Florida Judge Publicly Reprimanded for Trying to Ease Jail Overcrowding by On May 6, 2009, the Florida Supreme Court publicly reprimanded a St. Lucie County judge who had tried to do something about overcrowding at the county’s jail. Earlier this year, following a two-day hearing, the Judicial Qualifications Commission (JQC) …
Florida Judge Criticizes State’s Efforts to Seize Prisoner’s Federal Civil Rights Judgment by David Reutter Florida Judge Criticizes State’s Efforts to Seize Prisoner’s Federal Civil Rights Judgment by David M. Reutter In a concurring opinion that affirmed the imposition of a “civil restitution” lien of $50 per day for a …
Florida Jail Supervisor Disciplined for Using Prisoner Labor for Brother’s Political Campaign by A supervisor at Florida’s Broward County Jail has been disciplined for using prisoner labor and county property to assist his brother’s political campaign. Sgt. Alan Rainey was assigned to oversee the county jail farm when his brother, …
Telder v. County of Volusia, FL, Ptf's 1st Interrogatories, Jail Suicide, 2009 Plaintiff’s First Interrogatories to Sheriff McKeithen “Department” refers to Bay County Sheriff’s Department. “Jail” refers to the Bay County Jail. The date of the incident sued upon is March 22, 2009. “Decedent” is Maureen Bearden. 1. State the …
Bearden v. Lippman, FL, Request to Deffendant, Mental Health Services, 2009 Combined Discovery Requests to Defendant Frank McKeithen 1. Statement: There is no indication during this time that Ms. Bearden received intensive psychological and psychiatric services within a structured inpatient setting during her last incarceration at the Bay County Jail. …
Bearden v. Lippman, FL, Medical Interrogatories, 2009 Medical Interrogatories to Doctor 1. What is the name and address of the person answering these interrogatories, and, if applicable, the person’s official position or relationship with the party to whom the interrogatories are directed? 2. Describe in detail your relationship with The …
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 …
Terminal Incarceration by The short, sad lives of some detainees facing relatively minor charges end in jail. Here are three such cases. By Rob Jordan As she laid her head on her big sister's chest and listened to the heartbeats slow, Harolyn Frazier thought of opportunities lost. In the wake …
Florida Prison Officials’ Failure to Timely Respond to Grievances Results in Exhaustion of Administrative Remedies by Florida Prison Officials’ Failure to Timely Respond to Grievances Results in Exhaustion of Administrative Remedies The Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals held that Florida prison officials failed to timely respond to a prisoner’s grievance, …
Another Murder by Florida Guards, Another Acquittal by David Reutter By David M. Reutter A state jury has acquitted three Florida prison guards in the murder of death row inmate Frank Valdes. The guards, Captain Timothy Thornton, Sgt. Jason P. Griffis, and Sgt. Charles A. Brown, were exonerated of second-degree …
Florida Supreme Court Rules Secondary Public Defenders Office Constitutional by The Supreme Court of Florida has ruled constitutional the creation of a back-up to the public defenders office. The Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Inc. filed suit, alleging that the state had violated article V, section 18 of the …
Florida Legislature Proposes Automatic Restoration of Felons’ Civil Rights by David Reutter by David M. Reutter “I believe in personal redemption, that people can learn from their mistakes, and that people who take those lessons to heart and apply them to their lives deserve a second chance," proclaims Florida Governor …
Time Spent in Civil Commitment Detention Credited Toward Criminal Sentence by Florida’s Fourth District Court of Appeal has held that there is no meaningful distinction between incarceration in prison or jail and confinement in a sex offender civil commitment facility, for the purposes of sentence calculation. The Court’s ruling came …
Florida Sheriff Approves $2 Million Settlement in Death of Deputy by Florida’s Broward County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) has agreed to a $2 million settlement in a lawsuit brought by the family of a deputy who was killed in the line of duty. That lawsuit claimed the deputy died because BCSO …
False Imprisonment, False Arrest and Malicious Prosecution Claims Cognizable Under FTCA by The Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals has held that the United States has waived sovereign immunity under the Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA) for claims alleging false imprisonment, false arrest and malicious prosecution arising out of acts or …
Testimonial Hearsay Ruled Admissible in Florida Probation Revocation Hearings by The Supreme Court of Florida has held that testimonial hearsay is admissible in probation revocation hearings. In July 2003, Robert Sheldon Peters had his community control revoked, received a suspended 24 month prison sentence, and was placed on drug offender …
Judge Excludes Evidence of Criminal Conduct in Prisoner Civil Rights Action by U.S. District Judge John E. Steele has granted a motion in limine in a civil rights action over the adequacy of medical care provided to a prisoner whose baby died at birth. Michelle Goebert sought to exclude evidence …
$7.5 Million Fine Recommended in Florida Jail Phone Overcharges by David Reutter by David M. Reutter Florida’s Public Service Commission has recommended that TCG Public Communications, Inc. (TCG) pay $7.5 million for the improper disconnection of jail prisoners’ telephone calls. The recommendation was made in a September 8, 2008 memorandum …
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, …
Florida’s Juvenile Death Camps: A Painful Past Revisited by David Reutter by David M. Reutter Recent coverage of long-past abuses at Florida juvenile facilities has put a spotlight on the treatment of juvenile offenders. Reports by the Miami Herald and CNN have revealed that Florida youth facilities have been cruel …
