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$250,000 Settlement for Estate of PA Prisoner Killed by Mentally Ill Cellmate
Loaded on Feb. 2, 2016
by David Reutter
published in Prison Legal News
February, 2016, page 38
Filed under:
Failure to Protect (General),
Eighth Amendment,
Failure to Protect (Wrongful Death),
Failure to Treat (Mental Illness).
Location:
Pennsylvania.
The Pennsylvania Department of Corrections (PDOC) paid $250,000 to settle a lawsuit filed by the estate of an elderly, handicapped prisoner who was killed by his psychotic cellmate at State Correctional Institution Forest.
Elwood Brasswell, 28, had a violent history attributed to his “acute psychotic behavior.” A diagnosis …
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More from this issue:
- Settlement Ends Montgomery, Alabama Debtor’s Prison, by David Reutter
- Union Supply Overcharges Sales Tax on Holiday Packages for TN Prisoners
- Staff-on-Prisoner Sexual Abuse Persists in New York Prisons, by David Reutter
- Ninth Circuit: Appeal Challenges Probation Revocation for Exercising First Amendment Rights
- Illinois: Exonerated Sex Offender Sues for Wrongful Conviction, by Derek Gilna
- Judge to Recommend Whether to Exonerate “San Antonio Four” of Sexual Assault Convictions, by Matthew Clarke
- $350,000 Settlement for Estate of Prisoner Murdered at Georgia Prison
- Wisconsin DOC Pays Former Prisoner for Miscalculating Sentence, by Gary Hunter
- Vermont’s Policy of Sending Prisoners Out-of-State Found Unconstitutional, by David Reutter
- Minnesota Civil Detainee Raped by Cellmate Receives $203,000 Settlement, by David Reutter
- $725,000 Award for Eye Loss Caused by Guard’s Assault, by David Reutter
- Human Rights Groups Condemn Worsening Conditions in Venezuelan Prisons, by Matthew Clarke
- Former Washington Prisoner Exonerated, Receives Compensation, Arrested Again
- From Jailer to Jailed: Former NYPD Boss Urges Prison Reform, by Christopher Zoukis
- Civil Rights Advocates Laud Healthcare Settlement with Arizona Prison System, by Joe Watson
- New York Prisoner’s Retaliation Claim Nets $147,000 in Damages, Fees and Costs, by David Reutter
- In Past Three Years, Governors in Three States Declare Moratorium on Executions, by Christopher Zoukis
- $2,250 Jury Award in Arkansas Prisoner’s Excessive Force Case, by Matthew Clarke
- California: Settlement in Race-based Prison Lockdown Suit; $2.375 Million in Fees and Costs, by Lonnie Burton
- European Human Rights Court Finds UK Prisoners Wrongfully Denied Vote, by Derek Gilna
- Louisiana Jail Detainee’s Death Leads to FBI Investigation, Charges
- Texas Prisons to Allow In-person Wedding Ceremonies after Prohibition on Proxy Marriages
- PLN Settles Lawsuit against Florida Jail’s Postcard-only Policy
- Use of Pseudonym Merited to Protect Prisoner from Victimization
- Oregon DOC Envelope Art Ban Violates First Amendment, by Mark Wilson
- $250,000 Settlement for Estate of PA Prisoner Killed by Mentally Ill Cellmate, by David Reutter
- Florida Jail Ends Postcard-Only Policy as Part of Settlement, by David Reutter
- Environmental Problems Taint Plan for New Prison in Utah, by Panagioti Tsolkas
- The Slow, Painful Death of Bail in New York City, by Jarrett Murphy
- California’s Jail-building Boom: What Comes After Mass Incarceration? Local Incarceration., by Anat Rubin
- Male Guards’ Videotaping of Female Prisoners Being Strip Searched Results in $675,000 Settlement, by David Reutter
- Supreme Court Upholds Oklahoma’s Use of New Execution Drug, by Derek Gilna
- Police State: How America’s Cops Get Away with Murder (Book Review), by Bill Trine
- Federal Judges Very Rarely Sanctioned for Misconduct, by Matthew Clarke
- $3 Million Settlement in Death of Mentally Ill Prisoner; Three Guards Indicted, by Matthew Clarke
- Florida’s Department of Corrections: A Culture of Corruption, Abuse and Deaths, by David Reutter
- Will Lawsuits and Exposés Lead to Reform of Florida’s Brutal Prisons?, by Laura Cepero
- Sex Offenders Rally to Fight Discriminatory Laws, by Mark Wilson
- Computer Risk Assessments Gaining Popularity in Granting Paroles, by Derek Gilna
- Supreme Court Sets Aside Florida’s Death Penalty Sentencing Procedure, by Derek Gilna
- From the Editor, by Paul Wright
- 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:
- 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.
- 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.
- $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.
- Texas Officials Testify That Cost to Air Condition Prisons Tops $1.5 Billion, May 1, 2026. Eighth Amendment, Exposure to Heat, Administrative Exhaustion (PLRA), Deliberate Indifference, Prison Litigation Reform Act (PLRA).
- 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.

