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Tennessee Jail Sexual Assault Lawsuit can Proceed, Federal Court Rules
by David M. Reutter
A Tennessee federal district court has held the Hamblen County Sheriff’s Department and Sheriff Esco Jarnagin can be held liable for the sexual assault of a pretrial detainee. The ruling was based on long-standing deficient conditions at the Hamblen County Jail (HCJ).
The …
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More from this issue:
- News in Brief
- California County Jail, Private Medical Provider to Pay $825,000 for Prisoner’s Death, by Chad Marks
- $100,000 Withheld from Washington Jail for Failure to Fully Implement Ban on Juvenile Solitary Confinement, by Chad Marks
- Kentucky Jail Rents Texting Devices to Prisoners, by Scott Grammer
- Cook County Commissioners Approve $1.5 Million Settlement for Jail Beating, by Chad Marks
- Tennessee Adopts Alternative Sentencing for Primary Caregivers of Minor Children, by Edward Lyon
- Oklahoma County Settles Lawsuit Over Jail Prisoner’s Suicide for $350,000, by Matthew Clarke
- Former BOP Official Pays $50,000 to Settle Anti-Kickback Claims, by Scott Grammer
- $500,000 Settlement in Lawsuit Over Alcohol Withdrawal Death of Indiana Jail Prisoner, by Matthew Clarke
- President Trump Pardons Conservative Political Allies, by Douglas Ankney
- $50,000 for Missouri Jail Prisoner Who Suffered Injuries Caused by Broken Plumbing, by Edward Lyon
- Ninth Circuit Rejects Lawsuit by California Prisoners Over Exposure to Valley Fever, by Chad Marks
- Federal Court Caps Attorney Fees in Suit Over Teen Girl Raped in Oklahoma Jail, by Matthew Clarke
- Tennessee Prisoners File Lawsuit Challenging Video Visitation Policy at County Jail, by Chad Marks
- Increasing Number of Walkaways from California Early-Release Programs, by Edward Lyon
- Allegation that Prisoner was Beaten after Guard Outed Him as Sex Offender Stated Eighth Amendment Claim, by Douglas Ankney
- Thomas Silverstein, America’s Most Isolated Prisoner, Dies at Age 67, by Matthew Clarke
- Death Rate of Prisoners in Michigan Much Higher than Reported, by Kevin W. Bliss
- $185,000 Settlement in Beating of Florida Jail Prisoner; Guard Convicted, by David M. Reutter
- UK Using Facial Recognition Technology on Prison Visitors ... is the U.S. Next?, by Chad Marks
- Arizona Federal Court Levies Sanctions Against Corizon Health, by Edward Lyon
- Steep Cost for Sending Hawaii Prisoners to Mainland Facilities
- Preliminary Settlement in Lawsuit Against JPay Over Prison Video Calls Ending Early, by Scott Grammer
- Connecticut DOC Settles Calendar Lawsuit for $1,500, Policy Changes
- Former Florida Senator Now Employed by Private Prison Company He Helped While in the State Senate, by Kevin W. Bliss
- Build it and They will Come: Officials Claim Spokane, Washington Needs Bigger Jail, by Dale Chappell
- California Jailer Accused of Raping Detainees to Stand Trial, by Edward Lyon
- Cops, Guards Beat Mentally Ill Arrestee to Death as Jail Nurse Watches; $5 Million Settlement, by Edward Lyon
- $100,000 Settlement for Suicide of Mentally Ill Prisoner Repeatedly Raped, by Douglas Ankney
- $1.1 Million Settlement for Michigan Parole Officer in Sexual Harassment Suit, by David M. Reutter
- Seventh Circuit Reverses District Court’s Denial of Blind Prisoner’s Request for Counsel, by Douglas Ankney
- Commander of Guantanamo Bay Military Prison Fired, by Douglas Ankney
- Tennessee Jail Sexual Assault Lawsuit can Proceed, Federal Court Rules, by David M. Reutter
- Lawsuit Claims Denial of Medical Care Nearly Killed Prisoner at Colorado Jail, by Matthew Clarke
- Missouri DOC Costs State Another $600,000 in Sexual Harassment Settlement, by Douglas Ankney
- New York Appellate Court Holds Names of Prison Guards are Public Records, by Edward Lyon
- New York: $655,000 Award after State Found 100% Responsible for Prisoner Assault, by Douglas Ankney
- $30,000 Settlement for Pennsylvania Pretrial Detainee Subjected to Excessive Force, by David M. Reutter
- Pennsylvania County Pays $1.1 Million to Former Prisoner Beaten by Guards, by Chad Marks
- Mexican Mafia Crime Ring Busted in Los Angeles, San Bernardino County Jails, by Scott Grammer
- After Needless Prisoner Deaths, Connecticut DOC Takes Over Prison Healthcare, by Matthew Clarke
- Washington: Prisoners’ Complaints Lead to Changes in DOC’s Drug Testing Policy, by Chad Marks
- Mumia Abu-Jamal to Receive New Appellate Hearing, by David M. Reutter
- $60,000 Settlement for Female Pennsylvania Prisoner in Sexual Assault Suit, by David M. Reutter
- $118,000 Attorney Fee Award in Pennsylvania DOC Public Records Case, by David M. Reutter
- Correlation Between Dyslexia and Criminal Behavior; First Step Act to Require Screening, Treatment, by Douglas Ankney
- New Jersey Jail to Pay $1.2 Million for Strip Searching Detainees, by Kevin W. Bliss
- Final Settlement Entered in 1976 Class-Action Suit Against Florida Jail, by Scott Grammer
