BAIL REFUSAL HURTS WOMAN BECAUSE SHE IS PREGNANT

Second Circuit Judge Joseph Cardoza ordered Diana Carleton to be held
without bail because she is pregnant. She also used illegal drugs. Deputy
Prosecutor Glenn Pesenhofer requested no bail.

Diana Carleton is scheduled to be sentenced July 31. She is charged with
first-degree negligent injury from a November 2001 motor vehicle accident.
According to Deputy Public Defender Wendy Hudson, people with much more
serious charges have bail set ("Pregnant woman held without bail after
allegations about drug use," The Maui News, June 14).

If Diana Carleton were a man or if she were a woman who was not pregnant,
she would be released on reasonable bail. Diana Carleton is in jail because
she is pregnant. Experience over the past 15 years has shown that putting
pregnant addicts in jail discourages them from getting prenatal care and
drug abuse treatment. And there is no drug treatment at Maui Community
Correctional Center for people before they are sentenced. Pregnant addicts
upset us and we want to do something, but putting them in jail is not the
right thing.

Leslie Hartley Gise

Kula