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No Qualified Immunity Defense for Florida Beatings
Loaded on May 15, 2003
by David Reutter
published in Prison Legal News
May, 2003, page 20
by David M. Reutter
Filed under:
Guard Misconduct,
Injury -- Misc.,
Guard Brutality/Beatings,
Stun Guns/Tasers,
Civil Procedure,
Defenses,
Qualified Immunity.
Location:
Florida.
The Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals has held that prison guards at the Florida State Prison (FSP) who beat prisoner David. C. Skrtich are not entitled to dismissal. Two of the defendants, Timothy A. Thornton and Jason P. Griffis, are the same guards recently acquitted in …
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More from this issue:
- Federal Legal Standards for Prison Medical Care, by Daniel E. Manville
- When Prison Officials Don't Respond Administrative Remedies Are Exhausted
- Texas Parole Officer Hires Parolee for Murder, by Gary Hunter
- From the Editor, by Paul Wright
- CCA Pays $54 Million to IRS and Settles Gender Discrimination Complaint
- The Parents' Project: Parent-Child Prison Visitation Issues Raised by Bazzetta, et. al. v. McGinnis, et. al., by Denise Johnston
- Erroneously Released Texas Prisoner Has Right to Street Calendar Time
- No Escape: Male Rape in U.S. Prisons: A Human Rights Watch Report by Joanne Mariner, by Alex Coolman
- Writing to Win, by John E Dannenberg
- Eighth Circuit Reverses Dismissal of Prisoner's Hepatitis C Treatment Claim
- Texas Prison Guard Charged with Raping Male Prisoner; Prisoner Files §1983 Complaint
- Ohio Supreme Court Orders Changes in Parole Board Procedures, by Robert Woodman
- California Pays $1.1 Million in Prison Sexual Harassment Suits
- No Qualified Immunity Defense for Florida Beatings, by David Reutter
- Washington Prisoner L & I Statutes Struck Down
- Twenty Years for Flinging Feces on Texas Guards
- Injury Report Satisfies Texas Tort Claims Actual Notice Requirement
- BOP Communion Wine Ban Challenged, by David Reutter
- Psychologist Not Qualifiedly Immune in Prisoner Suicide Suit, by John E Dannenberg
- Texas Guard's Conviction Reversed
- BJS Summarizes State Sex Offender Registries
- No Right to Artificial Insemination, by John E Dannenberg
- Texas Pro Se Litigant Entitled to Notice of Hearing
- ADA Liability Extends to New Jersey County Jail and Vicinage
- Dismissal for Failure to Allege Physical Injury Improper
- Head of Counsel for Texas Prisoners Fired
- Third Circuit Upholds $100,000 Damages Award to Assaulted Pennsylvania Prisoner
- Prisons Experience Outbreaks of Infectious Disease, by Michael Rigby
- Ninth Circuit Reexamines Standards for Qualified Immunity at Summary Judgment Stage in California Shooting Case, by John E Dannenberg
- San Mateo County Sues California Jail Phone Service Providers
- Kosher Diets for Prisoners Upheld in Tenth Circuit, by Bob Williams
- Exceptions Made To PLRA Exhaustion Requirement; Discovery Allowed, by John E Dannenberg
- Wisconsin Lacks Authority Over Funds of Out-of-State Prisoners
- Disciplinary Boards are not "State Courts" Under AEDPA
- Prison Population Continues to Grow
- News in Brief
More from David Reutter:
- Sixth Circuit Announces State-Law Exceptions to Appeal Deadlines Preserve “Pending” Status Under AEDPA, Holding Belated-Appeal Procedures Toll Federal Habeas Limitations Period, April 1, 2026
- Florida Supreme Court Announces Rule 3.170(f)’s Good-Cause Plea-Withdrawal Standard Does Not Apply at Post-Appeal Resentencing, April 1, 2026
- Colorado Supreme Court Announces Defendant Must Be Competent Before Undergoing Mental-Condition Examination Under § 16-8-107(3)(b), April 1, 2026
