Iowa Prison Guard Wins $2 Million on Retaliation, Disability Accommodation Claims by Edward Lyon by Ed Lyon Kristine Sink began working as a guard at the old Iowa State Penitentiary in 2003. She was initially assigned to a Clinical Care Unit that housed mentally ill prisoners, sex offenders and prisoners …
Arizona Man Falsely Arrested, Prosecuted by Iowa Officials Accepts $285,000 Settlement by Edward Lyon by Ed Lyon Early on January 1, 2017, Tristan Hermanson was with a woman in his apartment in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Two men entered, assaulted him and stole money and his cell phone. The woman, Elizabeth …
Idaho Settles Religious Discrimination Suit Brought by Incarcerated Odinist by On May 31, 2017, the Idaho Department of Corrections (DOC) settled a lawsuit brought by a state prisoner who alleged religious discrimination against Odinists. The settlement included monetary damages and attorney’s fees, both of which were confidential. It also required …
Porn Reading Rooms in Iowa Prisons Placed on Legislative Hit List by A proposed law, Senate Study Bill 3035, would put an end to “pornography reading rooms” in Iowa prisons. The rooms have existed since a 1988 federal court ruling that held the Iowa DOC’s rules on pornography were unconstitutionally …
Iowa Prison Officials Drop Disciplinary Sanctions in Controversial Case by Matthew Clarke by Matt Clarke In 2009, Iowa state prisoner Joe Byrd was accused of participating in a prison gang rape along with four other prisoners. He not only asserted his innocence, but steadfastly maintained that the crime never happened. …
Iowa v. Henderson, IA, Opinion, Weapon Intent, 2018 IN THE SUPREME COURT OF IOWA No. 16–0575 Filed March 9, 2018 STATE OF IOWA, Appellee, vs. K’VON JAMES HENDERSON, Appellant. On review from Iowa Court of Appeals. Appeal from the Iowa District Court for Black Hawk County, George Stigler, Judge. A …
Magana v. Iowa, IA, Appeal, Post-Conviction Relief, 2018 IN THE SUPREME COURT OF IOWA No. 16–1938 Filed February 23, 2018 FRANCISCO VILLA MAGANA, Appellant, vs. STATE OF IOWA, Appellee. Appeal from the Iowa District Court for Marshall County, James C. Ellefson, Judge. An applicant for postconviction relief seeks further review …
Iowa v. Jepsen, IA, Appeal, Sentencing Guidelines, 2018 IN THE SUPREME COURT OF IOWA No. 16–0203 Filed February 16, 2018 STATE OF IOWA, Appellee, vs. CHRISTOPHER SCOTT JEPSEN, Appellant. On review from the Iowa Court of Appeals. Appeal from the Iowa District Court for Crawford County, Steven J. Andreasen, Judge. …
Iowa v. Mulatillo, IA, Appeal, Right to Counsel, 2018 IN THE SUPREME COURT OF IOWA No. 16–1994 Filed February 16, 2018 STATE OF IOWA, Appellee, vs. CARLOS RAMON MULATILLO, Appellant. Appeal from the Iowa District Court for Wapello County, Annette J. Scieszinski, Judge. A criminal defendant appeals the district court …
Iowa v. Ness, IA, Appeal, Error in Admission of Evidence, 2018 IN THE SUPREME COURT OF IOWA No. 17–0476 Filed February 9, 2018 STATE OF IOWA, Appellee, vs. JOHN WILLIAM NESS, Appellant. Appeal from the Iowa District Court for Woodbury County, Timothy Jarman, District Associate Judge. The defendant appeals his …
Iowa v. Lopez, IA, Appeal, Ineffective Counsel 2018 IN THE SUPREME COURT OF IOWA No. 16–1213 Filed February 2, 2018 STATE OF IOWA, Appellee, vs. JOSE WILLFREDO LOPEZ, Appellant. Appeal from the Iowa District Court for Buchanan County, Linda M. Fangman, Judge. A criminal defendant appeals his conviction for indecent …
Slinker v. Grundy County, IA, Complaint, Jail Suicide, 2018 IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT NORTHERN DISTRICT OF IOWA CEDAR RAPIDS DIVISION EARL SLINKER, individually and as Personal Representative of the ESTATE of JARED SLINKER, deceased, and as next friend of C.K.S., W.J.S. I, and W.J.S. II, Case No.: _________________ …
Iowa Federal Court: Moorish Temple Prisoners Have Right to Celebrate Ramadan by On August 12, 2014, an Iowa federal court held that Moorish Science Temple prisoners have the same right to celebrate Ramadan as Islamic prisoners approved by the Muslim prison chaplain. The court also approved attorney fees of $3,800 …
Barajas v. USA, IA, Opinion, Deportation, Ineffective Counsel, 2017 United States Court of Appeals For the Eighth Circuit ___________________________ No. 16-1680 ___________________________ Roberto Barajas lllllllllllllllllllllPetitioner - Appellant v. United States of America lllllllllllllllllllllRespondent - Appellee ____________ Appeal from United States District Court for the Northern District of Iowa - Sioux …
Iowa v. Scheffert, IA, Appeal, No Probable Cause, 2017 IN THE SUPREME COURT OF IOWA No. 16–0267 Filed November 17, 2017 STATE OF IOWA, Appellee, vs. MICHAEL SCHEFFERT, Appellant. On review from the Iowa Court of Appeals. Appeal from the Iowa District Court for Black Hawk County, Joseph M. Moothart …
State of Iowa v. White, IA, Appeal Brief, Juvenile Sentencing, 2017 IN THE SUPREME COURT OF IOWA No. 15–0829 Filed October 27, 2017 STATE OF IOWA, Appellee, vs. KHASIF RASHEED WHITE, Appellant. On review from the Iowa Court of Appeals. Appeal from the Iowa District Court for Polk County, Jeffrey …
State of Iowa v. Clemens, IA, Appeal Brief, Aggravated Misdemeanors, 2017 IN THE SUPREME COURT OF IOWA No. 16–2087 Filed October 27, 2017 STATE OF IOWA, Appellee, vs. BRIAN PATRICK CLEMENS, Appellant. Appeal from the Iowa District Court for Mahaska County, Randy DeGeest, Judge. An individual appeals the denial of …
Vroegh v. Iowa Department of Corrections, et al., IA, amended petition, jury demand, transgender nurse discrimination, 2017 E-FILED 2017 OCT 05 10:16 PM POLK - CLERK OF DISTRICT COURT IN THE IOWA DISTRICT COURT IN AND FOR POLK COUNTY * * * Plaintiff, * * v. * * * IOWA …
Lawful Sudanese Immigrant Receives $60,000 Settlement for Five Days Unlawful ICE Detention by Lonnie Burton by Lonnie Burton On November 2, 2004, U.S. District Judge Charles K. Wolff of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Iowa, signed an order approving the settlement in, and dismissing, a case …
Iowa Supreme Court Upholds Automatic Disenfranchisement for all Felony Convictions by Matthew Clarke by Matt Clarke In a June 30, 2016 opinion, the Iowa Supreme Court held that all felonies were “infamous crimes” under the voter disqualification provision of the state’s constitution. Kelli Jo Griffin was convicted of the class …
