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Articles by Lonnie Burton

BOP Pays $30,000 to Settle Prison Counselor's Religious Discrimination Claim

On March 18, 2002, a settlement agreement was finalized resolving a complaint brought by a federal prison counselor who alleged she was targeted for discrimination because of her religious beliefs. PLR is now reporting on this case after a longstanding Freedom of Information Act request was recently fulfilled by the ...

9th Circuit Dismisses Most of Prisoner Wrongful Death Suit

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit has upheld the dismissal of the majority of a lawsuit brought by the estate of a prisoner who was beaten to death by his cellmate.

In 1997, prisoner Daniel Castro was transferred from an Oregon state prison to a Sheridan federal ...

8th Circuit: "Favorable Termination" Rule Applies Even if Plaintiff No Longer Incarcerated

In Heck v. Humphrey, 512 U.S. 477 (1994), the Supreme Court ruled that a prisoner could not bring a suit for damages for an unconstitutional conviction or imprisonment, unless and until the underlying conviction has been reversed or invalidated. This became what is known as the "favorable termination" rule. ...

$290,000 Settlement for Federal Prisoner in Medical Negligence, Loss of Hearing Claim

On December 17, 1999, the United States agreed to pay $290,000 to a federal prisoner who permanently lost his hearing after he received inadequate medical care during his incarceration at two federal prisons in Florida. PLN is reporting this case now after a longstanding Freedom of Information Act request for ...

$100,000 Jury Verdict in BOP Gender Discrimination Case

On September 27, 2002, a federal jury sitting in the United States District Court in Colorado found in favor of the plaintiff in a gender discrimination lawsuit filed by a former Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) worker against her employer. Another $190,000 in costs and attorney's fees were later awarded ...

$40,000 for Federal Prisoner in Slip and Fall Case

On May 22, 2000, the U.S. Attorney General's Office reached a settlement agreement with a federal prisoner who had injured himself when he slipped and fell in his cell shower at the Federal Detention Center (FDC) near Seattle. The settlement was for $40,000, which included all attorney's fees and costs. ...

Federal Prisoner Receives $20,000 for Inadequate Medical Treatment for His Hand Injury

On March 7, 2000, the United States agreed to pay a federal prisoner the sum of $20,000 to settle his lawsuit stemming from inadequate medical care resulting in permanent paralysis in his left hand. The lawsuit had sought $1 million in damages. Documents relating to this case were released to ...

Federal Prisoner Receives $1,000 Settlement in Food Poisoning Case

On April 2, 1997, the United States agreed to settle a lawsuit in which a federal prisoner alleged she was poisoned by the food in the prison chow hall and then received inadequate medical care afterwards. The documents relating to the lawsuit and settlement were just recently released by the ...

Federal Prison Worker Receives $25,000 Settlement in Claim for Racial Discrimination, Retaliation

On June 16, 2003, a federal prison employee settled her complaint against the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP), where she alleged she was subjected to racial epithets, and then a slew of retaliatory acts after she complained about it. The case settled for just over $25,000, plus several other considerations. ...

Federal Prison Guard Receives $58,000 Settlement in Racial Discrimination Case

On November 9, 2001, a federal prison guard entered into a settlement agreement with the United States in which he agreed to drop his complaints for racial discrimination in exchange for just over $58,000, back pay, and a transfer to a federal prison in California. Documents relating to this case ...