- California Court of Appeal Announces Plea Agreements Cannot Bar § 1172.1 Resentencing, Holds Merit-Based Denial of Petition Is Appealable, April 1, 2026
- Georgia Supreme Court Clarifies That Failure to Object to Ineligible Juror Does Not Constitute Waiver Unless Party Knew or Could Have Discovered Ineligibility Through Ordinary Diligence, April 1, 2026
- Washington State Guard’s Conviction Affirmed in Self-Inflicted Gunshot Wound Scheme, March 1, 2026
- Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Holds Motion Judge Abused Discretion by Denying Evidentiary Hearing on IAC Claim Where Plea Counsel’s Affidavit Was Not Inherently Inconsistent With Colloquy Statements Regarding Immigration Advice, March 1, 2026
- Washington Supreme Court Clarifies Double Jeopardy Analysis for Multiple Assault Convictions, Holding That Assaultive Acts Occurring Over Short Time Period in Same Location Without Intervening Events Constitute Single Course of Conduct, March 1, 2026
- New Jersey Supreme Court Reverses Drug Convictions Under Cumulative Error Doctrine, Holding Combined Effect of Improper References to Television Series, Gun Violence, and Search Warrants Deprived Defendant of Fair Trial, March 1, 2026
- New York Court of Appeals Announces Coercive Police Tactics Compelling Suspect to Exit Home Constitute “Constructive Entry” Violating Payton, Holds Attenuation Analysis Applies to Third-Party Consent, March 1, 2026
More from these topics:
- Atlanta Jail Boasts Improvements Since Consent Decree, Reports from Monitor and ACLU Are More Critical, May 1, 2026. Staffing, Sanitation, Guard Brutality/Beatings, Consent Decrees, Bail/Pretrial Release.
- Fourth Circuit Revives North Carolina Prisoner’s Suit Blaming Lazy Guards for Assault by Detainee, May 1, 2026. Failure to Protect (General), Qualified Immunity, 42 U.S. Code § 1983, civil action for deprivation of rights, Cruel and Unusual Punishment, Deliberate Indifference.
- Idaho DOC Director Denies Verified Report of Rampant Sexual Abuse of Women Prisoners by Staff, May 1, 2026. Staff-Prisoner Assault, Guard Misconduct, DOC/BOP misconduct, Retaliatory Segregation, Prison Rape Elimination Act.
- “Like the Walking Dead”: Smuggled Drugs Fuel Chaos Inside Ohio Prisons, May 1, 2026. Contractor Misconduct, Guard Misconduct, Drug Overdose, Security Systems, Drugs - Determination of.
- Taser Use Doubled After Grand Jury Report on Pennsylvania Prisoner’s Death, May 1, 2026. Failure to Treat, Stun Guns/Tasers, Excessive Force (Wrongful Death), Failure to Treat (Mental Illness), Staff Training.
- Watchdog Finds Barely 1 in 10 Complaints Against California Prison Staff Handled Adequately, May 1, 2026. Guard Misconduct, DOC/BOP misconduct, Evidence, Staff Training, Statutes of Limitation and Laches.
- Six Maryland Guards Convicted in Prisoner’s Beating, Cover-up; § 1983 Suit Filed, May 1, 2026. Guard Brutality/Beatings, 42 U.S. Code § 1983, civil action for deprivation of rights, Obstruction of Justice, Wrongful Use of Force, Evidence - Destruction/Fabrication/Manipulation of.
- Records Show Culture of Impunity Among Kentucky Prison Guards, May 1, 2026. Guard Misconduct, Snitch Jacketing, Whistleblowing, Evidence - Admissibility.
- Judge Denies New York Prison Chief’s Motion to be Dismissed from Case Related to Robert Brooks’ Murder, May 1, 2026. Work Strikes, Guard Brutality/Beatings, Failure to Train/Supervise, Police--Excessive Force, Deliberate Indifference.
- Idaho Struggles to Respond to Devasting Report of Widespread Prisoner Sex Abuse, April 1, 2026. Staff-Prisoner Assault, Guard Misconduct, Prison Rape Elimination Act, State Legislation, Public Records Act.

