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Mr. Fermín Ramírez has been submitted to intense conditions of chronic stress,
with which moral panic is associated (extended demoralization and sensation of
chronic helplessness), anxiety and repressed fear, consequences of the
prolonged stay in death row in the maximum security prisons where he has
been held.
Likewise, the alleged victim presents a rigidly defensive emotional system, he
makes efforts to deny and rationalize his experiences of fear and suffers of
anxiety due to the constant threats upon him in death row. On the other hand,
Mr. Ramírez expressed that he wishes to forget the existence of his children,
because he believes he will never see them again. However, he mentioned that
if the death penalty were revoked he would try to rebuild his life and establish
contact with his children.
Mr. Kepfer diagnosed that Mr. Fermín Ramírez suffered from chronic situational
disorder (chronic stress syndrome), with somatoform nature (psychologically
conditioned somatizations). He also suffers of a personality disorder of a mixed
nature, with impulsive/ aggressive characters and addictive tendencies (use of
alcohol), even though since he was admitted into prison he has stopped
drinking. However, the expert ruled out that Mr. Ramírez suffered a psychotic
disorder or loss of contact with reality.
Mr. Ramírez suffers severe gastrointestinal problems, difficulty to sleep
regularly, nervousness, constant alarming sensation, and need to anxiously
watch over his surroundings. However, he is not given adequate medical or
psychiatric assistance, which causes him a chronic mental torture.
Mrs. Ana Lucrecia Sis and her children have suffered stigmatization due to the
publicity given to Mr. Ramírez’s case. Mrs. Fermín Ricardo stated that Fermín
Ricardo, her eldest son, died 4 years ago because “his loved his father a lot” and
expressed that her “son would not have died if it weren’t for what happened to
his father.” The three eldest children of Mr. Ramírez and Mrs. Sis have
developed academic problems. Mr. Fermín Ramírez’s children are not willing to
visit him.
The family suffers emotional disorders and disturbances that have not been
properly dealt with, in what refers to social support and psychotherapeutical
assistance. The chronic deterioration of the socio-familiar situation of both
the children and the mother is evident and has brought on, as a consequence,
a feeling of rejection, isolation, rage, and confusion. The fact that the
children are not willing to visit their father has a very negative impact on the
mental health, not only of Mr. Ramírez, but also his family, thus having a
disturbing and demoralizing effect. Currently there are situations of confusion
and ambivalence towards the father figure, which have a negative impact on
the family’s mental health.
On the other hand, Mr. Kepfer Rodríguez made reference to the incarceration
conditions experimented by Mr. Fermín Ramírez. The expert pointed out that
the subject has insisted that the most oppressive thing for him is the
obligatory lack of activity and the lack of resources and materials with which
he could make some kind of craft, neither of which are supplied by the prison
or his family.
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