Okay, we’re
ready for trial.” I was just floored! I asked my lawyer how that could be
when we hadn’t even discussed what or how we were going to proceed at
trial. He reassured me and said that all I had to do was tell what
happened; that it was “a simple act of self-defense.” When we chose the
jury, he said he was not going to kick anyone off because we were going
to send a message to the panel that, no matter what, they should find me
and Louis innocent. I went along with his decisions thinking, “He knows
best. He’s the expert.” <br><br>
There was a case similar to mine at the same time in the same county. I
have just learned that the woman in that case got seven years and two
strikes. If our attorneys were looking out for our best interests, why
didn’t they allow us to plea to lesser charges - a deal which was offered
in chambers but never discussed with me and Louis?<br><br>
So here I sit at CCWF, serving a term of life without parole plus seven
years for trying to protect my family. I’ve lost my appeal and I have no
resources left. I am a good person, I never intentionally tried to hurt
or rob Larry. Larry is alive and well. I never kidnapped him. I don’t
understand how you can kidnap someone by trying to throw him out of your
own home when he becomes violent and dangerous. I cannot accept this
sentence.<br><br>
For more info:
<a href="http://www.breakthechains.net">http://www.breakthechains.net</a><br>
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