Prison Terminal - Why End of Life Care in Prison Matters
In partnership with the San Francisco Columbarium and Threshold Choir, Humane Prison Hospice Project will host a film screening of Prison Terminal: The Last Days of Private Jack Hall, followed by a panel discussion comprised of people working to change the way people die in prisons across the US.
About the film: Prison Terminal: The Last Days of Private Jack Hall is a moving cinéma vérité documentary that breaks through the walls of one of Americas oldest maximum security prisons to tell the story of the final months in the life of a terminally ill prisoner and the hospice volunteers, they themselves prisoners, who care for him.
*Trigger Warning: This film contains depictions of an individual’s death. We acknowledge that this content may be difficult to view and encourage you to care for your well-being.
NOTE: We are planning this as a LIVE event! Full proof of vaccination and booster is required for admission per the Bolinas Community Center's Safety guidance. Wine, sparkling water, and light snacks will be available.
About Threshold Choir is a choir of women's a cappella voices that sings at bedsides in groups of two to four, offering comfort and compassion. They sing at the threshold of life, for hospice, hospital, and home-care patients, for people facing challenges of all kinds, for those surrounded by loving family, and for those alone. Experiencing the Threshold Choir is an otherworldly experience!
About the panelists:
Ladybird Morgan: RN, MSW, Program Director and Co-Founder of the Humane Prison Hospice Project: Ladybird Morgan has been working in end-of-life care as a registered nurse, social worker, and educator for over 20 years. Currently she facilitates the training of The Brothers Keepers at San Quentin, is a Palliative Care consultant with Mettlehealth.org, and supports Commonweal’s Cancer Help Program, Healing Circles, The New School and Last Acts of Kindness.
Marvin Mutch: Co-Founder/Senior Advisor-Public Information/Policy Advocate: Marvin is the spokesperson, liaison with prison officials, and general hero advocate for Humane Prison Hospice Project. He was released from prison February 17, 2016 after serving 41 years on a wrongful conviction suffered in 1975. In 2008, Marvin was injured and sent to California Medical Facility for treatment, where he became a fervent supporter of California’s only full-service prison hospice program.
Edgar Barens: As a documentary filmmaker Edgar has had a notable record of successful production in very stressful prison environments. He took on the mission to document one of the few positive programs that exists today behind bars in hopes that other facilities will emulate the prisoner-run hospice program and instill much needed dignity to dying in prison for all concerned.
