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Progress Made in Fight Against Prison Gerrymandering But Battle Continues

Article • February 1, 2021 • from PLN February, 2021

Filed under: Rural Prisons

Progress Made in Fight Against Prison Gerrymandering But Battle Continues by Douglas Ankney by Douglas Ankney Gerrymandering is defined in U.S. politics as “the dividing of a state, county, etc., into election districts so as to give one political party a majority in many districts while concentrating the voting strength …

Fourth Circuit Holds Prisoner’s Indefinite Period of Solitary Confinement at Virginia Supermax May Amount to Atypical and Significant Hardship

Article • February 1, 2021 • from PLN February, 2021

Filed under: Control Units/SHU/Solitary Confinement, Denial of Due Process

Fourth Circuit Holds Prisoner’s Indefinite Period of Solitary Confinement at Virginia Supermax May Amount to Atypical and Significant Hardship by Matthew Clarke by Matt Clarke On July 10, 2020, the FourthCircuit Court of Appeals vacated a district court’s granting of summary judgment to Virginia Department of Corrections (VDOC) officials in …

COVID-19: What Texas Must Do to Save Prisoners’ Lives

Article • February 1, 2021 • from PLN February, 2021

Filed under: COVID-19, Reduction of Prison Population

COVID-19: What Texas Must Do to Save Prisoners’ Lives by Edward Lyon by Ed Lyon By December 2020, despite calls to release or parole prisoners at risk of COVID-19 — especially the elderly — the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) had reduced its prisoner count by only about 20,000, …

New Mexico Corrections Pays $1.4 Million to Settle Whistleblower Complaint Alleging Retaliation for Exposing Deficiencies in Corizon Medical Care

Article • February 1, 2021 • from PLN February, 2021

Filed under: Corizon, Whistleblowing, Settlements

New Mexico Corrections Pays $1.4 Million to Settle Whistleblower Complaint Alleging Retaliation for Exposing Deficiencies in Corizon Medical Care by Douglas Ankney by Douglas Ankney An October 15, 2020 report from the Santa Fe New Mexican revealed that in March 2020, the New Mexico Corrections Department (NMCD) paid $1.4 million …

Ninth Circuit Holds Intermediate Scrutiny Applies in Challenges to Facially Discriminatory Prison Regulations

Article • February 1, 2021 • from PLN February, 2021

Filed under: Discrimination, Gender Discrimination -- Women, Gender Discrimination -- Men

Ninth Circuit Holds Intermediate Scrutiny Applies in Challenges to Facially Discriminatory Prison Regulations by Matthew Clarke by Matt Clarke On August 21, 2020, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit held that the proper standard of review to be applied to facially discriminatory prison regulations challenged as violating …

Overtime Payouts in California Prison System Approach $500 Million

Article • February 1, 2021 • from PLN February, 2021

Filed under: Staffing

Overtime Payouts in California Prison System Approach $500 Million by Daniel A. Rosen by Daniel Rosen The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation paid out almost a half-billion dollars in overtime in 2019, nearly twice what it paid in regular salaries, CalMatters reported in August 2020. Responding to a public …

Legislative Exemption Let Fired Alaska Cop Be Rehired as Jailer

Article • February 1, 2021 • from PLN February, 2021

Filed under: Guard Misconduct, Guards/Staff

Legislative Exemption Let Fired Alaska Cop Be Rehired as Jailer by Edward Lyon by Ed Lyon The Alaska Police Standards Council (APSC) is charged with decertifying bad cops and preventing them from being rehired as cops elsewhere in the state. It was 37 years ago in 1983 when the APSC …

Prisoners Paid $2 Per Hour to Move COVID-19 Corpses in El Paso, Texas

Article • February 1, 2021 • from PLN February, 2021

Filed under: Prison Labor, COVID-19

Prisoners Paid $2 Per Hour to Move COVID-19 Corpses in El Paso, Texas by Matthew Clarke by Matt Clarke A Texas city has used jail prisoners to move bodies of COVID-19 victims into refrigerated trailers that served as temporary morgues, paying them $2 an hour to do the dangerous and …

NY Federal Court Denies Summary Judgment on Claims of Improper Medication Seizure, Evidence Fabrication, Improper Frisk During Prison Visit

Article • February 1, 2021 • from PLN February, 2021

Filed under: Guard Misconduct, Visitor Searches, Summary Judgment, Unlawful Entry/Conduct

NY Federal Court Denies Summary Judgment on Claims of Improper Medication Seizure, Evidence Fabrication, Improper Frisk During Prison Visit by Matthew Clarke by Matt Clarke On September 21, 2020, a New York federal court issued an order denying the state summary judgment on some claims arising from a woman’s visit …

Minnesota Man Out of Prison After Being Exonerated of Murder

Article • February 1, 2021 • from PLN February, 2021

Filed under: Wrongful Conviction, Wrongful Imprisonment, Actual Innocence/Claim of Innocence

Minnesota Man Out of Prison After Being Exonerated of Murder by Edward Lyon by Ed Lyon Javon Davis, aka James Lamar Davis, was talking to his girlfriend on the phone during the wee hours of April 12, 2014 as two men were gunned down while leaving their workplace at Target …

Federal Court Again Orders California DOC to Remedy Continuing ADA Violations

Article • February 1, 2021 • from PLN February, 2021

Filed under: Americans with Disabilities Act

Federal Court Again Orders California DOC to Remedy Continuing ADA Violations by Derek Gilna by Derek Gilna A federal judge on September 8, 2020, once again ordered the California Department of Corrections (CDOC), to resolve numerous violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Rehabilitation Act (RA). The most …

