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$2 Million Settlement After Woman Dies While Jailed for Unpaid Traffic Tickets
by Anthony W. Accurso
A woman was booked into jail in Mineral County, Nevada on traffic violations, and died days later due to medical neglect.
Kelly Coltrain, 27, was visiting her family in July 2017 to celebrate a family reunion and her grandmother’s 75th birthday. After the celebrations, she was …
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More from this issue:
- News in Brief
- Court Denies Arizona DOC’s Motion to Terminate Monitoring of Prisoners’ Out-of-Cell Time, by Douglas Ankney
- Criminal Justice Leaders Reject Attorney General’s “Tough on Crime” Attitude, by David M. Reutter
- Man Held in Jail Almost Three Months for Possession of ... Honey, by Dale Chappell
- Ninth Circuit Reverses Seizure of Funds from Federal Prisoner for Restitution, by Edward Lyon
- Medical, Mental Health Care Lacking at Florida Jail Despite 43 Years of Court Oversight, by David M. Reutter
- Los Angeles County to Pay $53 Million for Strip Searches of Female Prisoners, by Chad Marks
- Texas Jail Administrator Fired for Tampering with Government Documents, by Matthew Clarke
- Kansas Federal Court Holds U.S. Attorney’s Office in Contempt, by Matthew Clarke
- Summary Judgment Affirmed Against Publication in Civil Commitment Facility, by David M. Reutter
- Food Survey Reveals Washington State Prisoners’ Concerns and Complaints, by Matthew Clarke
- Solitary Confinement for Former Death Row Prisoner Held Unconstitutional, by David M. Reutter
- New York Stops Testing Probationers for Marijuana Use, by Dale Chappell
- Pennsylvania Prisoner Acquitted of Murder After 13-Year Battle – by Defending Himself in Retrial, by Kevin Bliss
- Ohio Mother Loses Children and Job Due to False Arrest, by Edward Lyon
- Project Hope Fights to End the Death Penalty ... from Death Row, by Bill Barton
- Colorado Prisoner Dies as Nurse Watches Videotape; $2.45 Million Settlement, by Edward Lyon
- Georgia Prison System Ordered to Amend Policy to Allow Three-Inch Beards, by David M. Reutter
- FAMM, Washington Lawyers’ Committee, NACDL Launch Compassionate Release Clearinghouse
- BJS Report Finds Sex Offenders Among Former Prisoners Least Likely to Re-Offend, by Scott Grammer
- Judicial Abuse and Law Enforcement Corruption on Trial in Meek Mill Case, by Kevin Bliss
- Illinois Prisoner Wins Partial Victory on Appeal in Hernia Treatment Suit, by Edward Lyon
- Many “Violent Offenders” Actually Committed Non-Violent Crimes, by Bill Barton
- Eighth Circuit Reverses District Court’s Order Requiring Halal Meals, by Chad Marks
- Over Three Decades Later, Turner v. Safley Still Controls Many Prisoner Lawsuits, by Matthew Clarke
- Life Sentence for Joyriding Overturned in California, by Scott Grammer
- Florida Prisoner Left a Quadriplegic After Brutal Beating by Guards, by David M. Reutter
- Overzealous Prosecutors Seek to Lock Up Prisoners Released Under First Step Act, by Chad Marks
- PLRA Does Not Prevent In Forma Pauperis Appeal of Case that Resulted in Third Strike, by Matthew Clarke
- Fourth Circuit Reverses Dismissal of Virginia Prisoner’s Hep C Lawsuit, by David M. Reutter
- Ninth Circuit: Prisoner’s Withdrawal of Consent for Magistrate Judge Improperly Denied, by Kevin Bliss
- Hickman’s Egg Farm Puts Prisoners to Work at High Cost to the Community, Residents Say, by Chad Marks
- Texas Counties Waste Millions by Jailing Defendants Charged with Citation-Eligible Misdemeanors, by Matthew Clarke
- Companies Compete to Build New Alabama Prisons, by David M. Reutter
- Family Sues New Jersey Jail Over Prisoner Suicide, by Edward Lyon
- Prisoners at Indiana Jail Certified as a Class in Conditions of Confinement Suit, by Kevin Bliss
- Fourth Circuit Agrees Virginia’s Death Row Conditions Violated Eighth Amendment, by Scott Grammer
- Colorado Prisoner Receives $200,000 Settlement in Excessive Force Case, by Scott Grammer
- New York State Prisoners Sue to Get Their Pain Medications Back, by Kevin Bliss
- Pennsylvania and Utah Expunge Criminal Cases to Help People Get Jobs, Find Housing, by Dale Chappell
