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Wisconsin Prisoner In Vegetative State After Suicide Attempt Wins New Trial on Jury Instruction Error
by David M. Reutter
The Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals reversed a jury’s judgment in a civil rights action alleging guards at Wisconsin’s Madison County Jail (MCJ) were deliberately indifferent to a detainee's medical care. The court found the jury was improperly instructed to determine if the defendants’ …
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More from this issue:
- “Progressive” Seattle Mayoral Candidate Exposed as Shill for the Private Prison Industry, by Ken Silverstein
- The Contraband Wars Prison authorities target books and mail, miss the goods coming through the staff door, by Christopher Zoukis
- From the Editor, by Paul Wright
- Course of the Covid Pandemic, by Michael D. Cohen, MD
- Inmate Magazine Service Advertising Results in FTC Complaint, by David Reutter
- Ohio County Executive and Underlings Under Investigation for Jail Corruption and Deaths, by Edward Lyon
- Coronavirus Lockdowns in Prisons Test Limits of Colorado’s Rules on Solitary Confinement, by John Herrick
- Guard “Justified” in Shooting Death of Elderly Woman in Spokane County Jail Lobby, by Kevin Bliss
- After DOJ Finds Unconstitutional Conditions for Mentally Ill Prisoners in Solitary, Massachusetts Experiments with Monitoring Gadget, by Kevin Bliss, Keith Sanders
- Wisconsin Prisoner In Vegetative State After Suicide Attempt Wins New Trial on Jury Instruction Error, by David M. Reutter
- Illinois Prisoner’s Negligence Lawsuit Alleging Injuries from Wart Treatment Timely Filed, by David M. Reutter
- District Court Certifies Class Status in Louisville Jail Overdetention of Prisoners’ Suit, by Douglas Ankney
- Eleventh Circuit Upholds Some Convictions of Four Georgia Prison Guards for Drug Smuggling; Reverses Others for Retrial, by Matthew Clarke
- Law Review States Prisons Better Off With Public Health Care Rather than Private, by Kevin Bliss
- $6.2 Million Judgment for California Deputies Negligence Causing Arrestee Injuries Affirmed, by David Reutter
- U.S. Supreme Court Reverses Dismissal of Texas Prisoner’s Feces Covered Cell Lawsuit, by David Reutter
- Incarcerated Persons Not In-Custody for Miranda Purposes
- Woman Abuse Survivors Sent to Prison for Self-Defense, by Keith Sanders
- Inspector General Finds Botched Transfers Caused COVID Outbreak at San Quentin, 29 Dead, by Matthew Clarke
- North Carolina Prisons Underreport COVID Related Deaths, by Kevin Bliss
- New Jersey Legionnaires’ Disease Outbreak Kept Quiet in State Prisons, by Akela Lacy
- GAO Reports ICE Wastes Hundreds of Millions Each Year, by Matthew Clarke
- The Enduring Life of Life Sentences, by Casey Bastian
- Federal Court Orders Release of Documents for Connecticut Prison Cancer Death, by David Reutter
- Virginia Votes to Abolish Death Penalty, by Jayson Hawkins
- Second Circuit Holds Connecticut Can’t Indemnify Guard in Assault Case Then Seek Cost of Incarceration; $650,000 Awarded in Failure to Protect Case, by David Reutter
- Georgia Sheriffs Entitled to Eleventh Amendment Immunity When Setting Jail Policies That Lead to Prisoners Being Sexually Abused, by David Reutter
- Architects Question Whether Building “More Humane” Prisons is Possible, by Daniel A. Rosen
- $54,000 Award of Attorney Fees to Enforce Settlement Agreement on Behalf of Deaf Prisoners, by David Reutter
- En Banc Eleventh Circuit Holds Prisoners Can Seek Punitive Damages Without Physical Injury, by David Reutter
- Sixth Circuit Reverses Dismissal of Retaliation Suit by Pro Se Michigan Prisoner, by David Reutter
- Maine Supreme Judicial Court Holds Courts Have Authority to Enjoin DOC from Unconstitutional Segregation Practices, by Matthew Clarke
- From a Picture Grew Thousands of Words, by Edward Lyon
- $200,000 Settlement for Kentucky Woman in Jail Childbirth Suit, by Matthew Clarke
- Advancing Stage of HCV Triggers Imminent Danger Exception to PLRA Three Strikes Rule
- Maine Prisons Expand Medication Assisted Treatment, by David Reutter
- Oregon Federal Court Issues Class Certification in HRDC Challenge to NUMI Release Debit Cards, by David Reutter
- When Prisoners Die, Hawaii Keeps it Secret, by Edward Lyon
- Three Illinois Guards Indicted for Fatally Beating Prisoner
- Majority of Americans Now Favor Life Imprisonment Over Death Penalty, by Matthew Clarke
- Fifth Circuit Upholds Dismissal of Transfer Lawsuit by Suicidal Prisoner, by Matthew Clarke
