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$8.5 Million Paid by Pennsylvania DOC for Death of Asthmatic Prisoner Improperly Pepper-Sprayed
Loaded on May 1, 2022
by Matthew Clarke
published in Prison Legal News
May, 2022, page 30
Filed under:
Pepper Spray/Tear Gas,
Settlements,
Excessive Force (Wrongful Death).
Location:
Pennsylvania.
by Matt Clarke
On October 18, 2021, a federal court in Pennsylvania approved an $8.5 million settlement reached the prior month between the state Department of Corrections (DOC) and the family of an asthmatic state prisoner who died after being pepper-sprayed with oleoresin capsicum (OC) by guards at State Correctional …
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More from this issue:
- PrimeCare: Less Medical Care for Prisoners, Higher Expenses for Taxpayers, More Profits for Corporate Owner, by Matthew Clarke
- Vermont Supreme Court: Removing Prisoner From Programming Is Reviewable When Catalyst Was Punitive
- From the Editor, by Paul Wright
- $11 Million Settlement Reached in Tennessee Suit Alleging False Arrest and False Imprisonment of Minors, by Edward Lyon
- Nine Deaths in Three Years at CoreCivic Jail in Florida, None From COVID-19
- $5.5 Million Settlement to California Prisoner Left Incapacitated After Suicide Attempt at Santa Cruz County Jail, by Edward Lyon
- Pittsburgh Jail Records 13 Deaths in Two Years, Only One From COVID-19, by Jo Ellen Nott
- California Federal Court Approves Consent Decree Upgrading Mental Health Care at Alameda County Jail, by David Reutter
- Trapped in The Floods: With Floodwaters Rising, Prisoners Wait for Help in Floating Feces, by Alleen Brown
- Fifth BOP Staffer Arrested in “Rape Club” at California Federal Prison, by Jo Ellen Nott
- Eighth Circuit Rules Pretrial Detainees and Prisoners Have Right to Visit Family Members
- Tenth Circuit Says Parolee May Not be Forced to Participate in Religious Program Under Threat of Jail, by David Reutter
- $8.5 Million Paid by Pennsylvania DOC for Death of Asthmatic Prisoner Improperly Pepper-Sprayed, by Matthew Clarke
- Investigation Finds Hundreds of Unreported Deaths in Tennessee Prisons and Jails, by Harold Hempstead
- $260,000 in Attorney Fees Awarded by California Federal Court after Finding Governing State Law Not Impacted by PLRA, by David Reutter
- Multiple Florida DOC Guards Convicted of Assault, Smuggling and Child Sex Abuse, by Jo Ellen Nott
- Hawaii Supreme Court Orders New Parole Hearing for Prisoner Held Since 1979, by Douglas Ankney
- $2.2 Million Settlement Over Transgender Georgia Prisoner’s Suicide Is Largest in State DOC History, by Matthew Clarke
- Eleventh Circuit Says Georgia Prisoner Failed to Exhaust Remedies by Filing Late Grievance to Ask for Investigation that Was Already Underway, by David Reutter
- Nevada Federal Court Denies Motion to Compel Arbitration by Rapid Financial Solutions in Debit Card Suit, by David Reutter
- $6,500 Paid by Nevada DOC After Ninth Circuit Affirms Denial of Qualified Immunity for Withholding Evidence From Prisoner Accused of Smuggling Meth in Mail, by David Reutter
- Ecuador’s Prison System in Catastrophic Crisis, by Edward Lyon
- What to Know about Using Pell Grants to Take College Classes in Prison, by Richard Hahn
- $725,000 Settlement Reached in North Carolina Prisoner’s Suicide at Troubled Jail, by Keith Sanders
- $316,673 Settlement in New Mexico Prisoner’s Lawsuit Over Stabbing at GEO-Operated Private Prison, by Matthew Clarke
- Guard Arrested for Running “Fight Club” in New Jersey Prison Kitchen, by Ashleigh Dye, Jayson Hawkins
- Tenth Circuit Says Disabled Colorado Prisoner Offered Diapers Rather Than Bathroom Pass May Deserve Damages Under ADA, by David Reutter