- $2 Million Settlement After Woman Dies While Jailed for Unpaid Traffic Tickets, by Anthony Accurso
- Four Ohio Prisoners Shackled to Table Stabbed by Fellow Prisoner, by Scott Grammer
- Eighth Circuit Reverses Dismissal of Prisoner’s Suit Over Inadequate Shoes, by Chad Marks
- Qualified Immunity Denied when Pretrial Detainees Deprived of Water at Illinois Jail, by David M. Reutter
- The Cost of Wrongful Convictions
- New York City’s Rikers Island Jail Expected to Close by 2026, by Chad Marks
- Seventh Circuit Reverses Two PLRA Dismissals for Failure to Comply with Court Forms, by Edward Lyon
- California Appellate Court Discusses Appointment of Counsel for Incarcerated Litigants, by David M. Reutter
- Florida Victims’ Rights Law Creates Confusion, Limits Time for Appeals, by David M. Reutter
- Lawsuit Proceeds Over Conditions at Orange County, California Jail, by Edward Lyon
- Local Taxpayers Face Higher Taxes, Crime Rates Due to Death Penalty Trials, by Dale Chappell
- HRDC Files Suit Against Michigan DOC Over Systemic, Statewide Censorship
- Class Action Certified in Pennsylvania Jail Gender Discrimination Suit, by David M. Reutter, Matthew Clarke
- From the Editor, by Paul Wright
- Wasted Minds: Prisoners Languish in Florida Prisons with Little Access to Education, by Ryan McKinnon, Josh Salman
More from Anthony Accurso:
- America’s Deadliest Jails: Tarrant County Edition, Nov. 1, 2025
- Sixth Circuit Holds Dismissal Not Automatic When Plaintiff Simultaneously Files Same Claims in State Court, Aug. 1, 2025
- Delaware’s ACLU Files Action on Behalf Of Six Prisoners Assaulted During Midnight Raid, Aug. 1, 2025
- DOJ Inspects BOP Food Service Operations, Finds Troubling Issues at Multiple Facilities, Aug. 1, 2025
- Guaranteed Basic Income Programs for Prisoners Reduce Food Insecurity and Homelessness, Aug. 1, 2025
- Ninth Circuit: ‘Dominion and Control’ Provision of Search Warrant for Suspect’s Computer That Lacked Temporal or Other Limitation Constitutes General Warrant, Aug. 1, 2025
- Nearly $60,000 Awarded to Mother Of Dead Missouri Prisoner In Suit For His DOC Records, July 15, 2025
- $42,000 Paid to Wisconsin Prisoner Allowed to Harm Himself While Under Observation, July 15, 2025
- Ongoing Detainee Deaths Push Rikers Island into Federal Court Receivership, July 15, 2025
- The Dangerous Practice of Late-Night Jail Releases, July 15, 2025
More from these topics:
- America’s Deadliest Jails: Tarrant County Edition, Nov. 1, 2025. Wrongful Death, Failure to Protect (Wrongful Death), Medical Neglect/Malpractice, Excessive Force (Wrongful Death).
- Class-Action Suit at BOP “Rape Club” in California Settled for Record $116 Million, July 15, 2025. Staff-Prisoner Assault, DOC/BOP misconduct, Settlements, Injunctions, Class Actions.
- Oregon Prisoners Can Now Seek Economic Damages for Future Lost Income More Easily, July 15, 2025. Retaliation, Settlements, Defamation, Employment Deprivation.
- $1.2 Million in Settlements Reached in Suit Over Sacramento Jail Murder, May 1, 2025. Settlements, Failure to Protect (Wrongful Death), Failure to Treat (Mental Illness).
- $18,000 for New York Prisoner Who Alleged Guards Planted Shank in Cell, May 1, 2025. Guard Misconduct, Cell Searches, Settlements.
- Missouri Pays More Than $1.2 Million for Deputy Warden’s Sexual Harassment Claim Against Warden, May 1, 2025. Staff-Staff Harassment, DOC/BOP misconduct, Settlements.
- New York Prisoner Awarded Almost $280,000 in Retaliation Claim Against Guards, May 1, 2025. Retaliation for Filing Grievances, Guard Brutality/Beatings, Settlements.
- $3.4 Million Settlement for Minnesota Jail Death Called “Real-Life Nightmare”, May 1, 2025. Drug Overdose, Settlements, Medical Neglect/Malpractice.
- New Orleans Public Defender’s “Redeem Team” Says: “Re-entry Is Never Over”, May 1, 2025. Settlements, Wrongful Conviction, Life without Parole (LWOP), Juveniles, Post-release, ex-offender, re-entry, Remands/Rehearings/Resentencings.
- Los Angeles County Pays $24 Million to Two Former Prisoners Wrongly Convicted as Teens of 1997 Murder, May 1, 2025. Informants, Settlements, Wrongful Conviction, False Exculpatory Statements.

