Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/712002
TheAssociatedPress SAN FRANCISCO The mayor of Stockton was charged Thursday with providing alcohol to mi- nors last summer — an act authorities said came dur- ing a strip poker game at a camp for underprivileged children run by the mayor, a newspaper reported. Mayor Anthony Silva, 42, was charged in Amador County with eavesdrop- ping, contributing to the delinquency or a minor, providing alcohol to a mi- nor and cruelty to a child by endangering health, his lawyer Mark Reichel told The Associated Press. The charges revolve around Silva's involve- ment in a strip poker game, the Stockton Re- cord reported, citing in- formation from the Ama- dor County district attor- ney's office. Silva was free on bail and Reichel said he will plead not guilty. Prosecutors and sher- iff's officials did not return calls from the AP seeking further details. Allen Sawyer, another attorney for Silva, told the AP his client will be allowed to return to the summer camp to finish the season. "He's absolutely denies these charges, he's angry and he's going to fight it," Sawyer said. "But his big- gest concern right now is not to disrupt the at-risk youth up at the camp." Silva is seeking a sec- ond term in November as mayor of the river port city of 300,000 people. Before Silva was charged, the Stockton Po- lice Officers Association endorsed his opponent Michael Tubbs, citing his commitment to coopera- tion with police in estab- lishing good practices, the newspaper reported. The charges came a week after the newspaper reported that a gun stolen from Silva's home during a burglary was linked to the killing of 13-year-old Ray- shawn Harris in Stockton early last year. The mayor is accused of not reporting the gun as missing until a month af- ter the boy was killed. Reichel said Silva had nothing to do with the killing and was simply the victim of a crime when his gun was taken. CRIME St oc kt on ma yo r cha rg ed w it h pr ov id in g al co hol t o mi no rs By Don Thompson The Associated Press SACRAMENTO The war- dens at California's two major women's prisons retired amid allegations of pervasive problems at both institutions, includ- ing sexual abuse of female inmates at one prison and persistent suicides at the other. The complaints come amid wide problems for the corrections depart- ment. A series of lawsuits forced the state to lower its inmate population and cede control of prisoner health care to a federal re- ceiver, while the California inspector general found a culture of racism and abuse at a men's prison. Aside from sex abuse, guards at the state's larg- est women's prison permit fights between inmates, use unneeded force and de- rogatory names, and retal- iate against inmates who complain, said Don Spec- ter, director of the non- profit Prison Law Office, which investigates inmate mistreatment. Specter pushed for lead- ership changes after attor- neys found systemic prob- lems at the Central Cal- ifornia Women's Facility in Chowchilla, which he called "a very troubled place." "There are serious prob- lems there, including ver- bal abuse of prisoners, failure to protect them from other prisoners, con- traband, sexual abuse — mostly in the form of: 'If you do me a favor I'll do you a favor' — that kind of thing," he said. "There's a lot of fear, and fear of re- taliation for reporting mis- conduct." The attorneys, who rep- resent inmates in several major lawsuits against the state, have been working with the Department of Corrections and Rehabili- tation in recent months, in- cluding conducting joint in- terviews in June with about 150 of the more than 2,800 inmates at the state's larg- est women's prison, he said. Specter said the inves- tigation "proved to ev- eryone's satisfaction that there were serious prob- lems" and the department appears to have been tak- ing steps to make changes since then. The department said Chowchilla Warden Deb- orah Johnson retired rou- tinely last week after 30 years of state service. Kim- berly Hughes also rou- tinely retired as warden at the California Institution for Women, which houses nearly 1,900 inmates in Co- rona, after more than 27 years as a state employee, officials said. "There is really no con- nection" to the problems reported by the Prison Law Office attorneys, spokes- woman Vicky Waters said Thursday. The department said it could not arrange in- terviews with the retired wardens. Two other senior staff members at the Chow- chilla