- Sweetheart Deal Nets GEO Group $15 Million Payout from ICE for Haitian Deportation Flights, by Ashleigh Dye
- Ninth Circuit Says Nevada DOC Not Micromanaged by Requirement to Treat Prisoner’s Severe Mental Illness; Upholds Preliminary Injunction, by Matthew Clarke
- Con Who Conned Cons is Sentenced to Federal Prison
- Absenteeism Skyrockets for New York City Jail Guards, Up 215% Over the Last Two Years, by Jo Ellen Nott
- DOJ Reaches Settlement Over Disability Access With Vermont Prison System, by Jacob Barrett
- Ninth Circuit: Error to Instruct Jury to Defer to Medical Staff’s Asserted Security Justification for Terminating California Prisoner’s Morphine Prescription Without Tapering, by Matthew Clarke
- Preliminary Injunction Granted to Illinois Prisoner to Receive Non-Allergenic Kosher Meals, by David Reutter
- Connecticut Supreme Court Rules That Prisoner Was Denied Due Process with Sex Offender Classification, by Harold Hempstead
- Lifting Six-Year Moratorium, Oklahoma Treats Witnesses to Convulsing and Vomiting Prisoner During Execution, by Keith Sanders
- Washington State Supreme Court Holds that Denying Wheelchair-Bound Prisoner Access to Water and Toilet Facilities Violates State Constitution, by Douglas Ankney
- News in Brief
- HRDC Sues New Hampshire Jail over Publications Banned under No-Hard-Copy Mail Policy, by Sam Rutherford
- HRDC Sues Nebraska Department of Correctional Services for Banning its Books, by Sam Rutherford
More from Matthew Clarke:
- Texas Social Workers Challenge Blanket Denial of State Occupational License Based on Youthful Assault Convictions, Aug. 1, 2025
- After Judge’s Letter, at Least 22 Former FCI Dublin Prisoners Granted Compassionate Release, Aug. 1, 2025
- Nebraska Supreme Court Clarifies Award of Time Served Credit for Non-Citizen Awaiting Extradition, Aug. 1, 2025
- Former Oregon Prison Guard Sergeant Sentenced for Sexually Abusing Imprisoned Women, Aug. 1, 2025
- Nebraska Supreme Court Clarifies Procedure for Crediting Jail Time to Multiple Contemporaneously-Imposed Sentences, Aug. 1, 2025
- Over One-Third of Older Texas Prisoners Suffering Cognitive Impairment, July 15, 2025
- Kansas Supreme Court Revives Prisoner’s Challenge to Loss of Parental Rights, June 1, 2025
- Fifth Circuit Reinstates Baha’i Texas Prisoner’s Dietary Claim, June 1, 2025
- $5.6 Million Settlement for California Prisoner’s Wife Strip-searched During Visit, June 1, 2025
- Academic Study of Prison Guards’ Use of Excessive Force Details Sad State of Civil Rights for Abused Prisoners, June 1, 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).
- Suit Filed Over Fatal Beating of New York Prisoner That Sparked Massive Guard Strike, Aug. 1, 2025. Guard Misconduct, Failure to Treat, Guard Brutality/Beatings, Restraints, Failure to Protect (Wrongful Death), Excessive Force (Wrongful Death).
- 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.
- Ninth Circuit Agrees That Former Guantanamo Detainee Lacks Grounds to Sue for Waterboarding, Aug. 1, 2025. War on Terror, Guard Brutality/Beatings, Stun Guns/Tasers, Pepper Spray/Tear Gas, Restraints, Terrorism.
- 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.
- 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.
- News in Brief, July 15, 2025. Staff-Prisoner Assault, Guard Misconduct, Jail Misconduct, Failure to Protect (General), Pepper Spray/Tear Gas, halfway houses, New Trial/Judgment of Acquittal, Bribery/Extortion/Theft, Fraud and Deceit.
- Guards Used “Blast Grenades” to Break Up Mob Attack in California Prison, July 15, 2025. Failure to Protect (General), Pepper Spray/Tear Gas, Prisoner Privileges, Telephone Access.
- First Circuit Revives Rhode Island Prisoner’s Excessive Force Claim Against Guard, July 15, 2025. Showers, Pepper Spray/Tear Gas, Restraints, Physical Injury/Restraint.

