205. How Can You Defend Those People?! Empathy in an Era of Mass Dehumanization w/ Sarah Bennett
Summary
Host Greg Stoker and guests Maggie Freeling and Sarah Bennett discuss the dehumanizing language and unaccountable violence of the carceral state, highlighted by a recent ICE shooting in Austin. Bennett, a former public defender turned photographer, shares her long-term project documenting women with life sentences to challenge stereotypes and reveal the stark realities of women’s prisons. The conversation explores how visual art restores empathy, the unique trauma and lack of support systems faced by incarcerated women, and the historical roots of mass incarceration in racialized capitalism.
Topics discussed
Intro and ICE shooting of Wilbur Garces Perez
Guest introduction and book 'Looking Inside'
Dehumanizing language in official statements
Legal terminology and the 'appellant' label
Changing perspectives from defense attorney to photographer
First-hand experience of prison conditions
Comparing US prisons to international detention
Historical roots of policing and prison labor
The Judith Clark case and clemency efforts
Origin of the photography project
Using photography to build empathy and challenge stereotypes
Growth of the female prison population and unique needs
Double standards and the spectacle of women's trials
Self-defense convictions and the 'moment gone wrong'
Life sentences and the focus on decarceration
Profit motives and private prison costs
Debunking the 'Ted Bundy' argument for abolition
Plea deals and the reality of life without parole
Reentry challenges, parole boards, and employment barriers
Reckoning with privilege and closing remarks
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