Glenda Virgil was sentenced to 15 years to life after being convicted of second-degree murder in San Diego County. She has been in prison for 23 years, and is now serving her time at the California Institution for Women in Corona, California. She has been repeatedly denied parole. Virgil is 63-years-old.
Virgil told KPBS she had been the victim of domestic abuse when she shot and killed the man with whom she lived. Virgil has Hepatitis C, has had back surgery and now uses a walker.
Virgil is among a group of about 120 women at the California Institution for Women called the "Golden Girls." The Golden Girls are all over age 55 and are granted special privileges by the warden, such as two mattresses on their metal cot and first in line for meals.
Over the next several weeks, KPBS will interview elderly inmates serving time in three state prisons. We will bring you their stories in a Project Envision documentary, "Life in Prison," airing Jan. 25 at 9 p. m. on KPBS Television.