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Massachusetts Supreme Court Orders DOC to Free Terminally Ill Prisoners After DOJ Investigates Mistreatment
by Bill Barton
On January 28, 2020, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court (SJC) voided several regulations used by the state Department of Correction (DOC) to justify denying 29 petitions by prisoners for medical parole, also known as “compassionate release.” The ruling came in a case by one of …
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More from this issue:
- Protect Yourself and Your Facility from COVID-19, by Michael D. Cohen, MD
- $41,850 Settlement in Heart Attack Death at California Jail, by Kevin Bliss
- From the Editor, by Paul Wright
- $33,000 Settlement For Pro Se Arizona Prisoner Assaulted by Guard, by Matthew Clarke
- New York City Paid McKinsey & Company Millions for Failed Program to Reduce Jail Violence, by Douglas Ankney
- Illinois Prison Guilty of Censoring Free Speech Over Facebook Posts, by Kevin Bliss
- NY State Prisons Finally Stop Using Faulty Drug Testing Equipment; Class Action Lawsuit Filed by Victims, by Anthony Accurso
- Massachusetts Supreme Court Orders DOC to Free Terminally Ill Prisoners After DOJ Investigates Mistreatment, by Bill Barton
- All 50 States Report Prison Understaffing, by Brian Sonenstein
- Tenth Circuit Holds BOP’s Change in Policy and Delivery of Censored Issues at ADX Super Max Prison Moots PLN’s Lawsuit, by Matthew Clarke
- Continuing Problems at Texas Jail Roil County’s Relationship with GEO Group, by Matthew Clarke
- More States Restore Felony Voting Rights, by David M. Reutter
- Former Captain at Louisiana Private Prison Sentenced for Conspiracy to Violate Ban on Cruel and Unusual Punishment, by Bill Barton
- Fund to Pay Wrongfully Convicted Prisoners in Michigan Is Broke Once Again, by David Reutter
- Prison Plays Go on the Road, Teach Prisoners Life Skills, by Dale Chappell
- Former Prisoners Find Career Success and Help Others to Achieve the Same, by Kevin Bliss
- Audit: Privatizing Florida’s Prison Health Care Was Costly and Deadly Mistake, by David Reutter
- California Prison Officials Put Hold on Policy That Led to “Gladiator Fights”, by Michael Fortino, Ph.D
- $1 Million Paid by Snohomish County Jail to Settle Detainee’s Opioid Withdrawal Death Lawsuit, by Douglas Ankney
- Massachusetts Prison Retaliates Against Prisoners for Assault on Guards; Court Grants Preliminary Injunction in Class Action, by Kevin Bliss
- Kim Kardashian West Declares War on Mass Incarceration, by Edward Lyon
- $1 Million Settlement in Atlanta Detainee’s Death From Untreated Diabetes, by David Reutter
- Florida Lowers Minimum Age for Prison Guards But Fails to End Staff Shortages, by David Reutter
- Artificial Intelligence for Surveillance Spreading to Prisons Around the Globe, by Jayson Hawkins
- Suicide Rate of BOP Guards Keeps Increasing, Sets New Record, by Dale Chappell
- What’s It Like Inside? Early Snapshots from Prisons During the Coronavirus Pandemic, by Ken Silverstein
- Prisons and Jails Are Vulnerable to COVID-19 Outbreaks, by Nicole Wetsman
- Prosecutors Sue Firm for Selling Bureau of Prisons Adulterated Food, Spices, by David Reutter
- 1.25 Million Corizon Settlement in Mentally Ill Michigan Prisoner’s Dehydration Death, by David Reutter
- Another Settlement in Sexual Assault Case at Pennsylvania Lackawanna County Prison, by David Reutter
- As Coronavirus Spreads, New York Governor Exploits Prison Labor to Produce Hand Sanitizer, by Michael Fortino, Ph.D
- Ninth Circuit Reverses Suit Over Fees Charged Prepaid Debit Cards Given To Released Prisoners, by Bob Williams
- Funding and Leadership Failures Result in Less Criminal Justice Data, by Anthony Accurso
- Virginia Governor Suspends Policy After Eight-Year-Old Strip Searched During Prison Visit, by Bill Barton
- The Ongoing Push to End Outrageous Prison Phone Charges, by Anthony Accurso
- Former Prisoners Succeeding in Hospitality Industry, by Edward Lyon
- Washington State Pays $500,000 to Family of Man Who Died by Suicide, by Chad Marks
- California’s New “Progressive” Governor Seeks to Halt Parole for Some Murderers and “Serious” Offenders, by Bill Barton
- California Exonerees Not Quite Innocent Under the Law, by Anthony Accurso
- Major Outbreak of Legionnaires’ at Coleman Women’s Work Camp, by Kevin Bliss
- Sixth Circuit Holds Ohio Rule Requiring Merit Affidavit Inapplicable in BOP Prisoner’s Tort Action, by Matthew Clarke
- Illinois Prisoner Locked Up Decades Without a Conviction or Sentence, by Bill Barton
