Fourth Circuit Remands Gift Publication Challenge by The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit has reversed a grant of summary judgment in a lawsuit challenging a gift publication ban at a Virginia prison. The district court had granted summary judgment for prison officials on the prisoner’s challenge to …
Abu Ghraib Abuses Not Covered by Insurance Policy by The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals has affirmed a Virginia federal district court’s order that held an insurance policy obtained by a company who was sued for detainee torture in Iraq has no duty to defend the company because the events …
PLN Sues Virginia DOC Over Censorship, Due Process Violations by On October 8, 2009, Prison Legal News filed suit in U.S. District Court against Virginia Department of Corrections (VDOC) Director Gene M. Johnson and other prison officials, claiming that the VDOC had violated PLN’s rights under the First and Fourteenth …
Fourth Circuit Upholds Prisoner Exclusion in Virginia FOIA by The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the constitutionality of excluding prisoners from the right to obtain public records under Virginia’s Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), Va. Code Ann. §§ 2.2-3700 to 3704 (2005). Joseph M. Giarratano, a Virginia state prisoner, …
$10,000 Verdict in Sexual Assault by Virginia Guard by On October 20, 2008, a Virginia federal jury awarded a former Pittsylvania County Jail prisoner $10,000 in a lawsuit that claimed a guard had “sexually molested, harassed, and assaulted” her. The suit alleged that jail guard Hank Hazelwood violated Sheril Ann …
Fourth Circuit Vacates Dismissal of Challenge to Virginia's Gift Publication Ban by On June 27, 2008, the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals vacated a district court's dismissal of a prisoner's challenge to the ban on gift publications in a Virginia prison. Robb M. Harksen, a Virginia prisoner, filed a pro …
Pro Se Muslim Prisoner Reaches Religious Rights Settlement Agreement with Virginia Prison Officials by David Reutter Pro Se Muslim Prisoner Reaches Religious Rights Settlement Agreement with Virginia Prison Officials by David M. Reutter A pro se Virginia prisoner has entered into a settlement agreement with prison officials that provides him …
As Economy Falters, Rehabilitative and Substance Abuse Programs Get the Axe by As Economy Falters, Rehabilitative and Substance Abuse Programs Get the Axe by Mark Wilson Facing the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, states are slashing rehabilitative criminal justice programs in a desperate attempt to save money. Critics …
$4.75 Million Settlement in Virginia Jail Construction Accident Case by $4.75 Million Settlement in Virginia Jail Construction Accident Case On June 26, 2008, Electric Power Systems, Inc. (EPS) entered into a $4.75 million settlement in a lawsuit brought by electrician Larry Shifflett, 53, who was seriously injured during construction of …
Sexual Abuse by Prison and Jail Staff Proves Persistent, Pandemic by Gary Hunter Sexual assault, rape, indecency, deviance. These terms represent reprehensible behavior in our society. They also represent recurring themes in our nation’s prisons – not only by prisoners, but also by guards and other staff members. PLN’s August …
Prisoners Used for 2008 Voter Registration, Election Campaigning by Last year, prisoners participating in a work release program were hired by Choices Group, a contractor, to register voters in Nevada. Residents of the Casa Grande Transitional Housing Facility in Las Vegas were used to canvass neighborhoods and sign up voters …
$350,000 Verdict for Malicious Prosecution, False Arrest Claim by A jury in Virginia’s Richmond County Circuit Court has awarded a man $350,000 for injuries incurred during an arrest. Brian Soyars III was arrested outside a bar on January 1, 2006. Ironically, Soyars called police to report that he had witnessed …
Prisoners Can Sue Virginia DOC’s Contract Medical Provider for Breach of Contract by Prisoners Can Sue Virginia DOC’s Contract Medical Provider for Breach of Contract Virginia Department of Corrections (VDOC) prisoners who receive inadequate medical care may sue the VDOC’s contract medical provider for breach of contract, the Supreme Court …
Federal Prisoner's Suit Settles For $1,500 after Falling From Bunk by Virginia federal prisoner Glen Francis brought a federal tort action in 1995 for $200,000 after being injured at FCI Petersburg while climbing down from his bunk. The suit settled for $1,500. Francis was on his top bunk when FCI …
Federal Officials' Refusal To Treat Prisoner's Severed Tendon Settles For $22,500 by Virginia federal prisoner Chris Walker brought a federal tort action against the United States in 1998 after various officials refused to treat his severed Achilles tendon. Jail and prison officials, as well as Bureau of Prisons personnel ignored …
Virginia Guard Injured in Prison Transport Van Accident Settles for $200,000 by A Virginia State jury awarded $250,000 to a guard who was injured while driving a prisoner transport van. While transporting several prisoners, the van driven by guard Ralph P. Tolbert was hit by a car that drove out …
Former Female Prisoners Settle Sexual Abuse Lawsuit in Virginia by State officials at Virginia’s Pocahontas Correctional Unit have reached a settlement agreement with nine former female prisoners who sued after being sexually abused by prison employees. The terms of the settlement, which was approved by the Governor’s office in July …
Virginia Parole Rate Plummets Despite Thousands of Eligible Parolees by John Dannenberg by John E. Dannenberg Politics in Virginia have trumped reason when it comes to releasing eligible offenders on parole. Notwithstanding examples of successful reintegration into society after such prisoners are released, political pressure has driven the parole board’s …
Contempt Order Entered Against Virgin Island’s Prison Mental Health Care by Contempt Order Entered Against Virgin Island’s Prison Mental Health Care A Virgin Islands federal district court has held territory officials in contempt, ruling that they willfully violated the court’s orders. That finding came in a class action suit dating …
Virginia Felons Notified of Possible Exculpatory DNA Evidence – Eventually by Gary Hunter Virginia Felons Notified of Possible Exculpatory DNA Evidence – Eventually by Gary Hunter On January 9, 2008, Virginia’s state Forensic Science Board (FSB) voted 6 to 5 against notifying convicted defendants that DNA evidence had been discovered …
