Yesterday, a jury in Rancho Cucamonga affirmed that sexual abuse in California’s prisons is unjustifiable. The jury unanimously decided that the civil rights of Guillermo Ruelas, Oscar Miranda, Alejandro Espinoza, and Martin Mendoza had been violated by James Shelby, a former guard of the Heman G. Stark Youth Prison.
The young men’s ordeal began when they were first locked up at Stark in 1999. For the next 5 years, the young men endured sexual abuse at the hands of a guard who was entrusted with their care. The young men spoke out against the abuse, submitting complaints to the superintendent of the youth prison, to the director of Division of Juvenile Justice, (“DJJ”) and to the Office of Inspector General. Their pleas were ignored and the abuse continued.
More than 10 years later, the young men have finally received affirmation that the State failed them. Judgments were found against not only James Shelby, but also the former superintendent of Stark, Xavier Ruiz, and the former director of the DJJ, Jerry Harper. The State owes the youth more than a million dollars in damages and attorney fees. More importantly, the State and the DJJ are responsible in the eyes of the public for not only having allowed this cruel abuse to happen but also for enabling it by failing to intervene.
The young men who courageously fought for justice are not alone in the abuse they endured. A recently released report by the U.S. Department of Justice states that nationally, more than 1 in 10 youth have suffered sexual abuse by a staff member while incarcerated. These statistics are widely under-reported and many more young are brutalized every day.
In California, the DJJ is notorious for its destructive and abusive environment. True rehabilitation cannot happen in warehouse-like youth prisons that are scattered in some of the most rural parts of this state. While we applaud the decision made in this case, we are sobered by the fact that many youth are still abused behind closed doors today.
We have learned that the state intends to appeal the decision. Do not let California justify sexual abuse. Please stand with us in telling Attorney General Jerry Brown not to appeal the decision in this case. Furthermore, ask him to stop using California’s precious resources for the guards’ defense. Take action now!
