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VA Repressive Sentencing Law Results in Uprisings

Article • December 15, 1994 • from PLN December, 1994

Filed under: Prison Rebellion, Crime, Sentencing

VA Repressive Sentencing Law Results in Uprisings by Dan Pens The feature attraction in this summer's media/political crime-hype circus in Virginia was the coverage of "Proposal X," Republican Gov. George Allen's repressive new sentencing bill. The bill, signed into law by Allen on October 17th, 1994, calls for tougher sentencing, …

Retaliation Suit Requires Trial

Article • November 15, 1994 • from PLN November, 1994

Filed under: Prisoner-Prisoner Assault, Retaliation, Retaliation for Litigating, Cell Searches

Retaliation Suit Requires Trial by Allan Dillon is a Virginia state prisoner who was raped by another prisoner. Lawrence Dury was the Virginia DOC (VDOC) internal affairs investigator assigned to investigate the rape. During a search of Dillon's cell pursuant to the investigation, Dury discovered papers indicating that Dillon was …

4th Circuit Clarifies Eighth Amendment Standard

Article • November 15, 1994 • from PLN November, 1994

Filed under: Eighth Amendment, Excessive Force, Guard Brutality/Beatings

4th Circuit Clarifies Eighth Amendment Standard by In the May, 1994 issue of PLN we reported Norman v. Taylor, 9 F.3d 1078 (4th Cir. 1994) in which the appeals court reversed the dismissal of a Virginia jail prisoner's § 1983 suit which alleged that a jail sergeant had hit him …

VA "Men Only" Boot Camp Illegal

Article • September 15, 1994 • from PLN September, 1994

Filed under: Gender Discrimination -- Women, Conditions of Confinement, Boot Camps

VA "Men Only" Boot Camp Illegal by In 1990 the Virginia legislature created a Boot Camp Incarceration Program (BCIP) which became effective on January 1, 1991. Those entering the BCIP usually spend 90 days in it followed by a year's probation. Those unable to enter the program, including all women, …

Guard's Attack for Smoking States Claim

Article • May 15, 1994 • from PLN May, 1994

Filed under: Smoking, Excessive Force, Guard Brutality/Beatings

Guard's Attack for Smoking States Claim by Allain Norman was a detainee in the Norfolk County jail in Virginia. While being processed into custody he asked a trusty for a drag off his cigarette. As soon as he began to smoke, jail deputy Otis Taylor ran down the hallway and …

Visitor Cannot Withdraw Consent to Search Once Search Has Begun

Article • January 15, 1994 • from PLN January, 1994

Filed under: Visitor Searches, Pat Searches, Crime/Demographics, Criminal Prosecution

Visitor Cannot Withdraw Consent to Search Once Search Has Begun by Visitor Cannot Withdraw Consent To Search Once Search Has Begun This prison case comes to us via a suppression of evidence hearing in a federal drug prosecution. Arthur Spriggs went to visit a prisoner at the Lorton Reformatory, a …

No Liberty Interest in BOP Ad Seg Rules

Article • June 15, 1993 • from PLN June, 1993

Filed under: Prison Labor, Disciplinary Hearings, Liberty Interests, Ad-Seg Hearings

No Liberty Interest in BOP Ad Seg Rules by Howard Awalt is a federal prisoner. He was placed in administrative segregation (ad seg) pursuant to 28 C.F.R. § 541.22 (a)(8) after prison officials received an anonymous note stating his life was in danger. He filed a Bivens action against prison …

VA Builds More Prisons

Article • April 15, 1993 • from PLN April, 1993

Filed under: Conditions of Confinement, Overcrowding

VA Builds More Prisons by A projected 38 percent increase in the states prison population within the next five years has prompted Governor Douglas Wilder to propose a $111.7 million prison construction project. The proposal includes construction of a 1,046 bed women's prison, a 697 bed men's prison, a 100 …

Disabled Executed

Article • March 15, 1993 • from PLN March, 1993

Filed under: Discrimination, Disabled Prisoners, Death Penalty

Disabled Executed by On January 19, 1993, the state of Virginia executed Charles Stamper. Stamper had been confined to a wheelchair since his spinal cord was injured in a prison brawl. Stamper was denied permission to walk to the electric chair in leg braces and a walker. Instead, prison guards …

Taking of DNA Samples Violates Ex Post Facto Clause

Article • September 15, 1992 • from PLN September, 1992

Filed under: DNA Testing/Samples, Sentencing, Ex Post Facto, Parole

Taking of DNA Samples Violates Ex Post Facto Clause by Virginia state prisoners filed suit challenging Virginia legislation which directs the DOC to take and store blood from prisoners for Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) analysis and storage. (DNA is the basic component of living organisms, every human has a DNA blueprint …

