In the United States, sisters-robbers are released from prison in exchange for a kidney transplant
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
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The governor of Mississippi signed a decree releasing the sisters Gladys and Jamie Scott, serving life sentences for participating in armed robberies. The condition for early release is the consent of one of the prisoners to become a kidney donor for another. Gladys and Jamie Scott were sentenced to life in 1994. The case of the sisters was widely known for the active work of organizations to protect the rights of blacks, who believed that the punishment imposed on women was unreasonable or excessive. As explained by Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour, the cause of the early release of one of the prisoners is her serious illness. 38-year-old Jamie Scott, suffering from chronic kidney failure, requires regular hemodialysis. A prerequisite for the release of 36-year-old Gladys Scott is her consent to become a kidney donor for her sister. If Gladys refuses to become a donor, the decision to release may be revoked. The Governor's statement also notes that the continued detention of Jamie Scott, in need of medical assistance, is associated with a large expenditure of funds from the state budget. According to the investigation, the sisters Scott helped a gang of street robbers, luring random passers-by to ambush, where they were waited by armed accomplices. Attackers managed to rob two black men, having taken from them a total of 11 dollars. The convicted women themselves claimed that the testimony against them was obtained under pressure.