NEWS: Governor Newsom has granted an emergency release for Patricia Wright, a terminally ill cancer patient who has been in prison for 23 years. Here she is minutes after her release outside CIW prison, which had a major Covid outbreak.

It’s a few days after Patricia’s 69th birthday and her doctors have said she only has months to live. Family came from across the country to greet her. Here she is getting her first iPhone.

Her sister Chantel moved to Corona, CA years ago so she could be near her sister at CIW. She fought so hard for this day.

“For the past 23 years, I’ve had this burden in my heart every day. I could not live fully thinking about my sister in prison. Now that burden is lifted.”

Here she is with her three year old granddaughter who has been visiting her in prison since she was four months old, but they have not been able to see each other since CDCR shut down all visitation in March due to Covid.

One of Pat’s daughters, Mistey, said it was hard not to think of how much time they lost. She was 12 when her mother went to prison, 36 now.

“We built a relationship over 20-plus years behind prison walls, and over 15-minute phone calls. I’m ready to just be in her presence.”

Her son Alfey, who came up from Las Vegas to greet his mother, said he can’t wait to buy her an egg roll and all the other foods she has missed out on for two decades.

“I can breathe with ease now,” he said.

Many family members were recounting all the stressful visits they’ve had to this prison, the guards they’ve dealt with, the long waits, the searches. But this time they were overjoyed. A little dance party in the lot as we waited in the hot sun for hours for her release:

Here’s the brief moment the family finally laid eyes on Pat this morning from the other side of the gates. She went into processing after that, took awhile for her to actually come through the gates.

Pat says she most looking forward to sharing a meal with her family and being able to hug her children and grandchildren.

Patricia Wright is one of many women who are at high risk of death inside California’s prisons due to Covid. They are survivors of domestic violence, prosecuted under laws that have long targeted women in abusive relationships. My original story on Pat: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/jun/03/california-prisons-elderly-women-clemency-coronavirus?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

Newsom has largely resisted efforts to release people serving life sentences for “serious” + “violent” offenses, including those at high risk of death. Wright’s grant of freedom appears to be the first time during Covid that he ordered immediate release of someone serving a life.

During Covid, Newsom has done a handful of commutations (which are not a guarantee of release) as well as early releases for thousands nearing the end of their sentences, generally for more “low level” or “nonviolent” cases. But people like Patricia have not been eligible.

Today Newsom appears to have used executive authority to grant an emergency release for Pat, who is nearing the end of her life and is in chemotherapy. Advocates like @c_c_w_p @COLBYLENZ @survivepunish are hoping that Newsom will do many more of these releases for those at risk.

“This is exactly the type of action we desperately need to see more of,” said @COLBYLENZ who was waiting outside CIW to greet Pat today. “There are so many barriers to release for people like Patricia who are dying in prison and are under extra threat because of the pandemic.”

This action today comes after 40 deaths of people behind bars in California prisons. More than 7,000 incarcerated people have been infected and the crisis is not under control. More deaths and infections are likely, especially if the state continues to keep prisons overcrowded.

Here is my full story from today’s news on the release of Patricia Wright who has been behind bars and separated from her family for more than two decades: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/jul/21/california-coronavirus-prison-release-patricia-wright-cancer?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other