Virginia Sets Guidelines for Terminally-Ill Prisoners

Article • August 15, 1992 • from PLN August, 1992

Filed under: Medical, HIV/AIDS, Systemic Medical Neglect, Parole

Virginia Sets Guidelines for Terminally-Ill Prisoners by Virginia Sets Guidelines For Terminally-Ill Prisoners The state of Virginia has released a policy to handle requests by terminally-ill prisoners for early release. The policy was developed in response to a request by Alex Velazquez, a prisoner at Powhatan Correctional Center, to be …

Prisoner Must Be Informed of HIV Status

Article • March 15, 1992 • from PLN March, 1992

Filed under: HIV/AIDS, Immunity/Liability, Contractor Liability

Prisoner Must Be Informed of HIV Status by Prisoner Must Be Informed Of HIV Status Tyrone McIlwain was a Virginia prisoner who overdosed on heroin and was taken to the Prince William hospital emergency room for treatment. Without his knowledge or consent, blood tests were performed which revealed he was …

Court Upholds Collection of Blood Samples for DNA Data Bank

Article • June 15, 1991 • from PLN June, 1991

Filed under: Searches, DNA Testing/Samples

Court Upholds Collection of Blood Samples for DNA Data Bank by A federal court has affirmed a Virginia policy of collecting DNA samples from incarcerated felons, saving the practice does not violate the inmates' right to privacy or constitute unreasonable search of seizure. The ruling is believed to be the …

Prison Legal News v. Johnson, Complaint, Virginia Censorship, 2009

Filing

Prison Legal News v. Johnson, Complaint, Virginia Censorship, 2009 LINITED STATESDiSTzuCTCOURT r$nK'EoFFlcEii,$.gtsTc0uRT ATO+IARTOTTESVILE, VA tri FD DISrzucroF VIRGINIA FORrHE WESTERN DIVISION CHARLOTTESVILLE, LEGALNEWS,INC., PzuSON rlCT V\ e g ?cJ3 uti \:*vf.#*'',.t i jUh(t' t* iUh.iCO_R^N, QLE8K COMPLAINT AND JURY DEMAND Plaintiff, Civil ActionNo. 3:09cv vs. ' '- JOHNM. JABE, GENEM. …

Prison Legal News v. Johnson, VA Censorship Settlement Monetary Claims 2010

Filing

Prison Legal News v. Johnson, VA Censorship Settlement Monetary Claims 2010

Prison Legal News v. Johnson, VA Censorship Settlement Injunctive Claims 2010

Filing

Prison Legal News v. Johnson, VA Censorship Settlement Injunctive Claims 2010

Prison Legal News v. Northwestern Regional Jail Authority, VA, Memorandum Opinion, Jail Censorship, 2017

Filing

Filed under: Mail Regulations, PLN Litigation, Censorship, PLN related

Prison Legal News v. Northwestern Regional Jail Authority, VA, Memorandum Opinion, Jail Censorship, 2017 9/29/2017 IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE WESTERN DISTRICT OF VIRGINIA HARRISONBURG DIVISION PRISON LEGAL NEWS, Plaintiff, v. NORTHWESTERN REGIONAL JAIL AUTHORITY, et al., Defendants. ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) …

Adams v. Ferguson, VA, Opinion, Wrongful Death, 2017

Brief

Filed under: Conditions of Confinement, Guard Brutality/Beatings, Wrongful Death, Mental Health, Failure to Treat (Mental Illness), Deliberate Indifference

Adams v. Ferguson, VA, Opinion, Wrongful Death, 2017 PUBLISHED UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FOURTH CIRCUIT No. 17-1484 ROXANNE ADAMS, Administrator of the Estate of Jamycheal M. Mitchell, Deceased, Plaintiff - Appellee, v. DEBRA K. FERGUSON, Licensed Clinical Psychologist, Defendant - Appellant, and NAPHCARE, INC.; NSEKENENE KOLONGO, MD; …

2012 Virginia Inmate Phone Commission Totals

Kickback publication

Filed under: Telephones

2012 Virginia Inmate Phone Commission Totals

VA Contract with MCI Worldcom 2005

Kickback publication

Filed under: Telephones, Telephone Rates

VA Contract with MCI Worldcom 2005 DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS 6900 ATMORE DRIVE RICHMOND, VIRGINIA 23225 CONTRACT #DOC-05-005 This contract entered into this 18th day of October 2005, by MCI Worldcom Communications Services, Inc. hereinafter called the “Contractor or MCI” and the Commonwealth of Virginia, on behalf of the Virginia Department …