Da State get ready fo’ write one big check, yea. Gonna cut loose $2 million an’ slap on more security cameras fo’ keep eyes on da control centers inside Women’s Community Correctional Center. Dis all afta’ they wen’ make deal wit’ six sistahs who wen’ say they wen’ sexually assaulted by guards between 2013 an’ 2016.
Dis hefty pay-out wen’ come six years afta’ five wahine an’ da ohana of one oddah wahine who wen’ die in 2018 cause of one suicide wen’ sue da state an’ Eric G. Tanaka, da old-time warden of Women’s Community Correctional Center. Dey wen’ take ’em to federal court fo’ not looking out fo’ dem from da former adult corrections officers Brent Baumann, Chavon Freitas, Taofi Magalei Jr. an’ Gauta Vaa.
Da wahine wen’ asking fo’ more than $7 million fo’ da kine sexual assaults dat wen’ happen while dey been locked up at da facility, in Kailua, Oahu’s Windward side.
Da plan now, afta’ da settlement, get all da cameras in place by da end of da year. Dat’s going be one big win fo’ all da wahine inside. ??
All four of da guards wen’ get fired, an’ Baumann an’ Vaa had fo’ answer fo’ second-degree sexual assault, one mean kine Class B felony. Both of ’em wen’ get found guilty, wit’ Baumann getting probation and Vaa getting five years behind bars in December 2020. As fo’ Tanaka, he wen’ retire in late January afta’ seven years as WCCC warden an’ 36 years working fo’ da state. ??
Da civil lawsuit wen’ say dat da guards wen’ sexually assault da wahine at least 53 times, from 2013 to 2016. An’ da guards wen’ give ’em rewards like candy, cigarettes, makeup an’ hair care products. Even wen’ let ’em use mobile phones an’ social media, plus special privileges an’ illegal drugs, including da ice. Da wahine wen’ scared fo’ say “no” cause dey wen’ fear da guards going get back at ’em.
One of da guards even wen’ fall in love wit’ one of da victims an’ wen’ ask her fo’ marry him. Da assaults wen’ happen all ova’ da place: control rooms, staff bathrooms, one room by da kitchen, da gatehouse an’ oddah spots. Some of da kine interactions wen’ even get filmed by da guards.
Da lawsuit wen’ say dat da state wen’ ignore “one obvious an’ ongoing pattern an’ practice of sexual abuse of inmates by both male and female guards an’ employees at WCCC dat goes back at least 25 years.”
Da wahine wen’ say dat da state neva’ care about da safety of da victims an’ oddah WCCC inmates an’ neva’ do da right thing in hiring, training or supervising staff an’ da adult corrections officers. Da policies an’ procedures in place at WCCC allegedly made da place unsafe an’ threatening fo’ da wahine.
So, now da state get fo’ pay up an’ make tings right. An’ da main ting da wahine an’ deir ohana happy about is dat da state going make da installation of cameras one big priority at WCCC, all ’cause of dis lawsuit. ??
Da Attorney General, Anne Lopez, wen’ say she happy dat dis case can finally go moemoe. Da settlement wen’ recognize dat dese wahine wen’ victims while in da state’s custody an’ dat dey should get some kind of justice fo’ da harm da corrections officers wen’ cause dem.
But, you know, no can fo’get da harm dat wen’ happen. Da lawsuit wen’ claim dat da state wen’ disregard da safety of da victims an’ oddah WCCC inmates an’ wen’ fail fo’ properly hire, train or supervise staff an’ da adult corrections officers. Da policies an’ procedures in place at WCCC also allegedly wen’ create one unsafe an’ threatening environment fo’ da wahine.
So, da state get fo’ do more den jus’ write one check. Gotta make sure dis kine stuff no happen again. Gotta make sure dat da wahine in WCCC get treated right an’ dat dey safe. An’ gotta make sure da guards know dey job is fo’ protect, not fo’ hurt. ?️?