- Iowa Prisoners Say Law Banning Publications Containing Nudity Too Broad, by Kevin W. Bliss
- Should Private Companies Exploit Prisoners Through Exclusive Government Contracts?, by Dale Chappell
- Arizona DOC Bans Book Critical of Justice System, Reverses Decision Following Criticism, by Anthony W. Accurso
- Lawsuit Proceeds Over Death of Prisoner at Privately-Run Jail, by Scott Grammer
- Habeas Petition Granted Over Failing Roof, Unsanitary Conditions at California Prison, by Matthew Clarke
- New York County Pays $35,000 to Settle Retaliation Claim Against Sheriff, by Dale Chappell
- New California Law Bans Male Prison Guards from Pat-Searching Female Prisoners, by Scott Grammer
- Report Shows How Private Equity Firms Profit from Mass Incarceration, by Dale Chappell
- $2 Million Awarded to New Mexico Prisoner Left in Hot Transport Van, by Edward Lyon
- Missouri County Agrees to $60,000 Settlement in Wrongful Death Case, by Kevin Bliss
- Problems with Ion Scanners Used to Detect Drugs on Prison Visitors, by Edward Lyon
- Illinois Prison Phone Rates are Lowest Following Grassroots Activism, by Brian Dolinar
- Kentucky Corrections, Parole Officials Fired, by Edward Lyon
- CoreCivic Prisons in Tennessee Have Twice as Many Murders, Four Times the Homicide Rate as State-Run Facilities
- $30,000 Settlement in Pennsylvania Jail Excessive Strip Search Suit, by David M. Reutter
- Cook County Sheriff’s Office Pays $110,000 to Settle PLN Censorship Suit
- From the Editor, by Paul Wright
- Force-Feeding is Cruel, Painful and Degrading – and American Prisons Won’t Stop, by Aviva Stahl
More from David M. Reutter:
- Class Action Certified in Lawsuit Alleging Raw Sewage Presence in Washington Jail, Oct. 1, 2026
- South Carolina Supreme Court Reverses Class Action Status in Prisoners’ Sexual Assault Lawsuit, Oct. 1, 2026
- Second Circuit Rules Eighth Amendment Governs Claims of Excessive Force Brought by Parole Violator, Oct. 1, 2026
- Sixth Circuit: Qualified Immunity Granted to Guard in Delayed Treatment for Prisoner who Suffered Heart Attack, Oct. 1, 2026
- New Mexico Supreme Court Announces Reasons-for-Delay Analysis Must Assess State’s Own Responsibility Rather Than Compare Parties’ Delay and Abrogates Precedent Employing Party-to-Party Offsets, Oct. 1, 2026
- Report Finds State Prison Systems Fail to Provide Adequate Assistance to Obtain Release Documentation, Oct. 1, 2026
- Eleventh Circuit Affirms Refusal to Expand Bivens to Claim Alleging Federal Prisoner Died from Denial of Treatment for Hepatitis C, Oct. 1, 2026
- Ninth Circuit Reverses Dismissal of Prisoner’s ADA Complaint Alleging Denial of Toileting and Hygiene Services, Oct. 1, 2026
- Virginia Report Finds Deaths Increasing as Prison Population Ages, Oct. 1, 2026
- Sixth Circuit Holds Kentucky Deficient-Counsel Belated-Appeal Procedure Tolls Federal Habeas One-Year Limitations Period, Sept. 1, 2026
More from these topics:
- South Carolina Supreme Court Reverses Class Action Status in Prisoners’ Sexual Assault Lawsuit, Oct. 1, 2026. Sexual Assault, Failure to Protect (General), Class Certification, Prison Rape Elimination Act, Appealable Issues/Orders.
- L.A. County Begins Making Nearly $5 Billion in Payouts to Survivors of Sex Abuse in Juvenile Detention, Sept. 1, 2026. Sexual Assault, Staff-Prisoner Assault, Prisoner-Prisoner Assault, Guard Misconduct, Jail Misconduct, Settlements, Juvenile Offenses/Offenders.
- GAO Report Finds Rampant Sexual Abuse in Federal Prisons, Most Cases Unresolved, Aug. 1, 2026. Staff-Prisoner Assault, Prisoner-Prisoner Assault, DOC/BOP misconduct, Corrections Audits, Prison Rape Elimination Act.
- New York Closes Rikers Infirmary as Broader Jail Shutdown Plan Stalls, Aug. 1, 2026. Prison Reform, Overcrowding, Jail Specific, Inadequate Health Care Facilities, Reduction of Prison Population.
- Multiple Detainees Escape from Dilapidated North Carolina Jail, July 1, 2026. Guard Misconduct, Failure to Protect (General), Overcrowding, Staffing, Jail Specific, Security Systems, Criminal Justice, Prison Conditions.
- Dallas County Jail Deaths, Many Preventable, Dramatically Increase Under Sheriff Marian Brown, June 1, 2026. Systemic Medical Neglect, Failure to Treat, Jail Specific, Medical Neglect/Malpractice, Deliberate Indifference.
- Number of Prisoners Awaiting Transfer from Jail Surging in Indiana, June 1, 2026. Transfers, Statistics/Trends, Cost of Prison Systems, Overcrowding, Jail Specific.
- Pregnant Women Detained in Jail: The Hideous Story of In-Custody Births, May 1, 2026. Systemic Medical Neglect, OB/GYN, Failure to Treat, Jail Specific, Medical Neglect/Malpractice.
- $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.
- Negligence, Lack of Training at Ohio’s Cuyahoga County Jail Led to String of Deaths, May 1, 2026. Systemic Medical Neglect, Drug Overdose, Jail Specific, Failure to Train/Supervise, Medical Neglect/Malpractice.

