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$6.75 Million Settlement Reached in Suit Accusing Massachusetts Guards of Retaliatory Assaults on Prisoners
Under an agreement reached on May 21, 2025, Massachusetts will pay $6.75 million to settle claims by a group of some 150 current and former state prisoners who accused guards at Souza-Baronowski Correctional Center (SBCC) of carrying out a systematic campaign of retaliatory beatings, following a disturbance in early …
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More from this issue:
- Now Under Federal Receivership, New York City’s Rikers Island Jails Still Have No Plan to Improve, No Firm Date to Close, by Chuck Sharman
- From the Editor, by Paul Wright
- Watchdog Calls Out D.C. for Dragging Feet on Construction of New Jail, by Chuck Sharman
- $75,000 for Transgender Maryland Prisoner Raped by Guard, by Chuck Sharman
- Texas Social Workers Challenge Blanket Denial of State Occupational License Based on Youthful Assault Convictions, by Matthew Clarke
- CDCR Held in Contempt, Fined $112 Million in Longstanding Litigation Over Mental Health Care
- Two Exonerated Illinois Prisoners Win Settlements Totaling $14.5 Million, by Chuck Sharman
- California Prisoners Sue Gynecologist for Sexual Abuse, by Casey Bastian
- Oklahoma Prisoner’s Execution Was Expedited by the Trump Administration
- $2.6 Million Paid for Detoxing Washington Jail Detainee Allowed to Leap to His Death, Additional NaphCare Payout Undisclosed, by Chuck Sharman
- Multiple Prisoner Suits Accuse Guards of Violence at Virginia BOP Lockup, by Chuck Sharman
- Sixth Circuit Holds Dismissal Not Automatic When Plaintiff Simultaneously Files Same Claims in State Court, by Anthony Accurso
- Alabama DOC Attorneys Reprimanded for Filing AI-Written Briefs in Prisoner’s Suit, by Chuck Sharman
- Nebraska Considers Curbing Double-Bunking in Restrictive Housing
- FCC Backtracks on 2024 Order to Cut Prison Phone and Video Rates by Half
- $1.2 Million for New York Prisoner Waterboarded by Guards, by Chuck Sharman
- Former Maine Prison Guard Arrested and Detained by ICE Agents
- $15 Million Settlement Reached in San Diego Jail Detainee’s Untreated Withdrawal Death, by Chuck Sharman
- $6.75 Million Settlement Reached in Suit Accusing Massachusetts Guards of Retaliatory Assaults on Prisoners, by Chuck Sharman
- Missouri Prison Nurse Sentenced to 12 Years for Poisoning Husband
- Fifth Circuit Greenlights Federal Takeover of Mississippi Jail, by David Reutter
- $325,000 Paid to Former Wisconsin Prisoner Whose Cancer Biopsy Was Delayed by Previously Disciplined Doctor, by Chuck Sharman
- SCOTUS Partially Overturns Pavey, Holds PLRA Exhaustion Dispute Must Go to Jury Even If Intertwined with Merits of Michigan Prisoner’s Claim, by Chuck Sharman
- Texas Lawmakers Restrict Bail and Raise Criminal Penalties, Punt on Prison and Jail Conditions, by Chuck Sharman
- PLN Publisher Wins Settlement Records from Centurion in Florida Prisoner’s Wrongful Death, by Chuck Sharman
- Prison Gerrymandering Alive and Well in Oklahoma, by Chuck Sharman
- After Judge’s Letter, at Least 22 Former FCI Dublin Prisoners Granted Compassionate Release, by Matthew Clarke
- Ninth Circuit Revives Prisoner’s Claim Based on Guard’s Thwarting of Administrative Remedies, by David Reutter