- They Went to Jail. Then They Say They Were Strapped to a Chair for Days., by Maurice Chammah
- Muslim Georgia Prisoner Wins RLUIPA Reversal in 11th Circuit Over Vegetarian Meals, by David Reutter
- $110,000 Settlement for Outed Wisconsin Prisoner Informant, by Edward Lyon
- $70,000 Settlement For Oregon DOC Prisoner Dying from Flu, by Edward Lyon
- Opioid Epidemic Keeps Climbing at California Prisons, and Claiming Lives of Released Prisoners as Well, by Jayson Hawkins
- $1.5 Million Settlement in Georgia Youth’s Rape at Juvenile Detention Center, by David Reutter
- $1.25 Million Jury Award to Rikers Prisoner Over Jail Beating, by Edward Lyon
- Are Prison Law Libraries Adequate?, by Dale Chappell
- PrimeCare Medical Pays Bulk of $252,000 Settlement in Pennsylvania Jail Detainee’s Suicide, by David Reutter
- Arizona Prison Water Woes Ease Up, by Jayson Hawkins
- Seventh Circuit Appeals Court Upholds Ruling Against Wisconsin Prisoner’s Medical Negligence Claim, by Kevin Bliss
- Precedential Settlement Eliminates Solitary Confinement on Pennsylvania’s Death Row, by David Reutter
- Pennsylvania Board Revokes Psychologist’s License Over Prisoner Suicides, by David Reutter
- GEO Group, Largest Private Prison Contractor, Cranks Up Political Contributions During Trump Years, by Michael Fortino, Ph.D
- $596,475 in Fees and Damages Awarded Against NY DOCCS For Contempt in Denying Pain Medication to Blind Prisoner, by Chad Marks
- News in Brief
- $425,000 Settlement in Arkansas Detainee’s Death from Asthma Attack, by David Reutter
More from Bill Barton:
- Time to Curb Police Unions, Nov. 15, 2020
- Philadelphia Jails to Release Prisoners Earlier in the Day, Oct. 1, 2020
- Missouri Downsizing Prisons to Save Cash, Oct. 1, 2020
- BOP Official Reportedly Had Sexual Relationship With Former Police Union Head, Sept. 1, 2020
- Alabama Says It Will Reform Prisons, the Nation’s Deadliest, Aug. 1, 2020
- Devastating Consequences of Chicago Gang Database – And No Way to Be Removed, July 15, 2020
- Rappers Jay-Z and Yo Gatti Help Prisoners in Mississippi Sue State Over “Inhumane and Unconstitutional Conditions”, July 1, 2020
- Rhode Island Corrections’ Union President Fined for Excessive Political Donations, June 1, 2020
- Report: Oaks of Justice Pitch to Help Prisoners Return Home Appears Shady, June 1, 2020
- A Mass Purge of Misconduct Records by Phoenix, Arizona Police, May 15, 2020
More from these topics:
- California Spends $300 Million Each Year Incarcerating Senior Citizens in Women’s Prisons, April 1, 2026. Retaliation for Filing Grievances, Totality of Conditions, Parole, Life without Parole (LWOP), Americans with Disabilities Act.
- 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. Limitations, Habeas Corpus, AEDPA, Appealable Issues/Orders, Failure to Address/Advise Defendant.
- Colorado Law Intended to Reduce Prison Population Hasn’t Improved Conditions, March 1, 2026. Overcrowding, Parole, halfway houses, Reduction of Prison Population.
- SCOTUS Sides with Federal Prisoner in Habeas Review Case, March 1, 2026. Habeas Corpus, AEDPA, Mandatory Minimum Sentence, Statutory Construction/Interpretation, Predicate Acts/Offenses.
- Maine Was the First State to Abolish Parole. Incarcerated Mainers, Advocates Hope to Bring it Back., March 1, 2026. Rehabilitation/Recidivism, Parole, Post-release, ex-offender, re-entry, Probation, Parole & Supervised Release, De Facto Life Sentence.
- Colorado Lawmakers Approve Prison Bed Funding, Despite DOC Understaffing, March 1, 2026. Overcrowding, Staffing, Parole, Overdetention, Reduction of Prison Population.
- North Carolina Parole Commission Agrees to Stop “Moving Goalposts” for Prisoners Who Committed Crime as Juveniles, Feb. 1, 2026. Parole Board Misconduct, Rehabilitation/Recidivism, Parole, Juvenile Offenses/Offenders, Cruel and Unusual Punishment.
- Federal Death Row Prisoners Granted Clemency by Biden Are Facing Retaliation by Trump, Feb. 1, 2026. Transfers, Pardons/Clemency, Death Row, Bureau of Prisons (BOP), Confinement in Segregated Housing.
- SCOTUS Announces Federal Prisoners May Seek Certiorari Review of Authorization Denials Under § 2255(h) and Are Not Subject to § 2244(b)(1)’s Bar on Previously Presented Claims, Feb. 1, 2026. Habeas Corpus, AEDPA, Appealable Issues/Orders, Statutory Construction/Interpretation, Authority and Jurisdiction.
- Study Finds Parole Hearings and Grants Continue to Fall, Jan. 1, 2026. Parole Board Misconduct, Statistics/Trends, Rehabilitation/Recidivism, Parole, Probation, Parole & Supervised Release.