A woman was left “traumatized and humiliated” after being forced to give birth while handcuffed to a bench inside a New York courtroom after being held in custody for over 24 hours, a legal aid group has said.
Samantha Randazzo, 33, went into labor and was forced to deliver her child on a courtroom bench in Brooklyn on Friday “without adequate medical care, privacy, or dignity,” according to a statement from a group of public defenders and legal advocates.
Randazzo was surrounded by law enforcement, prosecutors and courtroom staff, some of whom reportedly laughed and joked at the situation, the group claimed. “She deserved care, compassion, safety, and dignity. Instead, she was subjected to trauma and humiliation in full public view,” the statement read.
The Independent has requested comment from the New York courts system.
And this is what makes it to the public eye. Just imagine the horrors behind closed security doors.
Things that can only happen in America.
The systems that begot America have existed for centuries at least throughout much of Europe and the Global North. This horror and absolute denigration of human dignity that defines the US was brought by colonizers who began developing these institutions of terror on their own soil. I argue that the assimilation and oppression of indigenous historically non-white European groups (such as the Celts) are the direct idealogical ancestors of the atrocities that Europeans have committed across the world. Without the enslavement and oppression of Ireland, as an example, I do not believe that the holocaust of the indigenous American peoples would’ve looked the same or even existed to begin with. This issue has existed long before the US has existed and until Europeans reckon with the harm they have wreaked across the planet this will continue.
Many non-Americans in the global north will point to US atrocities and say “only in America” without even questioning their country’s involvement in the current state of things, or the fact that their country likely perpetuates similar oppression in the global south in order to maintain their “social democracy”. Until we stop relying on exploitation to drive progress (i.e. capitalism) this will not change. “This wouldn’t happen in xyz European country” thats because they historically and likely presently externalize their oppression to provide the surplus necessary for a socially democratic capitalist country. The bourgeoisie still steals from the worker, so to maintain a level of comfort for the worker they also steal from a country the European does not care about to provide the surplus without having to give up anything themselves.
Until Europe does the work to remove the parasitic owner class and end their exploitation of the global south they are only marginally better than the US in my eyes. And realistically they should pay reparations for all the harm they have done to the global south as well.
Yeah of course. I didnt mean that Europeans are better because we are born here. Just stating the obvious that this could only happen in America (if we are talking about the west).
Of course there are reasons for that. Each country is different because of events that happened in the past and present.
America is the most capitalist country on the planet, so naturally that choice comes with a lot of evil.
In the Global North it could only happen in America; in thr global south these sorts of atrocities are unfortunately not uncommon specifically because of the Global North. Just because Europeans don’t do it at home doesn’t mean they don’t do it.
Yeah the south has been exploited for a very long time, and everyone in the west depends on cheap labor and goods from those regions. We are nowhere close to a fair system for every human and that cant even exist under capitalism.
Geez, what a fucking nightmare. And in New York?
I honestly thought that places like New York or Cali were at least less horrible than a lot of other places in the U.S. but apparently I was wrong?
That’s what copagenda does to you. Most US shows and movies about cops or the judicial system take place in the big blue cities. It has subconsciously altered how you view law enforcement and the courtroom of those cities. But people living in those cities know better.
It’s not even that. Honestly, I barely watch TV, but it always seemed to me that the most shitty, dystopian laws I read about were not usually in certain (blue) states. Not saying I think it is heaven there, but that they are at least a little bit more progressive and better/safer to live in.
But you’re right, I guess as an outsider (non-American) I obviously have a skewed view on the matter.
You’d get that impression, but the LAPD in California and the NYPD in New York City (Both blue cities) are renowned for their use of excessive force and misconduct. Which is enabled by a judiciary which doesn’t punish it and Unions which insulate their members from any consequences. While there may be more sympathetic judges in democratic leaning cities they’re few and far between. The best anyone who suffers an injustice at the hands of any justice department is to be fortunate enough to go before one of those sympathetic judges who will at least do an honest job and may side with you.
