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Privatized Prison Medical Care in Mississippi Still Problematic

Article • November 15, 2009 • from PLN November, 2009

Filed under: Wexford Health Services, Systemic Medical Neglect, Private Contractors, Wrongful Death, Medical Neglect/Malpractice

Privatized Prison Medical Care in Mississippi Still Problematic by David Reutter by David M. Reutter Anyone looking for evidence that privatized prison health care is a complete failure need look no further than Mississippi. In 2001, the per capita death rate for Mississippi prisoners was around the national average. By …

Prisoner Not Allowed to Sue One DOC in Another State

Article • September 15, 2009

Filed under: Classification, Out of State Transfers, Transport Companies, Medication, Cancer, Failure to Treat, Parties, Diversity Jurisdiction

Prisoner Not Allowed to Sue One DOC in Another State by The Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals in Illinois held that New Mexico Department of Corrections (NMDOC) officials cannot be sued in Illinois due to lack of personal jurisdiction. Jimmy Kinslow, an NMDOC prisoner, was transferred in 1995 to the …

Spurlock v. Townes, NM, Complaint, Sexual Assault, 2009

Brief • August 12, 2009

Filed under: Staff-Prisoner Assault, Corrections Corporation of America/CoreCivic, Staff-Prisoner Harassment, Guard Misconduct, Prison Rape Elimination Act

Spurlock v. Townes, NM, Complaint, Sexual Assault, 2009 Case 1:09-cv-00786-LH-DJS Document 1 Filed 08/12/2009 Page 1 of 12 IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF NEW MEXICO HEATHER SPURLOCK, & SOPHIA CARRASCO, Plaintiff, v. No. 1:09-cv-00786 ANTHONY TOWNES & BARBARA WAGNER in their individual capacities, & CORRECTIONS …

New Mexico Abolishes Death Penalty; Similar Efforts Fail in Other States

Article • July 15, 2009 • from PLN July, 2009

Filed under: Death Penalty, News, State Legislation

New Mexico Abolishes Death Penalty; Similar Efforts Fail in Other States by David Reutter by David M. Reutter “Regardless of my personal opinion about the death penalty, I do not have confidence in the criminal justice system as it currently operates to be the final arbiter when it comes to …

$3.3 Million Settlement Fund Established in New Mexico Jail Strip Search Settlement

Article • July 15, 2009 • from PLN July, 2009

Filed under: Strip Searches, Arrestee Searches, Attorneys, Attorney Fee Awards, Damages

$3.3 Million Settlement Fund Established in New Mexico Jail Strip Search Settlement by A $3.3 million settlement fund has been established in a class action lawsuit alleging an unconstitutional blanket strip search at the Valencia County Detention Center (VCDC) in New Mexico violated the rights of the class. VCDC was …

Collins v. Bustamante, NM, Complaint, Sexual Assault and Rape, 2009

Brief • June 29, 2009

Filed under: Staff-Prisoner Assault, Corrections Corporation of America/CoreCivic, Staff-Prisoner Harassment, Guard Misconduct, Failure to Protect (General), Prison Rape Elimination Act, Negligence/Reckless Endangerment

Collins v. Bustamante, NM, Complaint, Sexual Assault and Rape, 2009 Case 1:09-cv-00634-GBW-WDS Document 1-2 Filed 06/29/2009 Page 1 of 33 THIRTEENTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COUNTY OF CIBOLA STATE OF NEW MEXICO MARY LOU COLLINS, LISA JARAMI,LLO, 1•.,KIM CHAVEZ, and ANN CHAVEZ, 'I''/ ' ~-' ' f Plaintiffs, v. ROGER BUSTAMANTE, HELEN …

Report Says New Mexico Prison Phone Companies Still Gouging Families

Article • June 15, 2009 • from PLN June, 2009

Filed under: Telephones, Telephone Rates

Report Says New Mexico Prison Phone Companies Still Gouging Families by Dave Maass Report Says New Mexico Prison Phone Companies Still Gouging Families by Dave Maass The phone is ringing; you pick it up. An operator announces it’s a collect call – your spouse, sibling, child – from prison. Will …

Sexual Abuse by Prison and Jail Staff Proves Persistent, Pandemic

Article • May 15, 2009 • from PLN May, 2009

Filed under: Staff-Prisoner Assault, Private Prisons, Corrections Corporation of America/CoreCivic, Cornell Corrections, GRW Corp., Staff-Prisoner Harassment, Guard Misconduct, DOC/BOP misconduct, Jail Misconduct, Criminal Prosecution

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 …

$1 Million Settlement Fund Established in New Mexico Jail Strip Search Settlement

Article • May 15, 2009 • from PLN May, 2009

Filed under: Searches, Strip Searches, Arrestee Searches, Damages

$1 Million Settlement Fund Established in New Mexico Jail Strip Search Settlement by David Reutter $1 Million Settlement Fund Established in New Mexico Jail Strip Search Settlement by David M. Reutter A $1 million settlement fund has been established in a class action lawsuit alleging an unconstitutional blanket strip search …

Mcghee v. Biamont, NM, Judgment, Denial of Exercise & Spousal Visitation, 2009

Brief • March 17, 2009

Filed under: Exercise, Visiting

Mcghee v. Biamont, NM, Judgment, Denial of Exercise & Spousal Visitation, 2009 Case 6:07-cv-00609-BB-LAM Document 48 Filed 03/17/09 Page 1 of 4 IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF NEW MEXICO WILLIAM MCGHEE, Plaintiff, v. CIV-07-0609 BB/LAM PAULA BIAMONT, et al., Defendants. ORDER ADOPTING MAGISTRATE JUDGE’S PROPOSED …

