by David M. Reutter
On April 4, 2012, a Michigan federal district court imposed sanctions against Wayne County for committing fraud and misrepresentation upon the court and opposing counsel in a prisoner’s wrongful death suit.
The lawsuit was filed by the personal representative of John C. Fahner, who was murdered ...
by David M. Reutter
In reversing and remanding an Idaho federal district court's denial of a preliminary injunction, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals directed the lower court to enter an order requiring the State of Idaho to allow witnesses to observe a prisoner's execution "from the moment [he] enters ...
by David M. Reutter
Life in prison has alwayss been far different than life in the free world. An investigation by the Pittsburgh-Gazette into the wages of Pennsylvania prison employees revealed one of those differences – an Alice-in-Wonderland quality to the Department of Corrections' (DOC) pay scale.
Typically, an employee's ...
by David M. Reutter
On June 20, 2011, the Southern Center for Human Rights (SCHR) filed a complaint with the Georgia Composite Medical Board against Dr. Carlo Musso, seeking the revocation or suspension of his medical license for illegally importing and distributing sodium thiopental, one of the three drugs used ...
by David M. Reutter
Several of the defendants in a “widespread scheme and subversion of the Luzerne County juvenile justice system” in Pennsylvania have agreed to a $17.75 million settlement to resolve a class-action federal lawsuit. The scheme involved the building of two private juvenile detention centers and payments to ...
Seventh Circuit Reverses Dismissal of Case Challenging Conditions in Illinois Jail
where Mentally Ill Prisoner Died
On March 20, 2012, the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals reversed a district court’s grant of summary judgment to the defendants in a case claiming inhumane conditions of confinement at a county jail; the ...
by David M. Reutter
An October 2010 report issued by Kentucky’s Auditor of Public Accounts concerning the $12 million food service contract between Aramark Correctional Services (Aramark) and the Kentucky Department of Corrections (KDOC) found a lack of oversight, overpayments and a failure to provide the service required by the ...
By: David M. Reutter
The Supreme Court of Wisconsin held, on December 14, 2010 that a prison guard’s involvement in the investigation in an incident is not “substantial involvement” that violates the due process right to an impartial decision maker in a prison disciplinary hearing.
This case involved protracted litigation ...
by David M. Reutter
After campaigning on a theme of reeling in wasteful spending, Rick Scott wasted no time as governor in tapping Edwin Buss as Secretary of the Florida Department of Corrections (FDOC). At the time, Buss was Indiana’s Commissioner of Corrections. Along with his experience in reducing recidivism, ...
by David M. Reutter
Disenfranchisement of ex-felons has always been a huge issue for civil rights activists. Lately, a few victories have been obtained in the area. The question is, however, how effective have the gains been in empowering ex-felons to vote?
In Florida, the process is slow. Yet, much ...