- Iowa Jails Lower Phone Rates But Not Far Enough, by David Reutter
- Colorado Supreme Court Holds Prisoners Entitled to Preliminary Hearing on New Charges, by Matthew Clarke
- After Backlash, Tennessee State University President Reverses Decision to Join CoreCivic Board, by Matthew Clarke
- “We Want Court dates!”, by Keith Sanders
- News in Brief
More from David M. Reutter:
- Sixth Circuit Holds Kentucky Deficient-Counsel Belated-Appeal Procedure Tolls Federal Habeas One-Year Limitations Period, Sept. 1, 2026
- Seventh Circuit Announces Generic Conspiracy Under U.S.S.G. § 4B1.2 Requires Bilateral Agreement, Holding Indiana Conspiracy Convictions Cannot Qualify as Crimes of Violence, Sept. 1, 2026
- Pennsylvania Supreme Court Ends Mandatory Life Without Parole Sentence for Felony Murder, Sept. 1, 2026
- Hawai’i Supreme Court Announces Totality-of-the-Circumstances Good-Cause Standard Governing State Motions to Continue Based on Witness Unavailability, Aug. 1, 2026
- Pennsylvania Supreme Court Announces Theft by Deception Is Not Continuing Offense While Receiving Stolen Property Continues Only Until Defendant Disposes of Stolen Property, Aug. 1, 2026
- Florida Supreme Court Announces District Courts of Appeal Have Jurisdiction to Review Denial of Downward Departure Sentence, Holding Sentencing Order Is Final Order Appealable as Matter of Right, Aug. 1, 2026
- Louisiana Supreme Court Announces Framework Governing Factual Innocence Claims in First Application of La. C.Cr.P. Art. 926.2, Holding Second-Step Review Encompasses All Relevant Evidence, Aug. 1, 2026
- Eleventh Circuit Holds § 2255 Motion Not “Second or Successive” After Intervening Amended Judgment Corrected Unlawful Sentences, Even as to Claims Concerning an Undisturbed Count, Aug. 1, 2026
- Louisiana Supreme Court Declares Unconstitutional Statute Stripping Courts of Authority to Order Payment of Indigent Defense Expert Funds, Holding the Law Infringes on Judiciary’s Constitutionally Granted Jurisdiction Over Felony Cases, July 1, 2026
- Oregon Supreme Court: Jail Credit Statute Focuses Upon Legal Custody Not Physical Custody Location, July 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.
- $800,000 Settlement Reached in Hawai‘i Jail Suicide Case, Sept. 1, 2026. Staffing, Failure to Train/Supervise, Failure to Protect (Wrongful Death), Failure to Treat (Mental Illness), Suicides.
- Rising Deaths in Los Angeles County Jail Linked to Longer Stays, Sept. 1, 2026. Systemic Medical Neglect, Drug Overdose, Statistics/Trends, Suicides, Reduction of Prison Population.
- $4.5 Million Paid by Cook County for Detainee Suicide in Chicago Jail, Aug. 1, 2026. Medical Neglect/Malpractice, Failure to Treat (Mental Illness), Suicides, Administrative Detention/Segregation, Deliberate Indifference.
- 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.
- Ohio Supreme Court Announces Post-Verdict Judgment of Acquittal Is Not “Final Verdict” Under R.C. 2945.67(A) and Overrules Contrary Precedent, Holding State May Appeal Such Judgment by Leave of Court of Appeals but Not as of Right, Aug. 1, 2026. Double jeopardy, Appealable Issues/Orders, New Trial/Judgment of Acquittal, Statutory Construction/Interpretation.
- Michigan Supreme Court Holds Miranda Waiver Invalid Where LSD-Intoxicated, Hospitalized Defendant Lacked Capacity to Understand Rights Read to Him, Aug. 1, 2026. New Trial/Judgment of Acquittal, Witnesses - Prior Statements/Testimony, Evidence - Failure to Disclose, Brady/Giglio/Jencks Act Issues, Exculpatory Evidence - Disclosure Obligations.
- New Jersey Supreme Court Announces Brady and Carter Materiality Standards Differ, Holding Carter’s “Probably Change the Jury’s Verdict” Test for New Trial More Stringent Than Brady’s “Reasonable Probability” Standard, Aug. 1, 2026. New Trial/Judgment of Acquittal, Failure to Disclose, Evidence - Failure to Disclose, Brady/Giglio/Jencks Act Issues, Withholding of Exculpatory Evidence.
- After Spoliation Sanction, CoreCivic Settles Suit Over Suicide in New Mexico ICE Lockup, July 1, 2026. Corrections Corporation of America/CoreCivic, Discovery, Medical Neglect/Malpractice, Failure to Treat (Mental Illness), Suicides.
- South Carolina Supreme Court Announces Formal Adoption of Fourth Circuit’s Three-Step Cheek Framework for Evaluating Improper Third-Party Contacts With Jurors Under Remmer, Reverses Murdaugh Murder Convictions, and Overrules Ethier Regarding Juror Testim, July 1, 2026. Sixth Amendment, New Trial/Judgment of Acquittal, Impartial Jury, Jury Deliberations, Juror Misconduct Issues.

