Texas Death Row Prisoners on Hunger Strike by Texas Death Row Prisoners On Hunger Strike Since July 19, 1992, more that 50 condemned prisoners on Texas's death row commenced a chain hunger strike. They are fasting in pairs for three days at a time, consuming only liquids, when the strike …
Five Boot Camp Guards Fired by Houston, Texas- Five Harris County, Texas, deputies were fired June 9 upon being indicted on felony charges for abusing inmates at the county's boot camp for first time offenders. Those charged are Darryl Coleman, Benny Galindez, Alfonso Giraldo, W.E. Jones and Joe Saenz. They …
Prisoner Fined for Frivolous Suit by Astate prison inmate sued a prison guard for $3.55 in actual damages, an injunction, and a declaratory judgement. His claim was that the guard took his coffee bag and two packs of cigarettes. Six days after the suit was filed, the trial court found …
Seeking Jailhouse Lawyers? by Gerald Mose National Association of Legal Assistances (sic) Certified Paralegal. Graduate of Southern Career Institute, seeks other S.C.I. graduates, and incarcerated paralegals, and everyone interested in prisoners' rights, prison reform, and civil rights to join me in establishing a monthly newsletter, and a network of paralegals …
Interstate Compact Does Not Create Liberty Interest by Fred Pletka was an Iowa prisoner in disciplinary confinement at the Iowa State Penitentiary when he was transferred to Texas under the interstate corrections compact. Shortly after arriving in Texas Pletka was released into the general prison population. Later, when he was …
Supreme Court To Define "Prevailing Party" for Purposes of Attorney Fees by Supreme Court To Define "Prevailing Party" For Purposes Of Attorney Fees Under 42 U.S.C. § 1983, a "prevailing party" in a federal civil rights suit may be awarded attorneys' fees. In civil rights cases such attorneys' fees may, …
Informant Testimony Must be Independently Weighed by Informant Testimony Must Be Independently Weighed Spellmon Bey is a Texas prisoner who was infracted for threatening other prisoners in order to extort commissary and sexual favors from them. The infraction was written by the unit captain, based on informant testimony, and listed …
Prisoner Entitled to Discover Identity of Attackers by Prisoner Entitled To Discover Identity Of Attackers Chris Murphy filed a 1983 suit claiming that while he was imprisoned in the Harris County Jail, in Texas, he was beaten and attacked by jail guards in retaliation for having complained of jail conditions. …
Prison System Increases Cell Integration to Avoid Fines by Faced with the threat of millions of dollars in fines, the Texas Department of Criminal Justice began increasing the number of racially integrated, two-person cells July 1. Before July only about 2 percent of the system's 11,000 double cells were integrated; …
Info on Free by Info on FREE Salutation and congratulations.... Yesterday I received my first copy of the Prisoners' Legal News, a victory all the same. I was impressed. [PLN only recently overturned a statewide ban on the newsletter in Texas.] I have been active in several ongoing litigations here …
Prisoners Must Be Fed by Alvin Cooper was a pre-trial detainee in Texas and filed a § 1983 suit claiming that jail guards were refusing to feed him. The officials did not deny the allegation but claimed Cooper wasn't fed because he refused to appear fully dressed at all meals. …
Texas Prison Officials Indicted by The manager and bookkeeper at a Texas prison textile mill were indicted April 25 in Huntsville on charges of theft, official misconduct and engaging in organized crime. Authorities said the indictments stemmed from a two-yearlong scheme involving bid rigging and kickbacks on installation and service …
Texas Woman Wins $125,000 Settlement by A woman won a $125,000 settlement from the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles that may set a precedent for more civil suits involving parole decisions. The woman was raped by a man who had been sentenced in 1977 to 123 years in prison …
Women Prisoner's Hunger Strike in Texas by Ana Lucia Gelabert Women Prisoner's Hunger Strike In Texas By Ana Lucia Gelabert Gatesville, Texas, November 28, 1990. At 12 midnight tonight at least eight women prisoners at the Texas Department of Criminal Justice Mountain View unit will begin an indefinite hunger strike …
Making Cons Work Without Pay Does Not Constitute Involuntary Servitude by Making Cons work Without Pay Does Not Constitute Involuntary Servitude Four prisoners sued prison officials for placing them on administrative segregation status for refusing to work without pay. The court dismissed the complaint as frivolous. The judge noted that …
Fifth Circuit Adopts Reactionary Standard in Excessive Force Claim by Fifth Circuit Adopts Reactionary Standard in Excessive Force Claims A state prisoner filed a civil rights complaint in federal court against two guards who assaulted him during a cell search. The convict received an elbow fracture during the struggle. The …
Klan Papers Get into Texas Prisons but PLN is Banned by Michael Lowe, exalted Cyclops of the Waco Ku Klux Klan, is trying to reach some 13,500 white prisoners inside the Texas prison system. And Texas prison officials are allowing the KKK publications into their prisons. Well get prisoners out …
The Ultimate Hunt by This is what jackets had embroidered on them that were given away by Jerry Hodge, the Vice-Chairman of the Texas Board of Criminal Justice. The occasion was for Hodge and two of his cronies to "hunt" prisoners from the Huntsville prison using tracking dogs. The prisoner …
Sexual Harassment Suit Settled by The Texas Department of Corrections (TDC) paid secretary Charlene Atchinson $85,000 to settle a sexual harassment suit filed against Warden Jack Garner and Regional Director Marshal Herklotz of the Palestine Unit in East Texas. In the suit, Ms. Atchinson alleged Warden Garner unzipped his pants …
Prison Legal News v. Lindsey, Complaint, Dallas County Jail Censorship 2007 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT NORTHERN DISTRICT OF TEXAS DALLAS DIVISION PRISON LEGAL NEWS, a non-profit Washington corporation § § § Plaintiff § v. § § GARY LINDSEY, individually and § in his official capacity as the Chief Deputy, § …
