cover of episode Extraordinary and Compelling Reasons

Extraordinary and Compelling Reasons

2024/11/15
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A
Anna Altman
G
Gary Settle
播
播音员
主持著名true crime播客《Crime Junkie》的播音员和创始人。
Topics
Gary Settle: 我名叫Gary Settle，现身处北卡罗来纳州Butner联邦监狱医院。我的日常生活如同其他囚犯一样，在有限的空间内度过，每天服药，参加慢性病管理课程，并担任导师。我每周接受化疗和免疫治疗，其余时间阅读、与家人朋友联系。我患有癌症，但Butner监狱的医疗条件不足，测试不充分，食物选择不健康，缺乏对病患的关照。我曾试图越狱，但最终放弃。我帮助其他囚犯申请仁慈释放，这让我感到有意义。我两次申请仁慈释放都被拒绝，目前正在申请行政特赦。 Anna Altman: 长期服刑的囚犯往往不信任监狱系统及其医护人员，难以充分表达自身需求，获得应有的医疗和临终关怀。 播音员: 本期节目讲述了Gary Settle的故事，他因抢劫银行被判处177年监禁。在服刑期间，他患上了癌症，并积极帮助其他患病囚犯申请仁慈释放。2018年《第一步法案》修改了仁慈释放的申请流程，提高了申请成功率。但Gary Settle的两次申请都被拒绝，这反映出监狱医疗资源的不足以及社会公平问题的复杂性。

Deep Dive

Key Insights

Why does Gary Settle help other inmates get out of prison through compassionate release?

He feels compelled to help because it's empowering to see someone go home from a cancer floor, aligns with his upbringing, and he believes many in the criminal justice system don't want people released. He wants to show judges that these inmates are not a threat and just want to go home and mend fences with their families.

What is compassionate release?

Compassionate release is a policy that allows inmates to petition to be let out of prison for 'extraordinary and compelling' reasons, often related to severe health issues.

Where is Gary Settle currently located?

Gary Settle is at FMC Butner, a federal prison hospital in North Carolina that houses inmates with significant health issues.

What are some notable inmates who have been treated at FMC Butner?

Bernie Madoff and Ted Kaczynski, both infamous criminals, were treated at FMC Butner.

How many people have been granted compassionate release since 2019?

Over 5,000 people across the country have been granted compassionate release since 2019.

What motivates Gary Settle to continue helping inmates?

He is motivated by the empowerment of seeing someone go home, his upbringing, and his belief that many in the criminal justice system don't want people released. He also wants to show judges that these inmates are not threats and just want to spend time with their families.

Chapters
Gary Settle describes his daily routine in prison, including his medical treatments and limited outdoor time due to his health conditions.
  • Gary Settle is confined to his cell for parts of the day.
  • He attends a class on living with chronic illness and mentors other inmates.
  • His chemotherapy limits his outdoor time due to flushing and purple face.

Shownotes Transcript

In 1993, Gary Settle was sentenced to 177 years in prison. Twenty-six years into his sentence, he started helping other inmates get out of prison through something called compassionate release - a policy that allows people in prison to petition to be let out for “extraordinary and compelling” reasons.

You can learn more about Gary Settle in Anna Altman’s piece, "The Quality of Mercy)," in The Atavist Magazine.

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