For Life (TV Series)

Do Us Part (2020)

Indira Varma: Safiya Masry

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Quotes 

• Aaron Wallace : Can you tell me what this is?

  Safiya Masry : It's Nathan Goodleaf's dispensation request for the wedding.

  Aaron Wallace : And you signed it?

  Safiya Masry : I did.

  Aaron Wallace : You approved it?

  Safiya Masry : That's what signing it means.

  Aaron Wallace : And presumably you did so because you believe he qualified under regulations then in place at your institution?

  Safiya Masry : It's not my institution Mr. Wallace. I am the superintendent and my authority comes from the Prison Board.

  Aaron Wallace : I understand. But you signed because you determined that Mr. Goodleaf deserved to get married?

  Safiya Masry : Yes.

  Aaron Wallace : Both you and the Board are bound by the same rules, right?

  Safiya Masry : Yes.

  Aaron Wallace : Rules that are codified in the March 15, 2004 directive 4201?

  Safiya Masry : That sounds like a rhetorical question.

  Aaron Wallace : What's the very first line of directive 4201?

  Safiya Masry : A major departmental objective is to foster ties to the community that will help create stability in the inmate's personal life, the department recognizes that a marriage can assist in creating that personal stability.

  Aaron Wallace : And did you say major objective?

  Safiya Masry : You heard me the first time Mr. Wallace.

  Aaron Wallace : Now when the Prison Board overruled your decision for Mr. Goodleaf, did they explain why?

  Safiya Masry : Well Mr. Goodleaf had a violent altercation with a fellow inmate and the Board felt that that disqualified him.

  Aaron Wallace : When was that violent incident?

  Safiya Masry : It was five years ago.

  Aaron Wallace : And when you assessed the situation, what did you think about that incident? There's a notation on the dispensation request. Flip to the second page, I marked it. What does it say?

  Safiya Masry : It says that after a comprehensive review of the facts in that incident that I determined that Mr. Goodleaf had acted in self-defence.

  Aaron Wallace : Four months ago, you authorized another inmate wedding, for Bradley Fossberg. Did inmate Fossberg have any violent incidents while in prison?

  Safiya Masry : There was an altercation with a fellow inmate two years ago.

  Aaron Wallace : But the Board accepted your recommendation in spite of all that?

  Safiya Masry : Yes.

  Aaron Wallace : Now why do you imagine that the Board was so concerned about a violent incident from five years ago, that you believe was in self-defence, yet shrug off inmate Fossberg's violent incident which is so much closer to his request date?

  Safiya Masry : Well, I believe that there was a totality of criteria.

  Aaron Wallace : Specifically, Ms. Masry?

  Safiya Masry : I don't know.

  Aaron Wallace : So in the end, you cannot account for the differences in the Board's rulings?

  Safiya Masry : No.

  Aaron Wallace : Because there doesn't seem to be a consistency in the policy?

  Safiya Masry : Well I don't think that there is any evidence of that.

  Aaron Wallace : The previous seven years at Bellmore the Superintendent before you authorized 16 weddings, were you aware of that?

  Safiya Masry : Not of the number, no.

  Aaron Wallace : Now according to the record, not once did the Prison Board intervene to overturn the Superintendent's recommendation. Now, what do you imagine makes Nathan Goodleaf so special?

• Jerry McCormick : You've reached the voice mail of Jerry McCormick. If this is business related to the Prison Board I'd prefer that you call or email my office directly.

  Safiya Masry : Hi Jerry, it's Safiya Masry. I wanted you to hear it from me first. I've decided to go ahead and begin family visits starting tonight with Nathan Goodleaf and his wife. The idea that they might have a few moments together before she dies seems more important than placating you. So I am going to keep doing what I'm doing and you can try to stop me if you like. But I'll sleep better at night knowing I did what I believed in.