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Freeing the Monster | Sandra Fish
Humane Prison Hospice Project
In the summer of 2022, Sandra Fish, co-founder of Humane Prison Hospice Project and death row advocate, carried out the last wishes of condemned prisoner Harvey Lee Heishman, scattering his ashes in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The experience of working with Lee for two years and overseeing his final journey gave her cause to reflect on the circumstances of his life. In her remembrance piece, Fish asks: “If we can’t acknowledge redemption — what’s the point?”
A life beyond prison | USC Gould School of Law
University of Southern California
Marvin Mutch meets with the University of Southern California’s Post Conviction Justice Project (PCJP) to share his long journey through the legal system and eventual release from prison. Members of the PCJP reflect on why they are passionate about helping incarcerated people on their path to freedom.
At the end of the sentence
Reuters
Sharon Bernstein and Jane Ross cover the graying of the prison population and the ways in which the penal system has begun to provide end-of-life care for those behind bars. It includes a brief interview with Fernando Murillo, a 38-year-old who, while serving a sentence of 41 years to life, works with dying prisoners at the 17-bed hospice at the California Department of Corrections Medical Facility.
Humane Prison Hospice Project: Training prisoners in compassionate end-of-life care
Marin Bar
Marin County Bar Association’s Robert Rosborough explores the urgent need for end-of-life care for the incarcerated. He explains why and how Sandy Fish and Ladybird Morgan co-founded Humane in 2016 >and gives details about how best to support the organization.
Lisa Deal takes on new role leading the Humane Prison Hospice Project
InMenlo
In this article, author Linda Hubbard-Gulker discusses Lisa Deal’s new role as executive director of Humane. Lisa speaks about how she became involved with Humane, its mission, and her goals for the future of the organization.
Sebastopol woman works to dignify death for San Quentin prison’s ailing inmates
The Press Democrat
Emily Wilder interviews Humane’s co-founder Sandy Fish on what drew her to working with the dying and with the incarcerated. Sandy speaks on Humane’s mission, its importance, and the incredible potential it has to heal.
41 years behind bars: Documentary follows ex-con’s life afterward
The San Francisco Chronicle
David Lewis writes about the making of the KQED News documentary “The Trials of Marvin Mutch” which follows Mutch after his release from prison after serving 41 years. It includes commentary from the filmmakers about the inspiration and mission of the film, and from Marvin about what the documentary means to him.
End-of-life care in prison
Social Work Today
Social worker Sue Coyle discusses the realities of dying in prison and the importance of implementing end-of-life care in prisons with Marvin Mutch and Edgar Barens. She details the ways people are currently dying in prison without hospice programs, and the benefits that prison hospice programs could provide.
Crisis and suicide prevention Brothers’ Keepers mission
San Quentin News
Juan Haines writes about the inspiration, evolution, and profound impact of Brothers’ Keepers, a peer-support program for incarcerated men at San Quentin, which trains prisoners to offer psychological, physical, and emotional support to fellow inmates in times of crisis.
Prison hospice documentary sheds light on death behind bars
California State University Monterey Bay
Ryan Sigala from the Monterey Bay Justice Project talks about the making of the documentary film “Prison Terminal: The Last Days of Private Jack Hall” with documentary filmmaker Edgar Barens and Humane’s Marvin Mutch. They discuss the realities of dying in prison and the importance of telling these stories.
Meet the Oscar-nominated filmmakers: Edgar Barens, director, “Prison Terminal: The Last Days of Private Jack Hall”
International Documentary Association
Tom White interviews Edgar Barens, the documentary filmmaker of “Prison Terminal: The Last Days of Private Jack Hall” as they discuss his formative experiences that led him to documentary filmmaking, and eventually to the creation of this film about end-of-life care in prisons. Barens explains the technical process of filming a documentary in prison, and shares about the relationships that formed and the emotional nature of filming someone’s last moments.
Edgar Barens
Prison Photography
This article and photo series chronicles the process that Edgar Barens followed in making the documentary film “Prison Terminal: The Last Days of Private Jack Hall.” With unprecedented access granted by the Iowa Department of Corrections, Barens was able to film the last days inmate Jack Hall spent in hospice, cared for by fellow inmates.
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Hospice care in prison
End Well
00:10:36
In this public appearance hosted by End Well, an end-of-life advocacy non-profit, Humane Prison Hospice Project’s Marvin Mutch recounts the critical milestones of his 41-year term in San Quentin. He shares how he became involved in the early efforts of prison reform, helped to pioneer a peer counselor training program, and became a firm advocate for prison hospice care.
KQED
00:54:02
“The Trials of Marvin Mutch” is a documentary about the 41-year incarceration and eventual release of Marvin Mutch, who was wrongfully convicted of murder. This documentary chronicles Marvin’s trial and the often unjust nature of the prison system, while also telling the story of Marvin’s strong character and his unparalleled accomplishments as a social advocate while inside prison.
Marvin Mutch — The Humane Prison Hospice Project: Redemption songs and stories
The New School at Commonweal
01:32:14
Host Steve Heilig is joined by Marvin Mutch, Sandra Fish, and Ladybird Morgan of Humane as they explain how they became involved in prison hospice work and speak about the transformative power of end-of-life care in prison. Additionally, Marvin Mutch shares his life story, including his early life, imprisonment, and release from prison.