Decline in South Dakota State Prisoners Not Due to COVID

Article • February 1, 2021 • from PLN February, 2021

Filed under: COVID-19, Reduction of Prison Population

Decline in South Dakota State Prisoners Not Due to COVID by Edward Lyon by Ed Lyon Since the COVID-19 pandemic began in March 2020, South Dakota’s state prisoner population declined by a self-reported 11 percent as of late-September. The Associated Press and The Marshall Project showed an 8 percent nationwide …

Houston v. Pfister, IL, Settlement, Failure to Protect, 2021

Brief • February 1, 2021

Filed under: Prison Gangs, Injury -- Misc., Failure to Protect (General), Informants (Failure to Protect), Deliberate Indifference

Houston v. Pfister, IL, Settlement, Failure to Protect, 2021 Information Sheet for Case Number Official Case # Case# 16-8861 16-CV-8861 Plaintiffs: Opposing Counsel: Institutions: Filed Case Houston, Willie #N11484 v. Pfister, et al. IDOC# Defendants: Received Status 11/4/16 1/19/17 closed Date Served Class Action D On Appeal D Spears D …

Contreras v. County of Los Angeles, CA, Settlement Agreement, Sexual Assault by Guard, 2021

Brief • February 1, 2021

Filed under: Staff-Prisoner Assault

Contreras v. County of Los Angeles, CA, Settlement Agreement, Sexual Assault by Guard, 2021 SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT AND RELEASE OF ALL CLAIMS This Settlement Agreement and Mutual Release of All Claims ("Agreement") is entered into between the following parties ("the Parties"): Plaintiff Michelle Contreras (hereinafter, "Plaintiff'), and the County of Los …

Wexford Health Sources, Inc., Medical Guidelines – Region: Jails, 2021

Publication • February 1, 2021

Filed under: Wexford Health Services, Medical

Wexford Health Sources, Inc., Medical Guidelines – Region: Jails, 2021 Medical Guidelines Region: Jails Wexford Health Sources, Inc. 501 Holiday Drive Sulte300 Pittsburgh, PA 15220 Phone: 412-937-8590 Medical Guidelines Region: Jails Corporate Authorization This Medical Guidelines has been reviewed and approved by the following individual(s): Chief Medical Officer, Wexford Health …

Heuer v. Butte County, CA, Complaint, K9 Attack, 2021

Brief • January 29, 2021

Filed under: Dogs, Wrongful Use of Force, Negligence/Reckless Endangerment

Heuer v. Butte County, CA, Complaint, K9 Attack, 2021 Case 2:19-cv-01328-JAM-DMC Document 17 Filed 01/29/21 Page 1 of 13 1 2 3 STANLEY GOFF (Bar No. 289564) LAW OFFICE OF STANLEY GOFF 15 Boardman Place Suite 2 San Francisco, CA 94103 Telephone: (415) 571-9570 Email: scraiggoff@aol.com 4 5 Attorneys for …

Lindsey v. Nolan, WA, Complaint, Sexual Assault of Incarcerated Inmate, 2021

Brief • January 29, 2021

Filed under: Sexual Assault

Lindsey v. Nolan, WA, Complaint, Sexual Assault of Incarcerated Inmate, 2021 Case 3:21-cv-05078-BJR Document 1 Filed 01/29/21 Page 1 of 8 1 2 3 4 5 6 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT WESTERN DISTRICT OF WASHINGTON AT TACOMA 7 8 9 JOSIAH LINDSEY, an individual, Plaintiff, 10 11 12 No. COMPLAINT …

Richmond v. Rauner, IL, Settlement, Conditions of Confinement, 2020

Brief • January 28, 2021

Filed under: Eighth Amendment, Vermin, Infestations of vermin, Deliberate Indifference

Richmond v. Rauner, IL, Settlement, Conditions of Confinement, 2020 IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF ILLINOIS EASTERN DIVISION DARNELL RICHMOND, ) ) Plaintiff, ) ) ) ) V. ) ) ) ) BRUCE RAUNER, et al., Defendant(s). Case no. 18-cv-5966 Honorable Sharon Johnson Coleman SETTLEMENT …

A.M.P. v. County of Los Angeles, CA, Request for Dismissal, Excessive Force (Wrongful Death), 2021

Brief • January 27, 2021

Filed under: Police--Excessive Force, Excessive Force (Wrongful Death)

A.M.P. v. County of Los Angeles, CA, Request for Dismissal, Excessive Force (Wrongful Death), 2021 CIV-110 ::§: ATTORNEY OR PARTY WITHOUT ATTORNEY. STATE BAR NO: FOR COURT USE ONLY 0.... NAME: Humberto Guizar (SBN 125769); Christian Contreras (SBN 330269) M FIRM NAME: Guizar, Henderson & Carrazco, LLP N STREET ADDRESS: …

Thomas v. City of Chicago, IL, Complaint, Excessive Force Against Protestors, 2021

Brief • January 25, 2021

Filed under: Protests, Guard Brutality/Beatings, False Arrest, Excessive Force (Police), Pattern of Improper Conduct

Thomas v. City of Chicago, IL, Complaint, Excessive Force Against Protestors, 2021 Case: 1:21-cv-00421 Document #: 1 Filed: 01/25/21 Page 1 of 23 PageID #:1 IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF ILLINOIS EASTERN DIVISION MARKEL THOMAS, Plaintiff, v. CITY OF CHICAGO, CHICAGO POLICE CAPTAIN SHEAMUS …