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u.s. news Diahuebs 8 Juli 2021

California to pay victims of forced, coerced sterilizations

(AP) — California is ficials counseled them or of- In California, victims include ligation” as part of inmates’
poised to approve repara- fered alternative treatment. Mary Franco, who was ster- medical care. Over the next
tions of up to $25,000 to ilized in 1934 when she was decade, women reported
some of the thousands of While all of the women just 13. Paperwork described they were coerced into this
people — some as young signed consent forms, of- her as “feeble minded” be- procedure, with some not
as 13 — who were steril- ficials in 39 cases did not do cause of “sexual deviance,” fully understanding the rami-
ized decades ago because everything that was legally according to her niece, Stacy fications.
the government deemed required to obtain their per- Cordova, who has researched
them unfit to have chil- mission. her case. A state law passed in 2014
dren. bans sterilizations for the
“We must address and face Cordova said Franco actually purpose of birth control at
The payments will make Cal- our horrific history,” said was molested by a neighbor. state prisons and local jails.
ifornia at least the third state Lorena Garcia Zermeño, She said her family put Fran- The law permits steriliza-
— following Virginia and policy and communications co in an institution to protect tions that are “medically
North Carolina — to com- coordinator for the advocacy the family’s reputation. necessary,” such as removing
pensate victims of the so- group California Latinas for cancer, and requires facilities
called eugenics movement Reproductive Justice. “This Cordova said her late aunt to report each year how many
that peaked in the 1930s. isn’t something that just hap- loved children and wanted people were sterilized and for
Supporters of the movement pened in the past.” to have a family. She married what reason.
believed sterilizing people briefly when she was about away from you.”
with mental illnesses, physi- California’s forced steriliza- 17, but Cordova said the Questionable sterilizations
cal disabilities and other traits tion program started in 1909, marriage was annulled when also occurred in facilities Of the people California
they deemed undesirable following similar laws in In- the man discovered Franco run by local governments. sterilized under its old eu-
would improve the human diana and Washington. It was couldn’t have children. She In 2018, the Los Angeles genics law, just a few hun-
race. by far the largest program, lived a lonely life in a Mexi- County Board of Supervisors dred are still alive, according
accounting for about a third can culture that revered big apologized after more than to research conducted by
While California sterilized of everyone sterilized in the families, Cordova said. 200 women were sterilized at the Sterilization and Social
more than 20,000 people United States under those the Los Angeles-USC Medi- Justice Lab. Including the
before its law was repealed laws. “I don’t know if it is justice. cal Center between 1968 and inmates who were sterilized
in 1979, only a few hundred Money doesn’t pay for what 1974. most recently, advocates es-
are still alive. The state has California’s law was so prom- happened to them. But it’s timate more than 600 people
set aside $7.5 million for the inent that it inspired similar great to know that this is be- Those people are not eligible would be eligible for repara-
reparations program, part of practices in Nazi Germany, ing recognized,” said Cor- for reparations under Cali- tions.
its $262.6 billion operating according to Paul Lombardo, dova, who has advocated for fornia’s program. But advo-
budget that is awaiting Gov. a law professor at Georgia the state to pay survivors. cates say they hope to include But finding them will be dif-
Gavin Newsom’s signature. State University and an ex- “For me, this is not about them in the future. ficult, with advocates predict-
pert on the eugenics move- the money. This is about the ing only about 25% of eligible
California’s proposal is ment. memory.” “It’s only the beginning,” said people will ultimately apply
unique because it also would state Assemblywoman Wen- for reparations and be paid.
pay women the state coerced “The promise of eugenics at Relatives like Cordova aren’t dy Carrillo, a Democrat from
to get sterilized while they the very earliest is: ‘We could eligible for the payments, Los Angeles who has been California’s Victim Compen-
were in prison, some as re- do away with all the state in- only direct victims are. advocating for reparations. “I sation Board will run the pro-
cently as 2010. First exposed stitutions — prisons, hospi- can’t imagine the trauma, the gram, with $2 million used
by the Center for Investi- tals, asylums, orphanages,’” Sterilizations in Califor- depression, the stress of being to find victims by advertis-
gative Reporting in 2013, a Lombardo said. “People who nia prisons appear to date to incarcerated, being rehabili- ing and poring through state
subsequent audit found Cali- were in them just wouldn’t 1999, when the state changed tated and trying to start your records. The state also set
fornia sterilized 144 women be born after awhile if you its policy for unknown rea- life again in society, wanting aside $1 million for plaques
between 2005 and 2013 with sterilized all of their parents.” sons to include a sterilization to start a family, only to find to honor the victims, leaving
little or no evidence that of- procedure known as “tubal out that that choice was taken $4.5 million for reparations.

Teen who recorded Floyd's arrest loses uncle in police crash

(AP) — The uncle of a confirmed Wednesday. robberies. Leneal Frazier’s from a traffic stop. The driv- held his knee to Floyd’s neck
teenager who recorded the death was verified in a news er of one of the other vehicles as Floyd was handcuffed and
last moments of George Darnella Frazier said in a release Wednesday by the was taken to North Memo- face down on the street, was
Floyd’s life in a video that Facebook post that Leneal Hennepin County Medi- rial Health in Robbinsdale, convicted and sentenced to
helped launch a global Lamont Frazier died early cal Examiner, who listed the where he later died. The offi- 22 1/2 years in prison. The
protest movement against Tuesday after his vehicle was cause as “multiple blunt force cer involved in the crash was three other former officers
racial injustice has died in struck by the squad car that injuries.” treated at a hospital. Police who were at the scene are
a crash involving a Minne- police said was pursuing an- Frazier was not involved in did not release the names of due to stand trial in March.
apolis police car, officials other driver linked to several the pursuit and his niece those involved. All four also face federal civil
questioned why police were rights charges.
conducting a high-speed The officer was pursuing a
chase on a residential road. driver who was in a vehicle Frazier testified at Chauvin’s
linked to a carjacking and trial that she was walking to
“Another Black man lost his to robberies at a number of a corner grocery store to get
life in the hands of the po- businesses, said Minneapolis snacks with her then-9-year-
lice!” Frazier wrote. “Min- police spokesman John El- old cousin when she saw
neapolis police has cost my der. The suspect remained at a man being pinned to the
whole family a big loss … large, Elder said. pavement, “terrified, scared,
today has been a day full of begging for his life,” so she
heartbreak and sadness.” Darnell Frazier was 17 when pulled out her cellphone and
she recorded the arrest of began recording.
According to police, the Floyd, a 46-year-old Black
squad car and two other ve- man, on May 25, 2020. For- She was given a special cita-
hicles collided about 12:30 mer Minneapolis police of- tion by the Pulitzer Prizes
a.m. after the suspect fled ficer, Derek Chauvin, who last month for her recording.