WSU Prof Claimed Prison Isolation Wasn't Punishment, Spokane Silent Film Star Injured on Set

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In 1976, a Washington State University psychology professor, Dr. Peter Suedfeld, testified in a case brought by a Walla Walla prisoner that isolation in prison was not considered a form of punishment, but rather an "escape" from routine. However, the prisoner, James Hearn, alleged he was held in isolation for 18 months and denied basic necessities. Meanwhile, in 1926, Spokane silent film star Signe Auen, known as Seena Owen in Hollywood, was severely injured while filming a scene for the movie "Shipwrecked" when she fell between a ship and a dock.

Why it matters

These historical accounts provide insight into the evolving perspectives on prison conditions and the risks faced by early film actors performing their own stunts, highlighting how societal views and industry practices have changed over time.

The details

In the 1976 case, Dr. Suedfeld testified that based on interviews with other inmates, isolation was seen as an "escape from peer pressure and the dull routine of prison life." However, the prisoner, James Hearn, alleged he was held in isolation for 18 months and denied exercise and hygiene supplies, which he viewed as a form of punishment. In the 1926 incident, Signe Auen, a Spokane native known as Seena Owen in Hollywood, was badly injured while filming a scene for the movie "Shipwrecked" when she fell between a ship and a dock, narrowly avoiding being crushed or drowning.

• In 1976, Dr. Peter Suedfeld testified in a case brought by a Walla Walla prisoner.
• On February 10, 1926, Signe Auen, known as Seena Owen in Hollywood, was injured on the set of "Shipwrecked."