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USA v. Ramirez-Rodriguez, MN, Order, COVID-19 Release, 2020

Brief • April 14, 2020

Filed under: COVID-19

USA v. Ramirez-Rodriguez, MN, Order, COVID-19 Release, 2020 CASE 0:20-cr-00028-JRT-KMM Document 42 Filed 04/14/20 Page 1 of 15 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT DISTRICT OF MINNESOTA UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Case No. 0:20-CR-00028-JRT-KMM Plaintiff, v. ORDER MANUEL Ramirez-Rodriguez, Defendant. Manuel Ramirez-Rodriguez has moved the Court to reconsider the Order detaining him …

All 50 States Report Prison Understaffing

Article • April 1, 2020 • from PLN April, 2020

Filed under: Failure to Protect (General), Overcrowding, Staffing

All 50 States Report Prison Understaffing by Brian Sonenstein by Brian Sonenstein, Shadowproof Every state in the nation has reported prison staffing shortages since 2017, according to research by Shadowproof. This is concerning because “staff shortages” are historically used to push for greater investments in prison systems, oftentimes riding reform …

More States Restore Felony Voting Rights

Article • April 1, 2020 • from PLN April, 2020

Filed under: Voting, State Legislation

More States Restore Felony Voting Rights by David M. Reutter by David M. Reutter In 2019, Colorado, Louisiana, New Jersey, and Nevada enacted legislation to restore voting rights to felons who have been released from prison but are still under such supervision, the latest of 24 states to make similar …

MN DOC GTL Phone Rates 2019

Kickback publication • January 24, 2020

Filed under: Telephones, Telephone Rates

MN DOC GTL Phone Rates 2019 Exhibit 8-1 Price Schedule for Phone Rates Rate par Min_ Call Type for Offender/Client IntraState Interstate International $0.040 $0.040 .. :$0.[68 TTYNRS* 0,00 · .. State Rataper Min Commission for Rate-40_% · Debit/Prepaid State Commission Rate-40% Rate per Min State for Commission Collect Rate-40 …

$525,000 Settlement in Minnesota Jail Excessive Force Incident

Article • January 8, 2020 • from PLN January, 2020

Filed under: Jail Specific, Excessive Force, Settlements

$525,000 Settlement in Minnesota Jail Excessive Force Incident by Jayson Hawkins by Jayson Hawkins "Please don’t kill me. Please don’t kill me.” Terrell Isaiah Wilson, 24, could be heard pleading for his life on video footage shot on April 13, 2016 at the Ramsey County jail in St, Paul, Minnesota. …

Eighth Circuit Reverses Dismissal of Prisoner’s Suit Over Inadequate Shoes

Article • December 10, 2019 • from PLN December, 2019

Eighth Circuit Reverses Dismissal of Prisoner’s Suit Over Inadequate Shoes by Chad Marks by Chad Marks Geronimo DeLuna was housed at theMower County jail in Minnesota when guards made him wear shoes that were too small for his feet. The improperly-sized footwear, according to DeLuna, resulted in a blister that …

Al-Kadi v. Ramsey County, MN, Settlement Agreement, Religious Discrimination, 2019

Brief • November 5, 2019

Filed under: Religious Discrimination, Jail Specific, RLUIPA, First Amendment, rights, Fourteenth Amendment, rights

Al-Kadi v. Ramsey County, MN, Settlement Agreement, Religious Discrimination, 2019

United States v. FlavorPros, et al., S.C., complaint, Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act violations, 2019

Brief • November 1, 2019

Filed under: Food, False Claims Act

United States v. FlavorPros, et al., S.C., complaint, Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act violations, 2019 8:19-cv-03118-DCC Date Filed 11/01/19 Entry Number 1 Page 1 of 16 IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF SOUTH CAROLINA GREENWOOD DIVISION UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Plaintiff, vs. FlavorPros, LLC, d/b/a …

MN DOC Commission Payments July 2014-July 2019

Kickback publication • October 11, 2019

Filed under: Telephones

MN DOC Commission Payments July 2014-July 2019 July August September October November December Total $ $ $ $ $ $ $ 2014 Revenue Commission 241,009.32 $ 127,029.00 250,638.87 $ 131,817.88 254,767.75 $ 134,710.82 256,671.53 $ 136,147.23 255,420.71 $ 135,914.21 255,875.01 $ 135,539.34 1,514,383.19 $ 801,158.48 Comm % 52.7% 52.6% 52.9% …

Minnesota Prisoners Win Access to New Hepatitis C Medications

Article • July 2, 2019 • from PLN July, 2019

Filed under: Medical, Medication, Hepatitis

Minnesota Prisoners Win Access to New Hepatitis C Medications by Minnesota prisoners have prevailed in a class-action lawsuit requiring the Department of Corrections (DOC) to provide highly effective but costly direct-acting antiviral (DAA) drugs to treat hepatitis C infections. Five state prisoners, represented by attorneys Andrew H. Mohring, Peter J. …

Minnesota Sheriff Hit with Attorney Fees Award in Civil Rights Case

Article • July 2, 2019 • from PLN July, 2019

Filed under: Attorney Fee Awards

Minnesota Sheriff Hit with Attorney Fees Award in Civil Rights Case by Derek Gilna by Derek Gilna Martin County, Minnesota Sheriff Jeffrey Markquart has been ordered to pay $6,075 in attorney fees to former prisoner Erik Daniel Christianson in a federal civil rights action where the district court found Christianson …

