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California Prisoner Exonerated but Now Faces Deportation
Loaded on Dec. 31, 2015
published in Prison Legal News
January, 2016, page 43
California Prisoner Exonerated but Now Faces Deportation
On November 23, 2015, a Los Angeles judge ordered the release of 46-year-old Luis Vargas, who had served 16 years in prison for sexual assault and other charges. Vargas, a legal immigrant prior to his arrest, was immediately taken into federal …
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More from this issue:
- Two Suicides at Privately-operated Pennsylvania Facility
- Denver Wins Sexual Harassment Suit Filed by Former Jail Captain; Tenth Circuit Affirms, by Matthew Clarke
- Numerous Deaths at Nevada Prison Raise Questions, Concerns, by Christopher Zoukis
- Ohio Prisoner’s Estate Awarded $350,000, by Derek Gilna
- $183,000 in Settlements for Sexually Abused Pennsylvania Prisoners, by David Reutter
- Oklahoma Prisoners Develop Software which Could Save the State Millions, by Christopher Zoukis
- Conn. Guard Gets 90 Days, Probation for Sex with Prisoner
- Colorado Court Finds Book Limitation Policy Violates Prisoner’s Religious Rights, but Case Reversed on Appeal, by David Reutter
- Family of Prisoner Who Died from Allergic Reaction Settles Lawsuit for $2.4 Million, by Christopher Zoukis
- Federal Court Certifies Class-action for Thousands of Detroit Prisoners, Enters Default Judgment, by Derek Gilna
- Are We There Yet? The Promise, Perils and Politics of Penal Reform, by Marie Gottschalk
- Opposition to the Death Penalty Grows with High-Profile Support, by Christopher Zoukis
- Pope Francis Calls for Worldwide Prison Reform, Support and Hope for Prisoners, by Christopher Zoukis
- PLN Intervenes, Unseals Settlement in CCA Fair Labor Standards Act Case, by David Reutter
- Report: Nearly One in Four Exonerations Involves Crimes that Never Occurred, by Christopher Zoukis
- Getting the Money Out of Prison Reform, by Dan Berger
- A Clean Slate: Prisoners Taking Advantage of Tattoo Removal Programs, by Christopher Zoukis
- Criticism of Congressional Mandate to Keep Immigration Detention Centers Full, by Derek Gilna
- Report Calls for End of Welfare and Food Stamp Restrictions for Felony Drug Offenders, by Derek Gilna
- California Prisoner Exonerated but Now Faces Deportation
- President Obama “Bans the Box” at Federal Government Agencies, by Derek Gilna
- Washington State: Class-action Alleges DOC Policy of Denying Medical Care, by Derek Gilna
- Tulsa, Oklahoma Settles Four Wrongful Conviction Lawsuits for $810,000, by Matthew Clarke
- $130,000 Settlement in Minnesota Prisoner’s Medical Negligence Suit, by Matthew Clarke
- West Virginia Supreme Court Undermines Prisoners’ Right to Sue for Rape
- Texas Grand Jury Indicts Two Jailers in Prisoner’s Death; Others Face Discipline
- Tragic Death at Washington Jail Results in Changes, $1.3 Million Settlement, by Lonnie Burton
- Connecticut Prisoner Obtains Settlement in Civil Rights Case, by Derek Gilna
- Why are Alameda County Jails Forcing Women to Take Pregnancy Tests?, by Susie Cagle
- Texas Hospital Settles Suit over Improper Border Patrol Search for $1.1 Million, by Matthew Clarke
- Georgia: $453,000 Jury Verdict against Private Jail Medical Contractor, by David Reutter
- California Court Upholds Prisoners’ Convictions for Fatal Jail Beating, by Derek Gilna
- Seventh Circuit Rules Wisconsin Prisoner’s Religious Rights Must be Honored, by Derek Gilna
- Prison Legal News Settles New Mexico Jail Suit for $235,000, by Derek Gilna
- Study Finds Private Prisons Keep Prisoners Longer, Without Reducing Future Crime, by Peter Kerwin
- Seventh Circuit Rejects Prisoner’s 1983 Claim but Criticizes Controlling Precedent, by Derek Gilna
- Utah Judge Orders Jail to Stop Seizing Prisoners’ Money for Pay-to-Stay Fees, by Matthew Clarke
- One of the Largest Solar Power Companies in the U.S. has Ties to Prison Slave Labor, by Panagioti Tsolkas
- Michigan: Private Prison More Costly than State-Run Prison, Attracts Out-of-State Contracts, by David Reutter
- California Officials Reverse Position after Receiving Prison Phone Company Contributions, by Derek Gilna
- From the Editor, by Paul Wright
- News in Brief
More from these topics:
- $11 Million Paid by Boston to Exonerated Prisoner for 37-Year Wrongful Incarceration, Sept. 1, 2026. Settlements, Wrongful Conviction, Wrongful Imprisonment, Monell Liability, Withholding of Exculpatory Evidence.
- Detroit Pays $5.8 Million to Former State Prisoner Exonerated of Murder After 15 Years, Aug. 1, 2026. Wrongful Conviction, Qualified Immunity, 42 U.S. Code § 1983, civil action for deprivation of rights, Eyewitness Identification, Evidence - Failure to Disclose.
- $13 Million Awarded to Exonerated Illinois Prisoner Tortured to Confess by Corrupt Cops, Aug. 1, 2026. Police Misconduct, Wrongful Conviction, Certificate of Innocence, False Imprisonment, Confessions - Coerced.
- Louisiana Supreme Court Announces Framework Governing Factual Innocence Claims in First Application of La. C.Cr.P. Art. 926.2, Holding Second-Step Review Encompasses All Relevant Evidence, Aug. 1, 2026. Wrongful Conviction, Forensic Sciences, Actual Innocence/Claim of Innocence, Expert and Opinion Testimony, Scientific Testimony or Evidence.
- Conviction Tossed for Former Alabama Prisoner Paroled After 42 Years, July 1, 2026. Sex Offender Registration, Wrongful Conviction, Forensic Sciences, Eyewitness Identification, Brady Rule violations.
- Your DNA Was at the Scene, But You Weren’t: How Touch DNA Is Convicting the Innocent, June 1, 2026. DNA Testing/Samples, junk science, Wrongful Conviction, DNA Evidence, Evidence - Admissibility, Claim of Innocence.
- Jury Awards Over $24.4 Million to Kentucky Prisoner Exonerated After 22 Years, Bringing Total Payout for Him and Co-Defendant to Almost $45 Million, June 1, 2026. Police Misconduct, Wrongful Conviction, Monell Liability, Fabrication of Evidence, Failure to Disclose.
- Sixth Circuit Upholds $10 Million Wrongful Conviction Verdict for Exonerated Michigan Prisoner, June 1, 2026. Wrongful Conviction, 42 U.S. Code § 1983, civil action for deprivation of rights, Immunity - Absolute and Qualified, Damages - Compensatory, Failure to Disclose.
- Murder Convictions Tossed for Three Pennsylvania Prisoners After 28 Years, June 1, 2026. Wrongful Conviction, witness misidentification, Forensic Sciences, Evidence - Integrity/Reliability of, Expert and Opinion Testimony.
- New York Prisoner, Paroled After 25 Years, Exonerated of Crime, June 1, 2026. Wrongful Conviction, Wrongful Imprisonment, Evidence - Failure to Disclose, Prosecutorial Threats, Brady/Giglio/Jencks Act Issues.