Through the darkness
Religion of Sports
00:56:56
This episode follows the powerful journey of three inmates at San Quentin as they seek hope and redemption through the prison’s baseball program, the San Quentin A’s, and explores the role it plays in helping the incarcerated heal, form community, and find meaning. Humane’s Marvin Mutch comments on the importance of these programs within prisons.
Marvin Mutch: Wrongly convicted and 41 years in prison
Golden Gate University
00:57:03
Nate Hinerman, associate professor of psychology at Golden Gate University, speaks with Marvin Mutch, who shares his amazing personal story of more than 40 years in prison, how it led him to advocacy work, and how we can find resilience amid difficult times. Marvin shares his inspiration for the prison reform programs he is a part of, including the Humane Prison Hospice Program, The Prisoner Re-entry Network, and The Prison University Project.
“Prison Terminal” — Roots & Roads (formerly Casa de la Luz Foundation)
Prison Terminal from Chris Durnan on Vimeo.
Roots and Roads Community Hospice Foundation
00:58:41
This presentation hosted by Roots and Roads Community Hospice Foundation includes a preview of the documentary film “Prison Terminal: The Last Days of Private Jack Hall” and a panel discussion with documentary filmmaker Edgar Barens; and members of the Humane Prison Hospice Project, Ladybird Morgan, Marvin Mutch, and Lisa Deal. This discussion chronicles Edgar’s experience making his film, the current state of end-of-life care in prisons, and the history of the Humane Prison Hospice Project.
Human Prison Hospice Project presentation of “Prison Terminal” & panel discussion
Commonweal
01:29:16
This presentation includes a screening of the documentary film “Prison Terminal: The Last Days of Private Jack Hall” and a panel discussion with documentary filmmaker Edgar Barens and members of the Humane Prison Hospice Project, including Ladybird Morgan, Marvin Mutch, Lisa Deal, and Susan Barber. They share how they become involved in end-of-life care in prisons and how the Humane Prison Hospice Project came to be, and describe the state of hospice programs in prison today.
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Perspectives on providing end-of-life care for the nation’s incarcerated
WPYR Baltimore
00:40:16
Midday host Tom Hall; Dr. Raya Elfadel Kheirbek, the Chief of Division of Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine at the Maryland School of Medicine; and Ladybird Morgan, Marvin Mutch, and Edgar Barens of the Humane Prison Hospice Project discuss the growing need for hospice and palliative care for the incarcerated, the barriers to providing care, and what a successful prison hospice program would look like. They also advocate that prison hospice will create a more compassionate prison and, ultimately, society.
A fight for freedom with Marvin Mutch
How to Human with Sam Lamott
01:35:26
Podcast host Sam Lamott interviews Marvin Mutch about his life, his 41-year sentence in prison for a crime he did not commit, and the future he envisions for himself and the carceral system. Marvin talks about his formative experiences—including his childhood and his time in prison, the shortcomings and failures of the criminal justice system, how he found purpose within prison walls, and his ongoing work to make a more humane prison.
Marvin Mutch
Unregistered with Thaddeus Russell
02:57:03
Thaddeus Russell interviews Marvin Mutch, a man who served 41 years in prison and was paroled in 2016. This extremely in-depth interview shines a light on who Marvin is — his formative years, his time in prison, his beliefs, and his values — as they discuss the details of Marvin’s trial, the lack of evidence against Marvin, and his more than 20 appeals for parole.
Marvin Mutch on Good Grief with Cheryl Jones
Good Grief with Cheryl Jones
00:55:20
Good Grief host Cheryl Jones and Marvin Mutch speak at length on the social justice reform work and change that Mutch spearheaded during his 41 years of incarceration. One of these organizations, Brothers’ Keepers, was inspired after the suicide of Marvin’s cellmate and serves to train the incarcerated to act as emotional support for their peers.
End Well Live with Ladybird Morgan, co-founder of the Humane Prison Hospice Project
End Well
00:29:01
End Well’s founder, Dr. Shoshana Ungerleider, speaks with the co-founder of the Humane Prison Hospice Project, Ladybird Morgan, who discusses the inspiration, mission, and long-term goals of Humane. She also explains Mettle Health, an online palliative care support program, and discusses how best to support people who are dying.
It’s actually okay that you’ll be completely gone w/Ladybird Morgan
You’re Going to Die with Ned Buskirk
01:05:48
Ned Buskirk is joined by Ladybird Morgan in a conversation about the conversations people are having surrounding death and dying. During this intimate and vulnerable interview, Ladybird shares her formative experiences with death and dying along with her inspiration and hope for the future of humanity’s relationship with death.
Being human is a special calling
Interdisciplinary with Rebecca Sturgeon
01:08:00
Podcast host Rebecca Sturgeon is joined by Ladybird Morgan and Marvin Mutch for an intimate conversation about the history, inspiration, and practices of the Humane Prison Hospice Project. They reflect and consider the ways in which humans have distanced themselves from one another, and offer remedies for this separation.
Prison hospice
Good Grief with Cheryl Jones
00:55:54
Good Grief host Cheryl Jones is joined by Ladybird Morgan, Sandra Fish, and Susan Barber from Humane Prison Hospice Project engage in a conversation about what led them to end-of-life care in prisons and the inspiration for the formation of Humane. They discuss the benefits and barriers involved in implementing prison hospice programs.