×
You've used up your 3 free articles for this month. Subscribe today.
Precedential Settlement Eliminates Solitary Confinement on Pennsylvania’s Death Row
Loaded on April 1, 2020
by David Reutter
published in Prison Legal News
April, 2020, page 59
Filed under:
Death Penalty,
Death Row,
Control Units/SHU/Solitary Confinement.
Location:
Pennsylvania.
by David M. Reutter
The Pennsylvania Department of Corrections (PDOC) has agreed to operate a Capital Case Unit (CCU) “as a general population unit that exclusively houses prisoners sentenced to death.” That change in conditions is part of a settlement agreement to a lawsuit that challenged death row …
Full article and associated cases available to subscribers.
As a digital subscriber to Prison Legal News, you can access full text and downloads for this and other premium content.
Already a subscriber? Login
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 David Reutter:
- Eight Circuit Reverses Denial of Partial Qualified Immunity in Detainee’s Pepper Ball Claim, Remands Excessive Force Claims, Sept. 1, 2026
- Nevada Prisoners, Families Call Out Predatory Tablet Program, Sept. 1, 2026
- Fourth Circuit: Error in Granting Judgment Prior to Adjudging Spoliation Motion, Sept. 1, 2026
- Fourth Circuit Affirms Qualified Immunity in Strip Searches Resulting from Anonymous Tips, Sept. 1, 2026
- Tenth Circuit: Colorado Governor Unentitled to Eleventh Amendment Immunity on Claim Related to DOC Religious Policies, Aug. 1, 2026
- Michigan Appeals Court: Witnesses Cannot be Forced to Wear Jail Clothes at Trial, Aug. 1, 2026
- Sixth Circuit Affirms Denial of State-Law Qualified Immunity in Scabies Case, Aug. 1, 2026
- Fourth Circuit Revives Disabled Prisoner’s Claim for Denial of Out-of-Cell Exercise Time, Aug. 1, 2026
- 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
More from these topics:
- Mississippi DOC Held Mentally Unwell Prisoners in Solitary, Many Died Because of It, Sept. 1, 2026. Control Units/SHU/Solitary Confinement, Failure to Treat (Mental Illness), Suicides, Staff Training, Deliberate Indifference.
- Isolation and Medical Neglect at Illinois’ Joliet Treatment Center Drive Prisoners to Set Fatal Fires, Sept. 1, 2026. Systemic Medical Neglect, Security Systems, Medical Neglect/Malpractice, Control Units/SHU/Solitary Confinement, Failure to Treat (Mental Illness).
- Court Shuts Down Arizona Attempt to Fill Medical Staff Vacancies with Under-Qualified Providers, Sept. 1, 2026. Systemic Medical Neglect, Staffing, Injunctions, Control Units/SHU/Solitary Confinement, Failure to Treat (Mental Illness).
- Florida Kills Two Prisoners on Same Day, Both Elderly, Sept. 1, 2026. Statistics/Trends, Death Penalty, Death Row, Lethal Injection Method of Execution.
- Oregon Agrees to $2.3 Million Settlement After Guards Toss Mentally Ill Prisoner in Solitary, Taunt Him Until He Kills Himself, Aug. 1, 2026. Control Units/SHU/Solitary Confinement, Failure to Treat (Mental Illness), Suicides, 42 U.S. Code § 1983, civil action for deprivation of rights, Deliberate Indifference.
- Seventh Circuit Holds Federal Law Prohibits County Jail from Forcing Immigration Detainees to Perform Custodial Labor by Threatening Solitary Confinement, Aug. 1, 2026. Prison Labor, Control Units/SHU/Solitary Confinement, Statutory Construction/Interpretation, Immigration Detention, Monell Liability.
- Alabama Barred from Executing Prisoner by Nitrogen Hypoxia, July 1, 2026. Totality of Conditions, Eighth Amendment, Death Penalty, Cruel and Unusual Punishment, Wrongful Use of Force.
- Idaho Will Recruit Law Enforcement Volunteers for Firing Squad Executions, July 1, 2026. Death Penalty, Method of Execution.
- Prisoners’ Risk of Death In Custody More than Doubles in Solitary Confinement, July 1, 2026. Statistics/Trends, Control Units/SHU/Solitary Confinement, Confinement in Segregated Housing, Administrative Detention/Segregation.
- Texas Executes 600th Prisoner Since Reinstating Death Penalty in 1976, June 1, 2026. Racial Discrimination, Statistics/Trends, Death Penalty, Mental Retardation/Intellectual Disability.