- $815,000 Settlement in Nevada Class-Action Suit Over Debit Release Cards
- Review: “Reforming the Shadow Carceral State”
- Fourth Circuit Revives Wrongful Conviction Claim of Exonerated Maryland Prisoner, State Pays Him $3.1 Million, by Chuck Sharman
- HRDC Wins $480,000 in Legal Fees from Centurion for Denied New Mexico Records, by Chuck Sharman
- DOJ Tables Controversial Kentucky Prison to Claw Back $500 Million Budget
- Costs of U.S. Incarceration to Families Pegged at Nearly $350 Billion a Year, by Chuck Sharman
- $3,800 Paid to Ohio Prisoner for Denied Records Request, by Chuck Sharman
- Delaware’s ACLU Files Action on Behalf Of Six Prisoners Assaulted During Midnight Raid, by Anthony Accurso
- DOJ Finds Unconstitutional Conditions in Texas Juvenile Detention, by Chuck Sharman
- HRDC Collaborates on Prison Telecom Cost Report to Washington Lawmakers, by Chuck Sharman
- Suit Filed Over Fatal Beating of New York Prisoner That Sparked Massive Guard Strike, by Chuck Sharman
- Over Eight Years in Prison for iCare Founder Who Ran Prisoner Gift Basket Scam, by Chuck Sharman
- Life Sentences, by the Numbers
- Former California Prison Guard Pleads Guilty to Planting Contraband He Pretended to Discover
- Sixth Circuit Upholds $45 Million Verdict for Wrongfully Convicted Former Ohio Prisoner, by Chuck Sharman
- Tenth Circuit Ruling Paves Way for $2.7 Million Settlement for Intellectually Disabled Jail Detainee Raped by Sheriff, by David Reutter
- SCOTUS Clamps Down on Bivens Extension to Prisoner Beaten by BOP Guards at Virginia Lockup, by Chuck Sharman
- Ninth Circuit Agrees That Former Guantanamo Detainee Lacks Grounds to Sue for Waterboarding, by David Reutter
- $1.875 Million Partial Settlement for Colorado Detainee’s Death from Untreated Alcohol Withdrawal; Claims Against Wellpath Pending Bankruptcy, by Chuck Sharman
- $95,000 Paid to Nevada Prisoner Denied Muslim Prayer; Pending Cases Allege Continued Discrimination Against Non-Protestants, by Chuck Sharman
- Life-Sentenced California Prisoner Cannot be Convicted Under Both §§ 4500 and 4501
- On Remand, Eleventh Circuit Clarifies, Affirms Grant of Habeas Relief to Death Row Prisoner
- Qualified Immunity Denied for Iowa Prison Doctor’s MRI Delay for Non-Medical Reasons, by David Reutter
- California Attorney Disbarred for Deceiving Prisoners Seeking Resentencing, by Chuck Sharman
- HRDC Wins Consent Decree, $350,000 in Jail Censorship Suit against California’s Sonoma County, by Chuck Sharman
- DOJ Inspects BOP Food Service Operations, Finds Troubling Issues at Multiple Facilities, by Anthony Accurso
- Tennessee Legislature Passes Bill to Penalize Private Prisons for High Mortality Rates
- Ninth Circuit: Continuing-Violations Doctrine Applies for PLRA Administrative Exhaustion Purposes, by David Reutter
- Nebraska Supreme Court Clarifies Award of Time Served Credit for Non-Citizen Awaiting Extradition, by Matthew Clarke
- Third Circuit Upholds Award of $265,000 to Prisoner Who Was Sexually Assaulted Twice by the Same Guard, by Douglas Ankney
- Shady Firm Awarded $78 Million Contract for Services at Florida’s “Alligator Alcatraz”
- Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” Gave Massive Handouts to ICE and Private Prison Industry
- Guaranteed Basic Income Programs for Prisoners Reduce Food Insecurity and Homelessness, by Anthony Accurso