All da wahine an’ deir families feel good dat ’cause of dis lawsuit, da state going make da installation of cameras one big priority at WCCC. Dat’s one win, but still get plenty work fo’ do. Fo’ now, though, can say “aloha” to dis case an’ try fo’ move forward. ??
An’ maybe, jus’ maybe, dis settlement can be one step towards making tings more pono in da future. Only time going tell. ?️?
NOW IN ENGLISH
?? State Set to Pay $2M to Settle Sexual Assault Lawsuit at Women’s Prison ??
The State is preparing to write a substantial check, indeed. It’s about to pay out $2 million and install additional security cameras to monitor the control centers inside the Women’s Community Correctional Center. This all comes after reaching a settlement with six women who claimed they were sexually assaulted by guards between 2013 and 2016.
This significant payout comes six years after five women and the family of a sixth woman, who died in 2018 due to suicide, sued the state and Eric G. Tanaka, the former warden of the Women’s Community Correctional Center. They took them to federal court for not protecting them from the former adult corrections officers Brent Baumann, Chavon Freitas, Taofi Magalei Jr. and Gauta Vaa.
The women were seeking more than $7 million for the sexual assaults that occurred while they were incarcerated at the facility, in Kailua, on Oahu’s Windward side.
Following the settlement, the plan is to have all the cameras in place by the end of the year. That will be a significant victory for all the women inside. ??
All four of the guards were fired, and Baumann and Vaa had to answer for second-degree sexual assault, a severe Class B felony. Both were found guilty, with Baumann receiving probation and Vaa sentenced to five years in prison in December 2020. As for Tanaka, he retired in late January after seven years as WCCC warden and 36 years of state employment. ??
The civil lawsuit claimed that the guards sexually assaulted the women at least 53 times, from 2013 to 2016. And the guards gave them rewards like candy, cigarettes, makeup and hair care products. They even allowed them to use mobile phones and social media, as well as special privileges and illegal drugs, including methamphetamine. The women were afraid to say “no” for fear of retaliation from the guards.
One of the guards even fell in love with one of the victims and proposed to her. The assaults took place all over the facility: control rooms, staff bathrooms, a room near the kitchen, the gatehouse, and other spots. Some of the interactions were even filmed by the guards.
The lawsuit stated that the state ignored “an obvious and ongoing pattern and practice of sexual abuse of inmates by both male and female guards and employees at WCCC that goes back at least 25 years.”
The women claimed that the state didn’t care about the safety of the victims and other WCCC inmates and didn’t do the right thing in hiring, training or supervising staff and the adult corrections officers. The policies and procedures in place at WCCC allegedly made the place unsafe and threatening for the women.
So now, the state has to pay up and make things right. The main thing that the women and their families are happy about is that the state is going to make the installation of cameras a top priority at WCCC, all because of this lawsuit. ??
The Attorney General, Anne Lopez, said she is pleased that this case can finally be put to rest. The settlement recognized that these women were victims while in the state’s custody and that they should receive some form of justice for the harm the corrections officers caused them.
But, you know, we can’t forget the harm that occurred. The lawsuit claimed that the state disregarded the safety of the victims and other WCCC inmates and failed to properly hire, train or supervise staff and the adult corrections officers. The policies and procedures in place at WCCC also allegedly created an unsafe and threatening environment for the women.
Therefore, the state has to do more than just write a check. It has to ensure that such misconduct doesn’t happen again. It needs to ensure that the women in WCCC are treated correctly and that they’re safe. And it has to make sure the guards understand their job is to protect, not harm. ?️?
All the women and their families are satisfied that as a result of this lawsuit, the state will make the installation of cameras a top priority at WCCC. That’s a win, but there’s still plenty of work to be done. For now, though, we can say “goodbye” to this case and try to move forward. ??
And perhaps, just perhaps, this settlement can be a step towards making things more equitable in the future. Only time will tell. ?️?
