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Alaska Prisoner’s Discipline for Violating Invalidated Rule Tossed
by Chuck Sharman
In a letter to PLN dated January 19, 2026, Alaska prisoner Donovan Taylor, 56, provided documentation of a disturbing incident in which he was disciplined for violating a state Department of Corrections (DOC) rule that had been judicially invalidated. Alhough he kept a copy of …
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More from this issue:
- Like Prisoners, Most Jail Detainees Now Banned from Receiving Physical Mail, by Chuck Sharman
- From the Editor, by Paul Wright
- Florida Sheriff Received $50,000 Donation from Jail Medical Contractor
- Watchdog Blasts BOP for Failure to Treat Prisoner’s Preventable Cancer, by Chuck Sharman
- South Dakota Sobriety Program Participants Will No Longer Be Jailed for Non-Payment of Fees, by Chuck Sharman
- Colorado Lawmakers Approve Prison Bed Funding, Despite DOC Understaffing
- Eighth Circuit Rules Iowa Prisoner’s Adverse Summary Judgment Is Not a “Strike”, by Chuck Sharman
- Colorado Law Intended to Reduce Prison Population Hasn’t Improved Conditions, by Michael Thompson
- New York City Mayor Appoints Ex-Rikers Prisoner as Corrections Commissioner
- Washington State Guard’s Conviction Affirmed in Self-Inflicted Gunshot Wound Scheme, by David Reutter
- Georgia Grand Jury Scolds Augusta Jail for Overcrowding Days Before Violent Detainee Assault, by Chuck Sharman
- Ninth Circuit Affirms $3.84 Million Jury Verdict in Death of San Bernardino Jail Detainee from Acute Alcohol Withdrawal, by Sam Rutherford
- Leaked Video Footage Shows California Prison Guards Engaged in Retaliatory Assault, by Jo Ellen Nott
- Constitutional Challenge to Louisiana Prison “Farm Line” Granted Class Certification, by Chuck Sharman
- SCOTUS Sides with Federal Prisoner in Habeas Review Case, by Chuck Sharman
- Fourth Circuit Holds Federal Prisoner Does Not Earn First Step Act Time Credits While in Transit Between Prisons, by Matthew Clarke
- Report Finds Persistent Overcrowding Drives Cascade of Problems at Atlanta’s Fulton County Jail, by Chuck Sharman
- $6 Million Settlement with Washington DOC for Delayed Treatment That Let Prisoner’s Liver Cancer Become Fatal, by Chuck Sharman
- Sixth Circuit Revives Michigan Prisoner’s Challenge to Guard Tackle That Broke His Foot, by Chuck Sharman
- Southern Poverty Law Center Report Shows Culture of Abuse at Florida Prison, by Michael Thompson
- Jury Awards Over $9.5 Million for Oklahoma Jail Death, by Chuck Sharman
- Washington Appellate Court Uses Personal Restraint Petitions Mooted by Prisoners’ Transfers to Order Remedial Measures at Troubled Juvenile Lockup, by Chuck Sharman
- Texas Prisoner Declared Innocent 70 Years After Execution, by Jo Ellen Nott
- Alaska Prisoner’s Discipline for Violating Invalidated Rule Tossed, by Chuck Sharman
- $300,000 Class-Action Settlement at California Jail Includes Policy Changes; Agreements with Aramark and Wellpath Reached Confidentially, by Chuck Sharman
- Eighth Circuit Revives Case Against Guards Who Failed to Intervene As Chaplain Sexually Assaulted Arkansas Prisoner, by Michael Thompson
- Number of Narcan Doses Raises Drug Concerns at New Jersey Prisons
- Louisiana Prisoner Sustains Claim Against Prison Doctor for Allowing Assignment to “Field Duty” Despite Known Ankle Injury, by Chuck Sharman
- Two Detainees Captured After Escape from Southwest Georgia Jail
- U.S. Jails Hold 52,000 Detainees for Nothing More than “Failure to Appear”, by Chuck Sharman
- Maryland Prisons Reel from Growing Number of Prisoner Deaths, by Jo Ellen Nott
- Incarcerated Women Featured in True Crime Media Face Flood of Sexual Harassment, by Kwaneta Harris, Leigh Goodmark
- Missouri Judge Heavily Sanctions DOC for “Deliberate Disregard for the Authority of This Court” in Suit Over Prisoner’s Suicide, by Matthew Clarke
- “Devil in the Ozarks” Gets 13 More Years for Escape
- Overcrowded State Mental Hospitals Lead to Longer Jail Time and Lack of Treatment, by Michael Thompson
- Fourth Circuit Revives Deliberate Indifference Claim for Baltimore Detainee Served Rotten Food, by David Reutter
- Seventh Circuit Affirms Summary Judgment in Illinois Prisoner’s Segregation Lawsuit, by Michael Thompson
- One in 10 Prison Admissions Is Now for Technical Parole Violation, by Chuck Sharman
- Utah Pushes for Additional $130 Million to Expand Prison that Cost $1 Billion
- Texas State Jails Fail: Institutions Conceived as Safe Spots for Rehabilitation After Minor Drug Convictions Now Flooded With Drugs and Major Felons, by Matthew Clarke
