Could California see the end of conjugal visits at state prisons amid deaths of women?
(FOX40.COM) — California is one of only five states in the U.S. that allow conjugal visits within the prison system, but after two recent deaths, could that soon be a thing of the past?
Conjugal visits, also known as 'family visits,' are for incarcerated persons and occur in private, apartment-like facilities on prison grounds. According to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, they last about 30 to 40 hours and allow inmates to spend time with their parents, children, siblings, and most commonly, legal spouses. During visits with spouses, sexual relations are allowed.
Camping World location closes amid controversy over flying American flag
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, besides California, the only states in the country that allow conjugal visits are New York, Mississippi, South Carolina, and Minnesota. However, with two recent deaths of women during the specialized visits, talks of putting an end to them in the Golden State are underway.
'This bad policy has led to the death of 2 women killed while visiting unsupervised,' said Assemblymember David Tangipa. 'My office is committed to fight for normal, protect lives, and get rid of insane laws in California.'
Popular Sacramento brewery abruptly closes all three of its area locations amid lawsuit
The two women Tangipa referred to are 47-year-old Tania Thomas and 62-year-old Stephanie Brinson, who died during conjugal visits in Northern California. Both of them were allegedly strangled to death. Thomas died in July 2024, and Brinson died in November 2024.
At the time, Thomas' domestic partner, Anthony Curry, 48, was already serving a life sentence for attempted second-degree murder. Brinson's husband, David Brinson, 54, was also serving a life sentence for murder.
'Prisoners serving life without parole get date nights, condoms, and up to four days unsupervised—On Your Dime,' Tangipa said.
He is working on legislation to put an end to conjugal visits in California.
'If you are a murderer, why would you get the option to visit with your family? When I think about the victim's family who will never get the option to see their family member again,' Tangipa said in an interview with CBS47/KSEE 24. 'I think this is irresponsible. I think murderers need 24-hour supervision. I think they should not have conjugal visits. They have not earned it.'
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Liberal news outlet mocked for reporting on ‘mysterious' drop in fentanyl flowing across border
The Washington Post is being mocked online and by the White House for "pathetic" reporting on what the liberal-leaning news outlet calls a "mysterious" decline in fentanyl flowing across the border. Fentanyl is a dangerous drug that is often trafficked into the United States across the southern and northern borders by cartels and other criminal elements. In 2024, fentanyl was linked to the death of 48,422 persons in the United States, according to the CDC. During his campaign, President Donald Trump vowed to wage a war against fentanyl traffickers through increased border security and by cracking down on illegal immigration. Since taking office, Trump has deployed U.S. troops to the southern border, targeted cartels and transnational criminal groups as "foreign terrorist organizations" and hit cartel leaders with sanctions. According to the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS), the U.S. law enforcement seizures of fentanyl, which the group explains is a "key indicator of broader total smuggling at and between the southern border's ports of entry," have dropped 50% since the November election. CIS states that this significant decline indicates a "greater decline in total fentanyl smuggling." Bondi Announces One Of Largest Fentanyl Seizures In Us History The Washington Post reports on this decline, stating that U.S. seizures at the southern border are down by almost 30 percent compared with the same period in 2024. The outlet, however, states that the drop "represents something of a mystery." Read On The Fox News App "After years of confiscating rising amounts of fentanyl, the opioid that has fueled the most lethal drug epidemic in American history, U.S. officials are confronting a new and puzzling reality at the Mexican border. Fentanyl seizures are plummeting," wrote the Post. Among the possible reasons listed by the outlet are cartels finding other ways to smuggle the drug into the U.S., cartel internal strife, ingredient shortages and a possible decline in demand. Though baffled by the reason for the decline, The Washington Post posited that "public health authorities are concerned that the Trump administration's budget cuts could hurt programs that have promoted overdose antidotes and addiction treatment." Some Fentanyl Dealers Would Be Charged With Felony Murder Under New Bill The article was widely mocked by conservatives online. Rep. Tom Tiffany, R-Wis., commented on X, "The Washington Post is reporting a 'mysterious drop' in fentanyl seizures at the southern border. Mystery solved! The Trump effect is working." Charlie Kirk, a popular conservative influencer, also commented, saying: "Four months into the Trump administration, The Washington Post is marveling at the 'mysterious' drop in fentanyl seizures on the Mexican border … Is the Post simply lying, or are their reporters as dumb as the people they're writing propaganda for?" Click Here For More Immigration Coverage The Department of Homeland Security's official X account also replied, commenting: "It's no mystery. On day one, [President] Trump closed our borders to drug traffickers." DHS said that "from March 2024 to March 2025 fentanyl traffic at the southern border fell by 54%." "The world has heard the message loud and clear," said DHS. Whistleblower Accuses Biden Admin Of Leaving Thousands Of Migrant Child Trafficking Reports Uninvestigated Several top White House spokespersons also weighed in. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt simply called the Post "pathetic," and White House Communications Director Steven Cheung said: "They can't stand that President Trump's strong border policies have led to a DECREASE in fentanyl coming into the U.S." Abigail Jackson, another White House spokeswoman, told Fox News Digital that "the drop in fentanyl seizures at the border is only a mystery to Washington Post reporters suffering from Trump-Derangement Syndrome." "As of March, fentanyl traffic at the Southern Border had fallen by more than half from the same time last year – while Joe Biden's open border was still terrorizing America," said Jackson. "Everyone else knows the simple truth: President Trump closed our border to illegal drug traffickers and Americans are safer because of it." The Washington Post did not immediately respond to a request by Fox News Digital for article source: Liberal news outlet mocked for reporting on 'mysterious' drop in fentanyl flowing across border
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Hot Springs locals react to human trafficking investigation at massage business
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – AI Massage in Hot Springs is under investigation by the Attorney General's Office for alleged prostitution and human trafficking. People who live and work in Hot Springs, like Hannah and Cole Carey, said they can't believe something like this was happening in their city. 'It's really just shocking to me that it's so close to home,' Hannah Carey said. Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin announces organized retail crime bust & human trafficking investigation Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin said a May 22 raid on AI Massage on Central Avenue stemmed from information gathered during previous investigations into other massage parlors busted for illicit sexual activity. According to Griffin, three Chinese nationals were identified as victims and are now receiving support services. One woman told investigators she responded to an online job ad in China and did not know she would be doing sex work. 'It kind of hits you hard, just makes you feel bad for them, thinking about what else they went through,' Cole Carey said. Griffin said investigators uncovered evidence pointing to sexual activity. 'Illicit sexual activity, prostitution going on in these massage parlors. We not only talked to the victims to confirm it, there were about 100 condoms there, which normally would not be at a spa,' Griffin said, 'There was what we believe to be a home remedy used to treat sexually transmitted infections, also implying that sexual activity is going on.' Authorities also recovered $22,000 in American cash along with some foreign currency. Griffin said no arrests have been made yet because the individuals believed to be running the operation were not there during the raid. However, he said law enforcement is following every lead. 'I'm grateful to law enforcement who have been on top of this and trying to get to the bottom of it,' said Tina Haney, another Hot Springs local. 'It's disappointing to have this going on right under our noses and not even realize it.' Arkansas Attorney General announces grant to combat human trafficking in Arkansas The massage parlor under investigation is open today. KARK 4 News went there to ask for a comment, but the people there said their boss wasn't there and declined to comment. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Federal lawsuit claims California's labor code discriminates against Vietnamese nail techs, salon owners
A federal civil lawsuit against California alleges that the state's Labor Code discriminates against Vietnamese-American manicurists and salon owners, following the passage of a 2020 law that changed how employees and independent contractors are classified. The suit, filed in U.S. District Court in Santa Ana on Saturday, argues that only nail technicians are excluded from being classified as independent contractors due to a California law enacted in 2020. Nail technicians, many of whom are Vietnamese-American, were also considered independent contractors before the law's passage. According to the suit, 'in California, approximately 82% of all nail manicurists/ pedicurists ('nail technicians') are Vietnamese American, and 85% of these are women.' 'The penalties for misclassifying a worker as an independent contractor are severe, and when the defendants, as heads of their enforcement agencies, enforce the new rule prohibiting nail technicians from being independent contractors, the damage to the plaintiffs will be severe and irreparable. In this regard, the salon plaintiffs will be forced out of business and will be forced to close their doors. In addition, the salon plaintiffs will be subject to significant assessments and financial penalties that will be impossible to pay,' the suit added. California Assemblyman Tri Ta (R-Westminster) stated that he has introduced legislation, Assembly Bill 504, to restore equal rights to manicurists. The labor law switch occurred in 2020, when AB 5, a law that altered the classification of workers as employees or independent contractors, took effect. Before its passage, in 2018, the California Supreme Court changed the requirements companies must use to label their workers as independent contractors. At the time, companies that opposed the bill waged a campaign to prevent its passage. The businesses that filed the suit include multiple locations of Happy Nails & Spa, Holly and Hudson, and Blu Nail Bar. 'Since January, Vietnamese American manicurists have faced blatant discrimination under California's labor laws, stripped of the same rights and freedoms afforded to others in their industry,' Scott Wellman, attorney for the plaintiffs, said in a statement. 'If the State of California refuses to fix this injustice, we are prepared to hold them accountable in federal court.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
