Lumina hosting screening of documentary Prison Terminal

Wednesday, August 31, 2022

In partnership with Humane Prison Hospice Project, Lumina Hospice & Palliative Care 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 United States. Join us on October 12, 2022 from 5-6:30pm for a private virtual screening and panel discussion. Click here to register.

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. Click here to view a trailer of the film.

*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.

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. She has worked with organizations including The Zen Hospice Project and Doctors Without Borders (MSF). Ladybird has guided medical practitioners, families and private caregivers to find their clearest voice as they step across significant thresholds in life and in preparing for death. 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.

Edgar Barens, MFA, Board Member / Documentarian

As a documentary filmmaker Edgar has had a notable record of successful production in very stressful prison environments. Edgar’s academy award nominated (2014) documentary –Prison Terminal– has been shown in hundreds of prisons, colleges, universities, and community hospices nationwide. Edgar takes great satisfaction in his ability to tackle large-scale problems within the American criminal justice system and present them on a very personal level so that the impact of a flawed correctional system can be made more palpable to the viewer. He took on the mission to document one of the few positive end-of-life 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.

Marvin Mutch, Co-Founder/Senior Advisor-Public Information/Policy Advocate

Marvin Mutch is a formerly incarcerated prison reform activist and co-founder of the Humane Prison Hospice Project. Mr. Mutch served 41 years of an indeterminate 7-year to life sentence for a wrongful conviction suffered in 1975. He was freed in 2016 due wholly to the tireless efforts of Professor Heidi Rummel of the USC Post Conviction Justice Project, Professor Emerita Susan Rutberg from the Golden Gate University Innocence Project, and Attorney Michael Snedeker of Snedeker & Short.

After a lifetime of experience advocating for the humane treatment and human rights of his fellow prisoners throughout the California prison system, Marvin is now set to apply his deep understanding toward advancing the human rights of incarcerated people everywhere.