Are you kidding? It’s all shit all the time no matter what state. NY, CA, MA, NJ just have a different flavor of Big Brother
She was 9 months pregnant and they couldn’t wait and schedule her court date after the birth?
Clearing the room is not a good defense. Have you ever had a baby? I have, and handcuffed it would be terrifying. Being in court IN ACTIVE LABOR should not be allowed at all, how can you give real answers or pay any attention to what is going on?
This is the US we’re talking about here…
Pretty much the American moral ceiling
This is some medieval bullshit.
This would not have been allowed in midaevil europe in most cases
ah, but in medieval US, very common
Nor in medieval North and South America for what it’s worth.
For what it’s worth, medieval (and other historical) societies in general had pretty high respect for women in childbirth. In was commonly seen as among the more heavy and challenging things anyone could face.
Considering how many woman just fucking died right there, yea, I get it.
Part of that was the recognition that, even if she had committed the worst crimes, the potential infant would be innocent at birth (except of course for Original Sin) and deserved to try to live long enough to be baptized. So a pregnant murderess wouldn’t be executed, for instance, until after the birth.
And it was normal for a midwife to be called to assist.
In non-criminal situations the mother’s life was generally given precedence over the fetus’s in a crisis. Partly because she could have more, partly because she was more likely to survive long-term if the intervention succeeded.
Maybe the Aztecs but they had like a dying in childbirth is technically a warriors death thingso probably not or can really see romans maybe trojans but not midaevol Europe Americas eras differently but yeah I can’t think if anywhere In na this ever would gave been tolerated Mayan or incan culture wouldn’t have don’t know the rest
Where’s the last straw?
They didn’t even uncuff her. As if what, she’d escape in the middle of childbirth?
I hope she sues the ever living shit out of them.
That’s unconscionable
The world is going to shit
going?
Yes. It’ll be even worse next year.
The bastards around her all joked and made fun of her, absolutely certain that there won’t be any accountability for their cruelty.
Chances are they’re right.
Muricaaaaa, fuck yeeeaaahhh
Seriously, I don’t see that shit happening in any developed nation. Hell, I don’t see this happening in any nation, only in the US.
The USA is a shit hole, always has been
A third works country with a very expensive coat to pretend it’s a first world country.
No, it hasn’t always been. That’s obvious hyperbole.
Wow. Imagine what things would be like if we lived in a misogynistic society in which women were hated, despised, and punished.
If anti abortion activists actually wanted anything other than publishing women, they’d be outraged by the state of maternal health care in prisons. They are okay with a woman miscarrying because she gets the shit beaten out of her in prison, they just don’t want anything to be her choice.
Bloody hell shakes head in disbelief
It’s hard to come up with a more apt metaphor of the injustice of the justice system
But life, uh… finds a way
So am I reading this right? That her own lawyer (I get that it is likely a public defender) is disputing what the group said and claims that the room was cleared quickly because she just went into labor suddenly?
Also, this makes me curious about heroin, I would imagine it would delay labor, and being off it could return to a normal cycle? Before the god awful withdrawal kicks in.
I am not defending this situation, I am just curious as the article has a lot going on in it. In a decent society maybe she wouldn’t have gotten to the point where a building is going after her for trespass, and she would get help with her addiction before becoming a mother. And not having to be in court at 9 months pregnant.
Did I miss where it said she was using heroin? I saw “selling.”
*Allegedly selling.
But come on there has to SOMETHING that makes it her fault that they left her handcuffed to a wall for 24 hours wall while in labor. Right?
Lol
Fair. I made an assumption. I am still confused why her lawyer disagrees the the petitioner group which was made up of some public defenders. That’s just bizarre.
Because her lawyer might be in some way liable for this crime to have taken place?
Interesting idea. She could be untroubled either way then. Not representing your client isn’t great.
The fuck?
Name and shame those responsible. Why do they get to be anonymous