prison also were be- ing reassigned. Waters and another spokeswoman could not immediately comment on the abuse allegations but said the department has been cooperating with the Prison Law Office. Inmates at the Chow- chilla prison allege that guards "will use their au- thority to coerce prisoners into sexual relationships," Specter said. "Some of the women allege that the offi- cers bring in contraband, partly in return for sexual favors." Some guards have let inmates from one housing unit into another to fight or steal property, he said. "They ignore fights, they let them go on even though they know about them, they ignore pleas for pro- tection," Specter said. Guards use unnecessary physical force, and "there's a rampant culture of ver- bal abuse," that includes guards using demeaning names for women. Employees threaten in- mates to keep them from filing complaints and retal- iate against those who re- port problems, he said. Nichol Gomez, spokes- woman for the California Correctional Peace Offi- cers Association, said in an email that the union that represents most guards "does not comment on un- substantiated rumors or allegations." "But I can tell you the majority of California cor- rectional peace officers are professional and take their duty and oath seri- ously," she wrote. Employ- ees at both prisons "do their job the best they can within the conditions they face, which include lack of staff." Specter praised the lead- ership change but said at- torneys are waiting to see what else the department will do to change the pris- on's culture and practices. He equated problems there to a December finding by the state inspector general saying High Desert State men's prison had a culture of racism and abuse. "Why weren't they able to catch things on their own before they became such a crisis?" he said. Meanwhile, Democratic state Sen. Connie Leyva wants the state auditor to look into suicides at the California Institution for Women. She is asking for an au- dit next week to see why the suicide rate was eight times the national average for female prisoners in an 18-month period in 2014-15, when The Associated Press first wrote about the spike. "I think it is clear there are some systemic and per- vasive problems," Leyva said. There were four suicides and at least 35 attempts during that period, and two more suicides this year. Leyva said the auditor should examine whether employees are properly trained and if inmates are getting proper mental health treatment. Waters said the depart- ment has already increased mental health treatment and suicide prevention ef- forts. CALIFORNIA 2 women's prisons wardens retire amid problems, complaints CLIFFORDOTO—THERECORD Stockton Mayor Anthony Silva participates in a mayoral candidate forum hosted by the NAACP in Stockton. Takeuswithyou!FollowusonTwitterandFacebookforupdatesandmore. JoinOur "Hydrate Our Heroes" Water Drive Let'sgetlocalareafirefightersthewaterthey need for wh en th ey battle the bla ze. From now until the end of September, Brookdale Red Bluff will be collecting cases of bottled water from local businesses, veterans groups, civic organizations and not-for-profits in effort to keep local firefighters hydrated as they keep us safe. Drop off your water at 705 Luther Road, or call us at (530) 529-2900 for a pick-up. All participating partners will be officially thanked in The Red Bluff Daily News. Our firemen are our heroes. Let's be theirs during this very special drive. Donate today. For more information, call (530) 529-2900. BrookdaleRedBluff FormerlyEmeritus ® at Lassen House Assisted Living | Alzheimer's & Dementia Care 705 Luther Rd | Red Bluff, CA 96080 (530) 529-2900 RCFE # 525002546 brookdale.com EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUN ITY Dr.Stoddardwillbediscussingthelatestadvancesinankle surgery. If you have ankle pain, come and learn more about treatment options, rehabilitation tips and the Trabecular Metal™ Total Ankle. The Trabecular Metal Total Ankle is an advanced new option designed to work in harmony with your natural anatomy in order to restore normal function of your ankle. Location: Canyon Oaks Country Club 999 Yosemite Drive, Chico, CA 95928 Date & Time: Tuesday, August 9, 6:00 PM To Register Call: 866-234-8488 Light refreshments will be served. Dr.SeanR.Stoddard AdvancesinAnkle Replacement Surgery In harmony with natural anatomy FreeCommunitySeminar ©2015ZimmerBiomet | NEWS | REDBLUFFDAILYNEWS.COM FRIDAY, AUGUST 5, 2016 6 A ★