In 1994, Jamie Scott and her sister Gladys were convicted of armed robbery and sentenced to life in prison in Jackson, Mississippi. Since then, Jamie, now 38, has undergone dialysis treatments, which are provided to her gratis by the state, as a prisoner. The state estimates that the additional cost of imprisoning her is $200,000 per year because of this.
So, Haley Barbour offered the sisters a deal that the sisters accepted. For Jamie, she is released today, and is moving to Pensacola, where she will reside on probation. For Gladys, though, the deal is more intriguing. One of her conditions for release is that she has one year to donate one of her kidneys to Jamie. She is also moving to Pensacola; both sisters will move in with their mother.
Mississippi has not agreed to pay for the kidney transplant. Therefore, either Florida’s Medicaid will pay for this operation and the follow-up costs, Jamie will pay for it herself or she will depend on donations to provide the cost. Her attorney, Chokwe Lumumba, posits that Florida Medicaid will pay much of the cost of the operation; the family expects private donations to make up the difference.
Here are some questions that come to mind:
1) Why should Florida Medicaid have to incur the cost? The sisters resided in Mississippi prior to their arrest, and are only moving to Pensacola now because their family has moved there. I think that this is a precedent that the other Deep South Gulf states will employ with great relish. Any prisoner will be released if they have excessive medical costs on the condition that they move out of state and promise never to return. Sweet deal.
2) What action could be taken against Gladys if Florida Medicaid refuses to pay for the transplant? I assume that she may be indigent; it’s sort of unclear how many employers in the Florida panhandle will be willing to hire a woman who was found guilty of luring two people into a deserted area where she had three friends beat them unconscious with weapons in order to rob them of $100. I assume that she is ineligible for SSI since if she had a health problem, how could she donate a kidney?
3) Would Mississippi ever consider taking Gladys back if she decides to refuse the operation now that she is a Florida resident? My guess is that they would tell Florida that she is their problem now, as well as incurring the cost of Jamie’s dialysis treatment. Out of sight, out of mind.
January 7th, 2011 at 9:39 am
Barbour is playing God. With these womens’ lives, with a neighboring state’s Medicare system, and I suppose with the courts as well.
January 7th, 2011 at 3:39 pm
@ TA
Would you feel more at ease if Obama were playing God with these two women?
January 7th, 2011 at 3:40 pm
This is just too weird.
Their crime was horrific…100.00 ?
They should be locked up just for the sheer stupidity. Although I do think “life” was a little excessive.
If your sister can and wants to give you a kidney , fine. But you should both stay in jail or still do significant time which would land the costs of the operation and incarceration in the penal systems lap, better known as Mississippi tax payers.
While there should be some merit considered for any organ donor, even a violent felon. It holds a lot less merit when the donation is to your partner in crime and also a relative.
Does the cost justify lettin em off the hook ?
As a prisoner, you are either the state or the feds property so its incumbent upon them to maintain your health whatever the cost, but when cost trumps punishment for these kind of crimes its bullsht.
Maybe if we stopped locking up people for non violent offenses and get rid the “three strikes” ruling we could afford to jail those that are actually a threat.
From personal experience I can tell you that most guys in the house belong there no matter what you hear from activists etc…
But theres still way too many folks in jail for some really stupid sht.
I met a guy was in for not paying 3 traffic tickets/warrants. A guy who was doing two months for possesion of a controlled substance.
The guy was a nut and controlled substance was ground up orange peels he was trying to sell off as weed. The stories I’ve heard are astonishing, mind numbing
January 7th, 2011 at 3:52 pm
Ask the victim of the crime what should be done with these two chicks.
January 7th, 2011 at 4:06 pm
outside of living what is their purpose in life, I mean what can they offer society as some kind of payback for their own high costs? where is this going to go? I guess mommy will be feeding them now but will that defer much of their costs? will they even be eligible to social security and medicare since they haven’t paid in enough quarters to the programs? will they just need direct state grants to supplement medicaid? will they even get jobs?
January 7th, 2011 at 4:25 pm
“Ask the victim of the crime what should be done with these two chicks.”
Thats always a good idea.
Has that been done with these two ?
Any parole hearings or the like where victims were present ?
==============
Brian, I hear you, but they didnt kill anyone.
They’re horrific idiots but are still humans.
Had they killed someone I might feel different.
But, as I said, they deserve to be locked up.
From the soundof it they actually “kidnapped” or held these people hostage in connection to the armed robbery.
Most states give you life on kidnapping alone.
Then, we must always look to see if “real and true” rehabiltation has taken place. Some people do actually learn their lesson.
January 7th, 2011 at 4:28 pm
“outside of living what is their purpose in life, I mean what can they offer society as some kind of payback for their own high costs? ”
AKA as “Death Panel”
TA said Barbour is playing GOd.
