A California woman has been awarded $5.6 million in connection with what she endured during a prison visit to see her husband. Christina Cardenas traveled four hours to a prison in Tehachapi on September 6, 2019, where she underwent a strip search, drug and pregnancy tests, multiple scans at a hospital, and a second invasive strip search by a male doctor, who allegedly sexually violated her. Cardenas said she pursued legal action to prevent others from facing similar mistreatment.
Of the total settlement, $3.6 million will come from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, with other defendants including correctional officers and a hospital contributing the remaining amount. Neither the X-ray or CT scan turned up contraband in either Cardenas' belongings or body; she was handcuffed and denied water and bathroom access; was sent invoices for more than $5,000 for the hospital's scans; and was prevented from visiting with her husband. Her legal team emphasized that these actions constituted intimidation and a violation of her rights as a visitor.
The settlement mandates that the Department of Corrections distribute a policy memorandum to protect visitor rights, detailing that warrants must be properly communicated and not exceeded. Per the warrant in Cardenas' case, prison officials were only permitted to conduct a strip search if the X-ray turned up contraband, which it didn't. (This story was generated by Newser's AI chatbot. Source: the AP)
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