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$500,001 Settlement Against Guard Who Groped Delaware Prisoner With Long History of Lost Cases
by Keith Sanders
On December 16, 2021, a federal jury awarded Delaware prisoner DeShawn Drumgo $500,001 in damages after concluding a prison guard had inappropriately fondled him. This was the same prisoner who lost at least four earlier cases over conditions of confinement and alleged use of excessive force by …
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More from this issue:
- Locked Up and Left to Die, by Michael Barajas, Sophie Novack,
- After 49 Years in Prison for a Murder in Which He Didn’t Pull the Trigger, Former Black Liberation Army Member Sundiata Acoli Wins Parole, by Chuck Sharman
- From the Editor, by Paul Wright
- Fifth Circuit Reinstates Louisiana Prisoner’s Excessive-Force Claim Despite Prison Disciplinary Conviction Issued for the Same Incident, by Matthew Clarke
- Fifth Circuit Reinstates Louisiana Prisoner’s Suit Dismissed on Heck Grounds, Holds Related Disciplinary Convictions Don’t Absolutely Bar Excessive Force Claims, by Matthew Clarke
- Securus Rolls Out “Free” E-tablets to Texas Prisoners, by Edward Lyon
- Oregon Federal Court Issues Groundbreaking, Model COVID-19 Damage Class & Wrongful Death Class Certification, by Mark Wilson
- Eleventh Circuit Says Florida Prisoner Alleging Sexual Assault by Guard Need Not Also Prove Excessive Force and Malicious Intent, by David Reutter
- Washington Pays $3.25 Million for Negligent Medical Care Causing Preventable Prisoner Death, by Mark Wilson
- DOJ Secures Settlement With South Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice at Detention Center Where Staff Hogtied and Bit Kids, by Brooke Kaufman
- Healthcare Audit in Utah Prisons Reveals “Inadequate Service” and “Systemic Deficiencies” After 18 Prisoner Deaths During Pandemic, by Benjamin Tschirhart
- After Paying $500,000 to Consultant Outed for Corruption Ties, Iowa DOC Accused of Allowing “Corporate Dodge”, by Jacob Barrett
- Ninth Circuit Holds California Prison Officials Entitled to Legislative Immunity When Promulgating Rules, by David Reutter
- $12.5 Million Settlement Over Invasive Strip and Body Cavity Searches of NYC Jail Visitors, by Matthew Clarke
- Maine Center for Public Interest Reporting Uncovers Almost 1,000 Privileged Calls Recorded in Four County Jails, Sues York County for Denying Public Records Request, by Keith Sanders
- BOP Prisoners on Extended Home Confinement Not Headed Back to Prison When COVID-19 Emergency Ends, by Casey Bastian
- $500,001 Settlement Against Guard Who Groped Delaware Prisoner With Long History of Lost Cases, by Keith Sanders
- Kansas Appeals Court Vacates Prison Dentist’s Conviction for Sexually Abusing Prisoner, Says Touching Wasn’t “Lewd”, by Mark Wilson
- The Catalog of Carceral Surveillance: Mobile Correctional Facility Robots, by Cooper Quintin, Beryl Lipton
- $275,000 Settlement Reached After Detainee’s Attempted Suicide at Illinois Jail, by David Reutter
- Washington Pays $3 Million to Murdered Prisoner’s Family After Overriding Single-Cell Recommendation for Violent Cellmate, by Mark Wilson
- Settlement Finally Reached in Prisoners’ Hep-C Class-Action Against Connecticut DOC, by Edward Lyon
- Prison Phone Giant GTL Cuts Prices in Miami-Dade Jails, But Only After County Taps COVID-19 Relief Funds to Replace Forfeited Kickbacks, by Ashleigh Dye
- Kentucky Supreme Court Rules ‘Incarceration Fees’ May Not Be Collected After Charges Are Dismissed, by Casey Bastian
- $250,000 Paid to Woman Forced to Give Birth in California Jail Cell by Guards and CFMG Nurses, by Ashleigh Dye
- Seventh Circuit Reinstates Suit of Epileptic Illinois Prisoner Who Suffered Seizure and Fell From Top Bunk, by Edward Lyon
- Sacramento Shooting Stokes Debate Over CDCR Rule Changes on Good Conduct Credit, by Matthew Clarke
- U.S. Prison and Jail Populations Flat or Rising Again After 2020 Decline Spurred by Pandemic, by Matthew Clarke
- Third Circuit Joins Fifth, Tenth and D.C. Circuits in Holding Heck Favorable-Termination Dismissals Are PLRA Strikes, by Mark Wilson
- Illinois Department of Corrections Cancels Contract with Canteen Provider Keefe, by Kevin Bliss
- Sixth Circuit: Michigan DOC’s Years-Long Delay in Access to Religious Services and Items Constitutes Constructive Denial of Religious Exercise, by Jacob Barrett
- Georgia Sheriff Victor Hill Facing Criminal Trial for Using Restraint Chair to Punish Jail Detainees, by David Reutter
- $7,000 Default Judgment Awarded in Failure to Protect Suit Against Former Arkansas Jail Guard, by Harold Hempstead