Are you not as well ?
Who are you judge worth by purpose in life ?
January 7th, 2011 at 4:31 pm
“AKA as ”
Redundant, sorry
January 7th, 2011 at 4:38 pm
oh i disagree with your sancti-moan-iness. They havent paid into the system that feeds and houses them ever i gather, unless Your going to count their prison jobs if they even had them. But some of us have paid in full our costs and then kicked in profits and government revenues to boot which feed lots of people. At a certain point, if you work for a living, your probably going to be paid in full for this life. You will have mainatined a balance with your environment and what you used. As a camper I always clean up my campsite as perfect as I can to pay my way.
January 7th, 2011 at 5:02 pm
“oh i disagree with your sancti-moan-iness. They havent paid into the system that feeds and houses them ever i gather,”
Nice try ass-hole but thats not the point or argument here.
Who are you to decide their worth ?
Actually the problem here is that just cant fcking stand it when we agree on something.
You obviously have no more sympathy for these two than I do.
The only difference is that in my case I’m not as quick to judge as you are.
I’m sure teres many little demons in the details that neither you or I am aware of.
Based on what I’ve read and heard “so far” I believe they still need to be contained but not be victims of the systems inabilty to keep them healthy.
Prisoners become the liability of the state or fed institution holding them. They’re responsible for you. Regardless of what you or anyone thinks their worth is.
Please, for once in your pathetic life include the full context of my statements, would you ?
Really, read AGAIN what I posted and stop cherry pickin so as to appear like you have an intelligent argument.
January 7th, 2011 at 5:15 pm
sanct=ti=moany impies intelligence? you are so right wing to the core.
January 7th, 2011 at 5:16 pm
“At a certain point, if you work for a living, your probably going to be paid in full for this life. You will have mainatined a balance with your environment and what you used. As a camper I always clean up my campsite as perfect as I can to pay my way.”
I sure hope by now you’re aware of what I do with a good chunk of my time.
I’m part of the process in rehabilitating criminals and addicts that become productful humans.
How many crooks and junkies have you taken under your wing, sponsored, and brought to a sane life ?
I myself had little “worth” according to you until 15 years ago.
Should they of just thrown away the key or afforded me the opportunity to turn my life around ?
I turned my life around, raised a family, bought a house, opened a business, employ people, pay taxes.
Now, I show guys like me the tools and how to use them in order to achieve the same results..
do you have a problem with that ?
I’m voluntarily doing my part to not only clean up my own campsite but others as well.
Can you say that for youself ?
It should never be too late to try and make a life worthy for its owner.
But that doesnt mean I dont believe in an eye for an eye either.
You are no one to determine ones worth, whatsoever simply based on contributions to society.
Honestly, you’re on the border of sounding like genocidal eugenics freak.
January 7th, 2011 at 5:21 pm
“sanct=ti=moany impies intelligence?”
Where did I say or imply any such thing ?
Actually, it shows an incredible lack of intelligence/creativity on your part by breaking “sanctimonious” into “sanct=ti=moany” just so you could throw “MOANY” in there.
January 7th, 2011 at 5:25 pm
no comprendo eh?
January 7th, 2011 at 6:24 pm
Dont flatter yourself.
As complex and astute as you think you are I made it clear that I understood you and that it was not all that creative or intelligent.
Was about as funny as a knock knock joke or a screen door on a submarine…
dont quit your day job.
Your moms bedpan would get outta hand
January 7th, 2011 at 6:30 pm
Just like the other thread.
I’ll assume since you wont answer any of my questions you’re once again at a loss
January 7th, 2011 at 7:35 pm
Mick-
I’m with ya
Ignore the quick to judge
January 7th, 2011 at 7:47 pm
Please dont anyone ever lock me alone in a room with Brian
January 8th, 2011 at 2:10 am
This case smacks of racism and a state judicial system trying to save face. (and money)
These two sisters, at the ages of 19 and 21 acted as decoys so three cohorts could rob their victims at gunpoint. They netted $11. Their three accomplices who actually committed the robbery served about 2 years each. The two women, who had never had any previous trouble with the law, got life. Their defense lawyer presented no evidence or witnesses and was later disbarred.
What Haley Barbour is trying to do is look magnanimous while lifting a financial burden from the state’s shoulders.
Since the Mississippi court system decided to unfairly sentence these two and make them lifelong wards of the state, they should be forced to pay for the transplant and aftercare and commute their sentences.
January 8th, 2011 at 9:46 am
micky you got more issues than louisiana has parish’s.
January 8th, 2011 at 10:53 am
Brian;”micky you got more issues than louisiana has parish’s.”
I address and admit that all day long, everyday Brian.
Its called honesty, sincerety with ones self, you oughta try it sometime.
It clears the mind