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$145,000 Settlement in Iowa Prisoner’s Self-Mutilation Mental Health Claim
by David M. Reutter
The Iowa Department of Corrections (IDOC) paid $144,523.20 to settle a civil rights action that claimed prison officials sat idly watching a mentally ill prisoner physically maim herself.
In 1976 at the age of 13, Shane Elizabeth Eggen was placed in state custody by her parents, …
The Iowa Department of Corrections (IDOC) paid $144,523.20 to settle a civil rights action that claimed prison officials sat idly watching a mentally ill prisoner physically maim herself.
In 1976 at the age of 13, Shane Elizabeth Eggen was placed in state custody by her parents, …
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More from this issue:
- Texas Prisoners Still Dying in Houston Jails, Among Other Problems, by Gary Hunter
- From the Editor, by Paul Wright
- Fifth Circuit: Special Parole Review Request Doesn’t Toll AEDPA Limitations
- Megan’s Law Preempts Local New Jersey Sex Offender Ordinances
- “Habeas Hints”, by Kent A. Russell
- Perpetrators and Enablers of Torture in the US, by Corey Weinstein
- Maine Prison in Turmoil, by Lance Tapley
- Obama Promises Guantanamo Will Close and Torture Will End ... but When?, by Matthew Clarke
- Human Rights Watch Report Calls to Reform PLRA, by David Reutter
- Florida Prison Guards Fired, Suspended for Shocking Children with Stun Guns, by David Reutter
- Problems at Washington’s Civil Commitment Center Continue, by Matthew Clarke
- Southern California Jails Addicted to ICE Money, by Matthew Clarke
- CA Prison Medical Care Receiver: Three Top Officials Ousted, Controversial Building Plan Opposed, by Matthew Clarke
- California Sheriffs Appropriate Rehabilitation Funds for Security Needs, by Michael Brodheim
- Sacramento County Jail Settles Excessive Force Suit For $260,000
- Nebraska Prison Officials Must Pay Attorney’s Fees in Kosher Diet Case; Found in Contempt After Excrement Discovered in Prisoner’s Food, by Brandon Sample
- PLN Files Public Records Suit Against San Francisco County, Sheriff’s Office
- Columbia Jail Journal: The Compelling, Exclusive Inside Story of the Columbia Three, by James Monaghan, Brandon Press, 277 pages, by David Preston
- Florida DOC and Keefe Gouge Prisoners on Commissary Sales, by David Reutter
- $1.8 Million Settlement in Beating of Florida Jail Prisoner
- Pennsylvania Jail Mired in Scandal ... Again
- Montana, Michigan Towns Vie to Fill Prisons with Guantanamo Detainees
- $4.7 Million Settlement for Brain Damage Caused by Washington Jail Negligence
- Michigan Changes Overtime Rules; $4 Million Savings on Prison Budget
- Glomar Response to Prisoner’s FOIA Request Insufficient
- Texas Parole Board’s Hearing on Imposition of Sex Offender Conditions Inadequate, by Matthew Clarke
- PLN Prevails in Motion to Unseal Settlement in CCA Class Action FLSA Case
- $6 Million Settlement in Beating Death of California Detainee
- $500,000 Settlement for Fatal Beating of Phoenix Jail Prisoner, by Matthew Clarke
- Los Angeles County Agrees to Pay $7,000,000 to Beaten Juvenile Prisoner
- Ohio County Jail Agrees to Pay $75,000 For Locking Up Poor
- Small Amounts of Marijuana Not “Dangerous Contraband” Under New York Law, Court Rules
- Audit Finds California Parolees Sometimes Slip Through Bureaucratic Cracks
- Maryland Prisoners Make Flags
- Mississippi Prisoners Make Collect Call for Jesus
- Clerk Erred in Refusing to File Unsigned 28 U.S.C. § 2255 Motion
- Aramark Discontinues, Loses Prison Food Service Contracts, by David Reutter
- Injunction Against Missouri Sex Offender Halloween Restrictions Issued, Then Vacated, by Matthew Clarke
- Mentally Ill NC Prisoners Injured in Separate Incidents, by Gary Hunter