- Eleventh Circuit: District Court Erred in Dismissing BOP Prisoner’s Medical Claim, Finds Prison Officials Made Administrative Remedies Unavailable, by David Reutter
- U.S. Sentencing Commission Report Breaks Down Federal Contraband Sentences, by Chuck Sharman
- Detainee Death from Kidney Infection Highlights Broken Policy in Washington State, by Michael Thompson
- Tenth Circuit Affirmed Denial of Guards Qualified Immunity in Disabled Detainee’s Fourteenth Amendment Claim, by David Reutter
- New Jersey Governor’s Order Allows People with Prior Felony Convictions to Serve on Jury Duty
- Missouri Pays $212M for Prison Health Care, But Prisoner Deaths Aren’t a Performance Measure, by Rudi Keller
- Minnesota Study Shows Disproportionate Rate of Health and Mental Problems for Recently Incarcerated, by Michael Thompson
- Eight Detainees Escape from Louisiana Jail, Captured in 24 Hours
- Maine Was the First State to Abolish Parole. Incarcerated Mainers, Advocates Hope to Bring it Back., by Emma Davis
- Oklahoma County Jail Could Lay Off Half Its Staff Due to $5.4 Million Budget Gap
- Medical Audit at New Mexico Jail Once Again Finds Poor Level of Healthcare
- New York City Begins Construction on Chinatown Jail Despite Opposition
- Alarming Conditions at Texas Family Detention Center Owned by CoreCivic
- Mail Went Digital in Alabama Prisons. Families Are Saying Their Mail Isn’t Being Delivered, by Nayanika Guha
- ICE Wants to Spend $38 Billion to Turn Warehouses into Detention Camps
- Wisconsin Hasn’t Created Prison Nursery Program, One Year After Court Order
- Alaska’s DOC Was $24 Million Over-Budget Last Year, Spent Most on Overtime
- Private Prison Firm GEO Group Reports Record $254 Million Profit After New ICE Contracts, by Brett Wilkins
- North Carolina Prisons Are Facing a “Dire” Staffing Crisis
- New York Governor Pulls Plug on Prison Watchdog Funding
- Showers at St. Louis County Jail Riddled with Mold, Report Finds
- Illinois DOC Has Failed to Improve Prison Health Care Seven Years After Order
- News in Brief
More from Chuck Sharman:
- L.A. County Begins Making Nearly $5 Billion in Payouts to Survivors of Sex Abuse in Juvenile Detention, Sept. 1, 2026
- Washington DOC Barred from Putting Prisoners on Lockdown and Calling It “Programming”, Sept. 1, 2026
- Florida DOC Rebuked for Seizing Prisoner’s Excessive Force Settlement to Cover Incarceration Liens, Sept. 1, 2026
- $100,000 Paid to Five Prisoners Assaulted by Centurion Gynecologist at Florida Lockup, Sept. 1, 2026
- “Nothing Short of Disgraceful”: New York Prisoner Wins Injunction Ordering Cancer Treatment Delayed Seven Years, Sept. 1, 2026
- HRDC Wins Injunction Against Minnesota DOC Policy Banning Its Publications, Sept. 1, 2026
- $280,000 Paid for South Carolina Detainee’s Death in Charleston Jail, Sept. 1, 2026
- $800,000 Settlement Reached in Hawai‘i Jail Suicide Case, Sept. 1, 2026
- $5.4 Million Jury Verdict Against Riverside County in Suit Over Jail Fentanyl Death, Sept. 1, 2026
- Atlanta Jail Begins Turning Away Misdemeanor Arrestees, Sept. 1, 2026
More from these topics:
- Washington DOC Barred from Putting Prisoners on Lockdown and Calling It “Programming”, Sept. 1, 2026. Prison Labor, Liberty Interests, Notice of Rules, Lockdowns, Statutory Construction/Interpretation.
- 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.
- 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. Conspiracies, Attempts, Solicitations, Qualifying Offenses, Statutory Construction/Interpretation, Sentence Enhancements/Departures, Predicate Acts/Offenses.
- Ohio Supreme Court Announces Postconviction DNA-Testing Orders Need Only Identify Statutory Reason to Satisfy R.C. 2953.73(D) “Reasons” Requirement, Sept. 1, 2026. DNA Testing/Samples, Abuse of Discretion Standard, Statutory Construction/Interpretation.
- $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.
- 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.
- New Mexico Supreme Court Holds Corrections Department Regulations Do Not Exempt Use-Of-Force Documents from Public Records Disclosure, Aug. 1, 2026. Disclosure of Records, Public Records, Public Records Act, Statutory Construction/Interpretation, Authority and Jurisdiction.
- The Exceptionally High Murder Rate Inside Maryland’s Prisons, Aug. 1, 2026. Prison/Jail Murders, Failure to Protect (General), Staffing, Security Systems, Administrative Detention/Segregation.
- 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.
- 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. Constitution, state, Appealable Issues/Orders, Abuse of Discretion Standard, Sentences - Adjustments and Departures, Authority and Jurisdiction.