GEO Cancels Contract at Pennsylvania Jail, Looks Elsewhere for Business

Article • March 15, 2009 • from PLN March, 2009

Filed under: Corrections Corporation of America/CoreCivic, GEO Group/Wackenhut, Wexford Health Services, Community Education Centers, Contractor Misconduct, Lobbying, HIV/AIDS, Medication, Respiratory, Conditions of Confinement, Staffing, Contractor Liability, Medical Neglect/Malpractice, Suicides

GEO Cancels Contract at Pennsylvania Jail, Looks Elsewhere for Business by David Reutter GEO Cancels Contract at Pennsylvania Jail, Looks Elsewhere for Business by David M. Reutter GEO Group, Inc. (formerly known as Wackenhut Corrections), the second-largest private prison company in the nation, has operated the jail in Delaware County, …

$5 Million Settlement For Illegal Strip Searches In Las Cruces, NM Jail

Article • January 15, 2009 • from PLN January, 2009

Filed under: Strip Searches, Arrestee Searches, Civil Procedure, Damages

$5 Million Settlement For Illegal Strip Searches In Las Cruces, NM Jail by $5 Million Settlement For Illegal Strip Searches In Las Cruces, NM Jail An estimated 11,000 Doña Ana County Detention Center detainees who were illegally strip searched between March 7, 2003 and March 7, 2006 have settled their …

Unnecessary Delay Of Probation Revocation Proceeding Unjustified Absent Timely Warrant

Article • January 15, 2009

Filed under: Sentencing, Wrongful Imprisonment, U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, Probation

Unnecessary Delay Of Probation Revocation Proceeding Unjustified Absent Timely Warrant by United States prisoner Randall Crisler appealed the revocation of his probation for violating it's conditions. The delayed revocation was ordered after his probation expired and his supervised release was ordered terminated by the appellate court. Crisler was sentenced to …

Tenth Circuit: Procedural Defense to Federal Prisoner’s ETS Suit Fails on Inadequate Grievance Record-Keeping

Article • December 15, 2008 • from PLN December, 2008

Filed under: Cornell Corrections, Smoking, PLRA, Administrative Exhaustion (PLRA), Defenses

Tenth Circuit: Procedural Defense to Federal Prisoner’s ETS Suit Fails on Inadequate Grievance Record-Keeping by John Dannenberg Tenth Circuit: Procedural Defense to Federal Prisoner’s ETS Suit Fails on Inadequate Grievance Record-Keeping by John E. Dannenberg The Tenth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals reversed a summary judgment order in a federal …

Fallen Women - Santa Fe Reporter article by Silja Talvi

Article • November 15, 2008

Filed under: Private Prisons, Corrections Corporation of America/CoreCivic, Required Religious Programming

Fallen Women - Santa Fe Reporter article by Silja Talvi by Silja JA Talvi Fallen Women For incarcerated women, there is little justice to be found By Silja JA Talvi Three years ago, I journeyed back to Santa Fe to return to a city where I had once lived—and that …

Kinslow v. New Mexico Corrections Dept., Order Adopting Second Report and Rec, Native American RLUIPA Violation, 2008

Brief • September 30, 2008

Filed under: Religious Freedom

Kinslow v. New Mexico Corrections Dept., Order Adopting Second Report and Rec, Native American RLUIPA Violation, 2008 Case 6:07-cv-01164-MV-RLP Document 50 Filed 09/30/2008 Page 1 of 1 FILED UNITED STATES !;)ISTRICT COURT COURT SANTA FE, NEW MEXICO IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT FOR THE DISTRICT OF NEW MEXICO SEP 30 …

McGhee v. Biamont, NM, SJ Order, Denial of Exercise and Spousal Visitation, 2008

Brief • September 9, 2008

Filed under: Exercise, Visiting

McGhee v. Biamont, NM, SJ Order, Denial of Exercise and Spousal Visitation, 2008 Case 6:07-cv-00609-BB-LAM Document 45 Filed 09/09/08 Page 1 of 6 IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF NEW MEXICO WILLIAM MCGHEE, Plaintiff, v. CIV-07-0609 BB/LAM PAULA BIAMONT, et al., Defendants. ORDER ADOPTING MAGISTRATE JUDGE’S …

Class Certification Denied in Suit by Disabled NM Children Prisoners

Article • August 15, 2008

Filed under: Disabled Prisoners, Injunctions, Class Certification, Eleventh Amendment Immunity, Mental Health, Failure to Treat (Mental Illness)

Class Certification Denied in Suit by Disabled NM Children Prisoners by The plaintiffs, 16 mentally or developmentally disabled children in state custody, alleged a failure to provide protections and therapeutic services required by federal statutes and Constitution, seeking certification of a class of children "in or at risk of State …

Resisting Arrest Conviction Does not Bar Beating Suit

Article • August 15, 2008

Filed under: Disciplinary Litigation, Estoppell, Police, False Arrest, Excessive Force (Police)

Resisting Arrest Conviction Does not Bar Beating Suit by A conviction for resisting arrest did not bar a claim for excessive force during arrest under the rule of Heck v. Humphrey, since the lawfulness of the arrest (an element of the criminal offense) need not be negated for the plaintiff …

Damages Awarded to Two New Mexico Jr. High Students After Excessive Strip Search

Article • August 15, 2008

Filed under: Strip Searches, Attorneys, Attorney Fee Awards, Education, Damages, Qualified Immunity

Damages Awarded to Two New Mexico Jr. High Students After Excessive Strip Search by New Mexico Jr. High students Crystal Kennedy and Randy Ford challenged the appellate reversal of damages they were awarded in a 42 U.S.C. § 1983 suit against Dexter Consolidated Schools (DCS) and individual school officials. The …