San Francisco Joins National Push to Abolish Youth Prisons

Article • June 13, 2019

Filed under: Sexual Assault, Misconduct/Corruption, Prison Reform, Criminal justice system reform, Mental Health, Juveniles, Juvenile Prisons

San Francisco Joins National Push to Abolish Youth Prisons by Ella Fassler by Ella Fassler, Truthout, June 3, 2019 It’s happening in Minneapolis. New Jersey. Arkansas. Upstate New York. Durango, Colorado. One by one, juvenile prisons are closing, or are slated to close, in response to child abuse reports, sustained …

Al-Kadi v. Ramsey County, et al., MN, Ruling, Religious Discrimination, 2017

Brief • June 12, 2019

Filed under: Religious Discrimination, Strip Searches, Clothing, Strip Cells, Bail Bonds, RLUIPA, Religious Freedom, Religious Practices, First Amendment, rights, Fourteenth Amendment, rights

Al-Kadi v. Ramsey County, et al., MN, Ruling, Religious Discrimination, 2017 CASE 0:16-cv-02642-JRT-TNL Document 97 Filed 06/12/19 Page 1 of 45 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT DISTRICT OF MINNESOTA Civil No. 16-2642 (JRT/TNL) AIDA SHYEF AL-KADI, Plaintiff, v. MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER RAMSEY COUNTY; RAMSEY COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE; and OFFICER JESSICA …

Al-Kadi v. Ramsey County, MN, Ruling, Religious Discrimination, 2019

Brief • June 12, 2019

Filed under: Religious Discrimination, Jail Specific, RLUIPA, First Amendment, rights, Fourteenth Amendment, rights

Al-Kadi v. Ramsey County, MN, Ruling, Religious Discrimination, 2019 CASE 0:16-cv-02642-JRT-TNL Document 97 Filed 06/12/19 Page 1 of 45 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT DISTRICT OF MINNESOTA Civil No. 16-2642 (JRT/TNL) AIDA SHYEF AL-KADI, Plaintiff, v. MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER RAMSEY COUNTY; RAMSEY COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE; and OFFICER JESSICA WALKER, OFFICER …

As courts censure civil detention practices, is it time for professionals to speak up?

Article • June 10, 2019

Filed under: Expert Witnesses, Sentencing, Sex Offender Treatment, 42 U.S. Code § 1983, civil action for deprivation of rights

As courts censure civil detention practices, is it time for professionals to speak up? by David S. Prescott Guest commentary by David S. Prescott, LICSW*, forensicpsychologist.blogspot.com (Sept. 14, 2015) Last week, a federal judge ruled that Missouri's civil commitment program is unconstitutional, the second such court decision in three months. …

Eighth Circuit Holds Guards Not Liable for Disregarding Prisoner’s Stroke Symptoms

Article • June 5, 2019 • from PLN June, 2019

Filed under: Misconduct/Corruption, Guard Misconduct, Medical, Stroke, Failure to Treat

Eighth Circuit Holds Guards Not Liable for Disregarding Prisoner’s Stroke Symptoms by Matthew Clarke by Matt Clarke The Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals held on March 7, 2019 that prison guards could not be held liable for failing to act on a prisoner’s self-reported symptoms that medical staff had incorrectly …

$300,000 Settlement in Lawsuit over Minnesota Prisoner’s Suicide

Article • June 5, 2019 • from PLN June, 2019

Filed under: Settlements, Mental Health, Failure to Treat (Mental Illness), Suicides

$300,000 Settlement in Lawsuit over Minnesota Prisoner’s Suicide by Matthew Clarke by Matt Clarke In December 2018, Minnesota agreed to pay $300,000 to settle a lawsuit brought by the family of a prisoner who committed suicide while guards ignored orders to keep him under constant observation, then forged documents to …

Minnesota police officer decertifications

Publication • 2019

Filed under: Police Misconduct

Minnesota police officer decertifications Discipline FY 2005 to Current FY 2005 Reported Licensee/Number Violation Disposition Closed Issued 7/8/2004 Tim Clayton Weierke #12721 Criminal sexual conduct SACO- Voluntary Surrender; not to reinstate license 7/28/2005 5/15/1995 8/6/2004 Roger Willard Sprick #80652 Felony level offense Automatic Revocation 8/6/2004 8/16/1980 Phillip John Wills Chief …

Minnesota Lawmakers Look at Prison Reforms

Article • April 2, 2019 • from PLN April, 2019

Filed under: Prison Reform

Minnesota Lawmakers Look at Prison Reforms by Chad Marks by Chad Marks Lawmakers in Minnesota are considering a bipartisan bill aimed at reducing the state’s prison population. Data from August 2018 indicate that the adult prison population was 9,849, and some legislators have expressed concerns about racial disparities in the …

Rinkel v. MN Department of Corrections, MN, Complaint, Disability Access, 2019

Brief • February 21, 2019

Filed under: Deaf Prisoners, First Amendment, rights

Rinkel v. MN Department of Corrections, MN, Complaint, Disability Access, 2019 62-CV-19-1165 Filed in District Court State of Minnesota 2/21/2019 2:42 PM STATE OF MINNESOTA DISTRICT COURT COUNTY OF RAMSEY SECOND JUDICIAL DISTRICT Case Type: Other Civil Brian Rinkel, Eric Jaeger, Michael Sherman, Kevin Adams, and Tiffany Gagner, Civil File …