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$750,000 Settlement in New Mexico “Controlled Seating” Lawsuit
On September 2013, a proposed settlement was filed in a lawsuit over forcibly seating prisoners “nuts-to-butts” for hours at a time at a New Mexico state prison – a practice also known as “controlled seating.” The settlement provides $750,000 to be divided among the class members after incentive payments …
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More from this issue:
- Greenwashing Washington State’s Prison System in a River of Sewage, by Rick Anderson
- Inside the Shadowy Business of Prison Phone Calls, by Eric Markowitz
- Tennessee Prisoners Suing Private Prisons Not Required to File in Local Venue, by David Reutter
- News in Brief
- CA: Persons on Community Supervision Eligible to Seek Transfer to Another State, by Lonnie Burton
- Final Class-Action Settlement Pending in “Kids for Cash” Scandal
- Prisoners Released When Jails Can’t Feed Them, by Mark Wilson
- Investigation Forces Arizona Clemency Board Chairman to Resign, by Joe Watson
- Kentucky Jail Prisoners Make Mattresses, by David Reutter
- Notorious Psych Ward at Miami-Dade Jail Finally Shuttered, by David Reutter
- Ninth Circuit Finds Graham v. Florida Retroactive; 254-Year Sentence Unconstitutional, by Mark Wilson
- Does Political Spending by Private Prison Firms in Oklahoma Influence Prison Reform?, by Joe Watson
- Nebraska Law Unconstitutionally Forfeits Good Time for Refusal to Submit DNA Sample, by David Reutter
- Three Strikes Litigant Required to Show Ongoing “Imminent Danger” to Proceed on Appeal, by Lonnie Burton
- Failure to State Rationale in Denying Appointment of Counsel was Abuse of Discretion
- Vermont: Retaliatory Furlough Denial Reviewable on Rule 75 Motion, by Mark Wilson
- Ninth Circuit Finds that ICE Detention After Indictment Counts Against Sentence, by Derek Gilna
- Supreme Court Strikes Down Ban on Short Beard for Muslim Prisoner, by Derek Gilna
- Alaska High Court Reaffirms Negligence Standard to Protect Prisoners from Harm, by David Reutter
- Controversy Surrounds Shackling of Dying and Comatose Prisoners in UK, by Matthew Clarke
- Who Owns Private Prison Stock?, by Alex Friedmann
- Tenth Circuit: Ignoring Prisoner’s Severe Pain Precludes Qualified Immunity, by Mark Wilson
- Supreme Court Rules Qualified Immunity Shields Prison Officials from Suicide Claim, by Derek Gilna
- Report Finds Two-Thirds of Private Prison Contracts Include “Lockup Quotas”, by Joe Watson
- $1.15 Million for Florida Pretrial Detainee’s Death, by David Reutter
- Virginia Must Improve Prison Medical Care Under Proposed Class-action Settlement, by David Reutter
- Jury Awards $12,000 to Connecticut Prisoner for Unsanitary Mattress, by David Reutter
- UN Commission Approves Mandela Rules on Treatment of Prisoners, by David Fathi
- North Carolina Prisoner, Victim of Sexual Assault, Awarded One Dollar in Damages
- Two Names Added to Monument Memorializing Slain Prosecutors, by Matthew Clarke
- Pell Grants for Prisoners: New Bill Restores Hope of Reinstating College Programs, by Christopher Zoukis
- Peer-Review Reports Must be Disclosed in Philadelphia Jail Conditions Suit, by David Reutter
- Supreme Court Voids ACCA’s Residual Clause in Landmark Decision, by Derek Gilna
- San Diego Deputies Faulted for Jail Death, by Christopher Zoukis
- Nebraska Returns Ex-Offenders to Prison after Sentence Miscalculation Scandal, by Matthew Clarke
- $3,000 Jury Award to Arizona Prisoner Denied Prostate Care, by David Reutter
- Second Circuit Unseals Jail Conditions Settlement Compliance Reports; Public Has First Amendment Right of Access, by Mark Wilson
- Alabama Courts Must Review Substance of Claim Despite Pleading’s Title, by David Reutter
- $750,000 Settlement in New Mexico “Controlled Seating” Lawsuit, by Matthew Clarke
- West Virginia City Settles Suit over Jail Prisoner’s Death for $460,000, by Matthew Clarke
- Minnesota DOC Sued Over Failure to Provide New Hepatitis C Treatment Protocol, by Greg Dober
- UK Prison Cook Awarded $160,000 for Back Injury, by Derek Gilna
- Michigan: $8 Million Settlement after Prisoner’s Baby Born with Brain Damage, by Shepherd Litsey
- From the Editor, by Paul Wright
- Persistent, Ongoing Environmental Violations at Washington’s Walla Walla Prison, by Panagioti Tsolkas
More from Matthew Clarke:
- Federal Court Grants HRDC Preliminary Injunction Against Mail Censorship at New Mexico Jail, May 1, 2026
- 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
- Federal Court Places Medical Care in Arizona Prisons Under Receivership, May 1, 2026
- Seventh Circuit Upholds Liability but Reverses Damages in Lawsuit Over Illinois Warden and Investigator Using Prisoner as Bait to Catch Staff Member Raping Her, May 1, 2026
- Texas Moves to Restrict Cashless Bond and Reverse Federal Court-Ordered Misdemeanor Bail Reform, May 1, 2026
- In Texas, Harris County Commissioners Approve $1.2 Million for Fourth Study of Jail Since 2020 After Dozens of Abuse Allegations, April 1, 2026
- Texas Attorney General Clarifies Scope of Statute Requiring Outside Agency Investigation of Jail Deaths, April 1, 2026
- D.C. Judge Blocks Transfer of Biden-Commuted Federal Death Row Prisoners to “Supermax,” Citing Lack of Meaningful Due Process, April 1, 2026
- Eighth Circuit Revives Lawsuit Over Iowa Jail Detainee’s Suicide, April 1, 2026
- Groundbreaking Statistical Study of Pregnant Texas Jail Detainees Finds Over 400 Monthly, April 1, 2026
More from these topics:
- 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.
- 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.
- Nevada Non-Profit Founder Under Investigation for Misconduct, May 1, 2026. Staff-Prisoner Assault, Staff-Prisoner Harassment, Contractor Misconduct, Complaints, Restrictions, discrimination.
- Records Show Culture of Impunity Among Kentucky Prison Guards, May 1, 2026. Guard Misconduct, Snitch Jacketing, Whistleblowing, Evidence - Admissibility.
- 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.
- Leaked Video Footage Shows California Prison Guards Engaged in Retaliatory Assault, March 1, 2026. Guard Misconduct, Retaliation for Filing Grievances, Pepper Spray/Tear Gas, Prison Rape Elimination Act.
- U.S. Sentencing Commission Report Breaks Down Federal Contraband Sentences, March 1, 2026. Guard Misconduct, Mechanical Searches/Scanners, Statistics/Trends, U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, Bribery/Extortion/Theft.
- “Devil in the Ozarks” Gets 13 More Years for Escape, March 1, 2026. Guard Misconduct, DOC/BOP misconduct, Escapes, Security Systems, Authentication/Identification.
- Washington State Guard’s Conviction Affirmed in Self-Inflicted Gunshot Wound Scheme, March 1, 2026. Guard Misconduct, Conspiracies, Attempts, Solicitations, False Statements/Perjury, Possession or Use of Firearms, Abuse of Position of Trust.