- $145,000 Settlement in Iowa Prisoner’s Self-Mutilation Mental Health Claim, by David Reutter
- Missouri DOC Permits Gift Books in Response to PLN Demand Letter
- Hawaii to Remove Prisoners from CCA Facility Over Abuse Charges, by Ian Urbina
- Military Psychologist Implicated in Abusive Interrogations, by David Reutter
- Indigent Connecticut Prisoners Entitled to Copies of Records Under FOIA Without Charge
- Duration of Confinement in Segregation Affects Due Process Inquiry
- Second Circuit Reinstates New York Jail Guard’s Excessive Force Conviction, by Matthew Clarke
- California: City Liable for $237,000 Hospital Bill for Prisoner’s Medical Care
- Oakland, CA Police Policy of In-Field Public Strip Searches Without Arrest or Warrant Found Unconstitutional
- Florida: For Sentence Calculation Purposes, Civil Commitment Detention Same as Jail Confinement
- District Court Erred in Sua Sponte Dismissal of Prisoner’s Challenge to Conditions of Confinement
- Florida Gain Time Law Application Violates Ex Post Facto Clause
- Ninth Circuit: Refusal to Allow Cross-Examination of Lab Technician Violates Due Process, by Brandon Sample
- Ohio Jail Officials Face Federal Charges, Investigation, by Brandon Sample
- BOP Warden Does Not Have Authority to Reduce Prisoner’s Sentence Under Rule 35(b), by Brandon Sample
- News in Brief:
- Oregon Illegal Detention Suit Settled for $30,000
- Sixth Circuit: Dismissal of Due Process and Equal Protection Claims Upheld; Exhaustion of Administrative Remedies Issue Remanded
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:
- Spike in Massachusetts Prisoner Suicides Blamed on Isolation, K-2 and Spotty Mental Healthcare, May 1, 2026. DOJ CRIPA Actions, Failure to Treat (Mental Illness), Suicides, Confinement in Segregated Housing, Administrative Detention/Segregation.
- $9.8 Million in Settlements Reached with South Carolina County and Wellpath in Gruesome Jail Death, May 1, 2026. Failure to Treat, Sanitation, Medical Neglect/Malpractice, Failure to Treat (Mental Illness), Deliberate Indifference.
- $2.135 Million Partial Settlement Reached in Schizophrenic Detainee’s Death from “Gross Medical Neglect” at South Carolina Jail, May 1, 2026. Prison Health Services, Failure to Treat, Medical Neglect/Malpractice, Failure to Treat (Mental Illness), Deliberate Indifference.
- Faced with Record-Breaking Jail Deaths, L.A. County Supervisors Tell Sheriff’s Department to Improve Access to Naloxone, Camera Monitoring, and Security Checks at California Jail, May 1, 2026. Drug Overdose, Overcrowding, Sanitation, Medical Neglect/Malpractice, Failure to Treat (Mental Illness).
- 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.
- Federal Court Places Medical Care in Arizona Prisons Under Receivership, May 1, 2026. Naphcare, Systemic Medical Neglect, Injunctions, Failure to Treat (Mental Illness), Inadequate Health Care Facilities.
- $1.25 Million Paid for Special Needs Teen’s Fatal Beating in Houston Jail, May 1, 2026. Prisoner-Prisoner Assault, Failure to Protect (General), Failure to Protect (Wrongful Death), Failure to Treat (Mental Illness), Cruel and Unusual Punishment.
- Monitor Says Massachusetts Prisons Will Not Meet Settlement Deadline for Mental Health Reforms, May 1, 2026. Private Prisons, DOC/BOP misconduct, Consent Decrees, Failure to Treat (Mental Illness), Suicides.
- Eighth Circuit Revives Lawsuit Over Iowa Jail Detainee’s Suicide, April 1, 2026. Summary Judgment, Failure to Protect (Wrongful Death), Failure to Treat (Mental Illness), Suicides.
- Survey of Arkansas Jails Reveals Strained, Costly Health Care System, April 1, 2026. Systemic Medical Neglect, Private Contractors, Medical Neglect/Malpractice, Failure to Treat (Mental Illness), Deliberate Indifference.