- Ineffective Mississippi Prison Industries on the Chopping Block After Scathing Report, by Ashleigh Dye
- Eighth Circuit Holds Pornography Policy Unconstitutional as Applied to South Dakota Prisoner, but Denies Relief, by David Reutter
- Overdoses Skyrocket in Tennessee Prisons During Pandemic Despite Visitation Restrictions, by Edward Lyon
- Federal Suit Challenging Iowa DOC Ban on Nude Images Moves Forward, Defendants Denied Summary Judgement on Due Process Claim, by David Reutter
- Third Circuit Reinstates Suit Filed by Transgender Prisoner Assaulted at New Jersey Federal Prison, by Matthew Clarke
- $17.5 Million Paid to Ohio Prisoner Left Quadriplegic After Brutal Attack by Guards, by Harold Hempstead
- “On-Going Distress and Harm” Persist at FCI Sheridan Months After Court-Ordered Inspection, by Brooke Kaufman
- New Jersey Sex Offenders Excluded From Programming, Chances for Early Release, by Mario Palomo
- Sixth Circuit Revives Tennessee Detainee’s Suit, Holds Lower Court Not Required to Retain Jurisdiction of State Law Claims After Dismissing Federal Claims, by Matthew Clarke
- $45,000 Paid by Idaho Jail to Settle Censorship Suit Filed by HRDC, by Jacob Barrett
- Fifth Circuit Denies Qualified Immunity to Texas Sheriff Who Rehired Abusive Jailer Who in Turn Again Abused a Detainee, by Matthew Clarke
- Illinois Inspector General Finds Prisoner Labor Used to Benefit DOC Employees, by Casey Bastian
- $6,500 Settlement After Eleventh Circuit Affirms Denial of Qualified Immunity to Florida Jail Officials Who Repeatedly Opened Detainee’s Legal Mail, by David Reutter
- News in Brief
More from Keith Sanders:
- No Summary Judgment for Private Transportation Company in Maryland Detainee’s Suit Alleging “Horrific” 2,000-Mile Journey, Sept. 15, 2023
- California College Offers Housing, Services to Formally Incarcerated Students, Aug. 15, 2023
- New Report Pats BOP on the Back for Addressing Problems With Restrictive Housing, PREA, Aug. 15, 2023
- Ohio Supreme Court Grants State Prisoner Another $1,000 for Denied Records, Aug. 15, 2023
- Prisoner Who Reached $11,400 Retaliation Settlement with South Dakota Jail Tries Again with DOC, July 15, 2023
- More Success for Medication-Assisted Treatment Programs in Prisons and Jails, July 15, 2023
- $15,001 Verdict Against Delaware Guard for Gaping Prisoner’s Butt During Strip Search, July 15, 2023
- Study Shows COVID-19 Drove Prison Death Rates 50% Higher, June 15, 2023
- Wellpath Subsidiary Out of Australian Women’s Prison After Indigenous Prisoner’s Death, June 15, 2023
- Specialized Police Units Hunt People for ICE, June 15, 2023
More from these topics:
- After Judge’s Letter, at Least 22 Former FCI Dublin Prisoners Granted Compassionate Release, Aug. 1, 2025. Staff-Prisoner Assault, Failure to Protect (General), Release and Reentry, Bureau of Prisons (BOP), Compassionate Release.
- Tenth Circuit Ruling Paves Way for $2.7 Million Settlement for Intellectually Disabled Jail Detainee Raped by Sheriff, Aug. 1, 2025. Staff-Prisoner Assault, Jail Misconduct, Americans with Disabilities Act.
- News in Brief, Aug. 1, 2025. Staff-Prisoner Assault, Private Prisons, Misconduct/Corruption, Guard Misconduct, Systemic Medical Neglect, Male Reproductive, Malpractice, Escapes, Guard Brutality/Beatings, Stun Guns/Tasers, Pepper Spray/Tear Gas, Restraints, Excessive Force (Wrongful Death), Juvenile Prisons, Bureau of Prisons (BOP), Bribery/Extortion/Theft.
- DOJ Finds Unconstitutional Conditions in Texas Juvenile Detention, Aug. 1, 2025. Staff-Prisoner Assault, Retaliation for Filing Grievances, Pepper Spray/Tear Gas, Sentencing, Control Units/SHU/Solitary Confinement, Failure to Protect (Juveniles), Juvenile Prisons.
- California Prisoners Sue Gynecologist for Sexual Abuse, Aug. 1, 2025. Staff-Prisoner Assault, Class Certification.
- $75,000 for Transgender Maryland Prisoner Raped by Guard, Aug. 1, 2025. Staff-Prisoner Assault, Prison Rape Elimination Act, Failure to Protect (Transgender).
- Former Oregon Prison Guard Sergeant Sentenced for Sexually Abusing Imprisoned Women, Aug. 1, 2025. Staff-Prisoner Assault, Failure to Protect (General), Guard Brutality/Beatings.
- $1.2 Million for New York Prisoner Waterboarded by Guards, Aug. 1, 2025. Staff-Prisoner Assault, Guard Brutality/Beatings, Exceptions.
- Third Circuit Upholds Award of $265,000 to Prisoner Who Was Sexually Assaulted Twice by the Same Guard, Aug. 1, 2025. Staff-Prisoner Assault, Guard Brutality/Beatings, Damages - Compensatory, Damages - Punitive.
- Delaware’s ACLU Files Action on Behalf Of Six Prisoners Assaulted During Midnight Raid, Aug. 1, 2025. Staff-Prisoner Assault, Guard Brutality/Beatings, Pepper Spray/Tear Gas, Restraints.

