PHS’s Policy of Profits over Medical Care Results in Death of Pregnant Prisoner’s Fetus by The Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals has held that a prisoner is not required to exhaust administrative remedies that jail officials do not let prisoners know exist. Additionally, the appellate court held that a jail …
Eleventh Circuit Reverses Dismissal of 8th Amendment Medical Indifference Claim by The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit has reversed the dismissal of a lawsuit brought by a federal prisoner alleging deliberate indifference to his serious medical needs. Enrique Acosta brought suit against unknown named personnel of the …
COA Denied to Florida Prisoner Sentenced to Death for Killing Guard by The Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals entered a detailed opinion denying a certificate of appealability to a Florida prisoner sentenced to death for murdering a guard while sitting on death row awaiting execution for two other murders. Before …
Lawsuits Challenge Prohibition on Prisoner Pen-Pal Services in Indiana, Florida by David Reutter Lawsuits Challenge Prohibition on Prisoner Pen-Pal Services in Indiana, Florida by David M. Reutter To the extent that an Indiana Department of Corrections (IDOC) policy “denies prisoners the right to advertise for pen-pals and receive material so …
As Economy Falters, Rehabilitative and Substance Abuse Programs Get the Axe by As Economy Falters, Rehabilitative and Substance Abuse Programs Get the Axe by Mark Wilson Facing the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, states are slashing rehabilitative criminal justice programs in a desperate attempt to save money. Critics …
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 …