- Sixth Circuit Order Sealing Records in Private Prison Shareholder Suit Vacated, Remanded
- Former Oregon Prison Guard Sergeant Sentenced for Sexually Abusing Imprisoned Women, by Matthew Clarke
- News in Brief
More from Chuck Sharman:
- $3.75 Million Paid by Wisconsin After Mentally Ill Prisoner Dies of Dehydration, Oct. 1, 2026
- Ninth Circuit Rules Favorably for Washington Prisoner Whose Writing Submission Was Censored, Oct. 1, 2026
- California Supreme Court Bail Ruling Cuts Some Jail Headcounts, Oct. 1, 2026
- $700,000 Paid by West Virginia for Jail Death, Claims Against Wexford Health Pending, Oct. 1, 2026
- BOP Prisoner’s Claim Over Denied Medical Care Ruled Impermissible Bivens Extension, Oct. 1, 2026
- $250,000 Paid by Nevada to Former Prisoner Denied Colonoscopy Who Developed Stage IV Cancer, Oct. 1, 2026
- $5 Million Paid by Washington for Attempted Rape of Seattle Woman by Mentally Ill Prisoner Released to Halfway House, Oct. 1, 2026
- Prisoners At Indiana’s “Speedway Slammer” Settle Conditions Suits for $1.2 Million, Whistleblower Alleges Staff Mistreatment, Oct. 1, 2026
- $4,000 Awarded to Ohio Prisoner for Denied Records Requests, Oct. 1, 2026
- Maryland Pays $314,000 for Stonewalling Public Records Requests in Prisoner’s Dehydration Death, Oct. 1, 2026
More from these topics:
- Ninth Circuit Rules Favorably for Washington Prisoner Whose Writing Submission Was Censored, Oct. 1, 2026. Retaliation, Qualified Immunity, Mail Regulations, Censorship, First Amendment, rights.
- San Francisco Jail Survey Exposes Abuse, Malnutrition and Constitutional Violations, Oct. 1, 2026. Failure to Protect (General), Food, Guard Brutality/Beatings, Attorney Visits, Pretrial Detention and Detainees.
- Wave of Staff Arrests Exposes Persistent Misconduct at South Carolina Jail, Sept. 1, 2026. Staff-Prisoner Assault, Guard Misconduct, Jail Misconduct, Guard Brutality/Beatings, Obstruction of Justice.
- Eight Circuit Reverses Denial of Partial Qualified Immunity in Detainee’s Pepper Ball Claim, Remands Excessive Force Claims, Sept. 1, 2026. Guard Brutality/Beatings, Stun Guns/Tasers, Pepper Spray/Tear Gas, Qualified Immunity, Wrongful Use of Force.
- Four Massachusetts Guards Face Charges for Assault on Prisoners During Brawl, Sept. 1, 2026. Guard Misconduct, Guard Brutality/Beatings.
- New Commission to Investigate Death and Abuse of 230 Black Children at Segregated Maryland Reformatory, Sept. 1, 2026. Racial Discrimination, Prison Labor, Medical Neglect/Malpractice, Excessive Force (Wrongful Death), Juvenile Prisons.
- Last of 11 Guards Sentenced in Death of New York Prisoner, Sept. 1, 2026. Guard Misconduct, Guard Brutality/Beatings, Excessive Force (Wrongful Death), False Statements/Perjury, Obstruction of Justice.
- $500,000 for Mentally Ill Detainee Beaten by Guard at Ohio Jail, Sept. 1, 2026. Guard Brutality/Beatings, Summary Judgment, Settlements, 42 U.S. Code § 1983, civil action for deprivation of rights, Monell Liability.
- Troubled Illinois Lockup Sees Guard Abuses, Prisoners on Hunger Strike, Sept. 1, 2026. Hunger Strikes, Guard Brutality/Beatings, Pepper Spray/Tear Gas, Restraints, Administrative Detention/Segregation.
- At Least Three Guards Charged for Assaulting Two Massachusetts Prisoners, Aug. 1, 2026. Guard Misconduct, Guard Brutality/Beatings, Assaults on Staff, Wrongful Use of Force.

