Seeking Evidence for DNA Testing Allowed Under § 1983 by The plaintiff's § 1983 suit seeking access to the biological evidence against him for purposes of challenging his criminal conviction was not in the nature of habeas corpus and did not require exhaustion of state judicial remedies. The plaintiff sought …
Nurse’s Head Slap Nets Virginia Prisoner $16,676 by Nurse's Head Slap Nets Virginia Prisoner $16,676 A Virginia prisoner was awarded $16,676 for injuries sustained when a male nurse struck him on the back of his head. Mr. Shaver was struck on the back of the head, causing him to hit …
Virginia Prisoner Has No Standing To Access Records Under State’s FOIA by Virginia Prisoner Has No Standing To Access Records Under State's FOIA A Fairfax County, Virginia, Circuit Court has denied a prisoner's petition for writ of mandamus seeking investigative reports under the Virginia Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), holding …
Prison Drinking Water and Wastewater Pollution Threaten Environmental Safety Nationwide by John Dannenberg by John E. Dannenberg Aging infrastructure concerns are not limited to America's highways, bridges and dams. Today, crumbling, overcrowded prisons and jails nationwide are bursting at the seams -- literally -- leaking environmentally dangerous effluents not just …
“War on Terror” Whistleblowers, Dissenters are Fired, Prosecuted; Plaintiff’s Lawyers Help Turn Them In by Alex Friedmann War on Terror Whistleblowers, Dissenters are Fired, Prosecuted; Plaintiff's Lawyers Help Turn Them In by Alex Friedmann In January 2005, Lt. Commander Matthew M. Diaz was a Navy staff judge advocate serving a …
“State Secrets Privilege” Forecloses CIA-Detainee’s Kidnapping and Torture Suit by John Dannenberg "State Secrets Privilege" Forecloses CIA-Detainee?s Kidnapping and Torture Suit by John E. Dannenberg The Fourth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals has upheld a district court's dismissal of a civil rights action filed by a foreign national who was …
$2.25 Million Award for Virginia Man Falsely Sent to Death Row by A federal jury awarded a Virginia man $2.25 million for being falsely convicted of a rape/murder based on evidence fabricated by a cop and spending ten years on death row. Earl Washington, then 23, was convicted of a …
Rhode Island DOC May Be Liable for Virginia's Treatment of Prisoners by The U.S. First Circuit Court of Appeals held that Rhode Island corrections officials may be liable for unconstitutional treatment of Rhode Island prisoner held in Virginia prisons. Bernardo Figueroa is a prisoner in custody of the Rhode Island …
Evidentiary Hearing Not Required To Terminate SSA Worker Disability Benefits by Evidentiary Hearing Not Required To Terminate SSA Worker Disability Benefits The U.S. Supreme Court held that an evidentiary hearing was not required to terminate Social Security worker disability benefits, and that the district court had jurisdiction to hear the …
Parkway Not Proper Place for Body Cavity Search by The Eastern District Court of Virginia determined that a body cavity search while on the George Washington Parkway violated the Fourth Amendment. Arrion Ford was traveling down the George Washington Parkway in his car when a police officer stopped him because …
No State-Paid Attorneys for Post-conviction Relief in Capital Cases by The U.S. Supreme Court held that indigent death row prisoners had no constitutional right to state-paid counsel in order to pursue post- conviction relief. Prisoners on Virginia's death row brought a § 1983 action against state officials alleging they had …
Some VA Death Row Prisoners Denied Meaningful Access to Courts by Upon rehearing en banc, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit held that Virginia did not provide death row prisoners with meaningful access to courts in all circumstances. Prisoners on Virginia's death row brought a class action …
VA Death Row Prisoners Entitled to Appointed Counsel by The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, Richmond Division, held that death row prisoners were entitled to more legal assistance than that delineated in Bounds v. Smith, 430 U.S. 817, 97 S.Ct. 1491, 52 L.Ed.2d 72 (1977). Prisoners …
VA Death Row Prisoners Not Entitled to Appointed Counsel by The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit held that indigent death row prisoners did not have a constitutional right to counsel at state expense when pursuing habeas corpus relief in state courts. Prisoners on Virginia's death row brought …
Summary Judgment Granted to Virginia Jail Officials in Pretrial Detainee's Death by Summary Judgment Granted to Virginia Jail Officials in Pretrial Detainee's Death The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed a District Court's grant of summary judgment dismissing a 42 U.S.C. § 1983 action alleging Eighth Amendment claims of deliberate …
Virginia's One-Ounce Incoming Mail Policy Upheld by A Virginia federal district court has upheld a Virginia Department of Corrections policy that limits a prisoner's incoming mail to a one- ounce envelope. The prisoner filed suit under 42 U.S.C. §1983, alleging the policy, Division Operating Procedure 851, violated the First Amendment. …
Qualified Immunity Denied In Use Of 5-Point Restraint by A Federal District Court in Virginia has held that prison officials are not entitled to qualified immunity on excessive force, racial discrimination, and due process claims rising from use of 5-point restraints. Trini Davis, a prisoner at Wallens Ridge State Prison …
Virginia Prisoner's § 1983 Action Over Prison Policies Dismissed by Virginia Prisoner's § 1983 Action Over Prison Policies Dismissed The United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, Alexandria Division, granted summary judgment against a prisoner's § 1983 action in which he claimed harassment, denial of access to …
Virginia Jail Acted Under Color Of State Law For § 1983 Purposes by Virginia Jail Acted Under Color Of State Law For § 1983 Purposes The United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia held that a jail had acted under color of state law for purposes of …
Virginia Supreme Court Resolves Administrative Exhaustion Issues in VDOC Sexual Assault Suit by The Virginia Supreme Court reversed a trial court's dismissal of a prisoner's suit alleging sexual abuse by a Virginia Department of Corrections (VDOC) employee. VDOC prisoner Paula Billups was assigned to work in the kitchen at the …
