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Washington LFOs Issued Before July 1, 2000 Expire in 10 Years

Article • May 15, 2010 • from PLN May, 2010

Filed under: Sentencing, Restitution

Washington LFOs Issued Before July 1, 2000 Expire in 10 Years by The Washington State Supreme Court has unanimously held that restitution orders issued before July 1, 2000 expire and become void after 10 years, unless extended by the trial court before expiration. In 1992, Henry Gossage was convicted of …

Ohio Prisoner Awarded $40,000 for Sexual Assault

Article • May 15, 2010 • from PLN May, 2010

Filed under: Prisoner-Prisoner Assault, Failure to Protect (General), Attorney Fee Awards, Civil Procedure, Damages, New Trial Motions

Ohio Prisoner Awarded $40,000 for Sexual Assault by On August 19, 2009, an Ohio prisoner was awarded $40,000 after being sexually assaulted as a result of deliberate indifference to his safety. John Meyer, a prisoner at the Southeastern Correctional Institution (SCI), approached Sergeant Barbara McNicholas after being “roughed up” and …

California: Failure to Maintain Relevant Data Renders CDCR Unable to Effectively Monitor and Manage its Operations

Article • May 15, 2010 • from PLN May, 2010

Filed under: Misconduct/Corruption, DOC/BOP misconduct, Statistics/Trends

California: Failure to Maintain Relevant Data Renders CDCR Unable to Effectively Monitor and Manage its Operations by Michael Brodheim In September 2009, the California State Auditor, responding to a request from the Joint Legislative Audit Committee, submitted a report to assess the effect of California’s rapidly increasing prison population on …

Missouri DOC Targeted by State Auditors

Article • May 15, 2010 • from PLN May, 2010

Filed under: DOC/BOP misconduct, Crime/Demographics, Statistics/Trends

Missouri DOC Targeted by State Auditors by On September 28, 2009, Missouri State Auditor, Susan Montee, released the results of an audit recently conducted by her office targeting the State’s DOC. The audit focused primarily on the three years ending June 30, 2008 and was intended as a tool to …

Illinois Jail Agrees to Pay $290,000 & Annuity Payments to Settle Excessive Force Suit

Article • May 15, 2010 • from PLN May, 2010

Filed under: Excessive Force, Guard Brutality/Beatings, Damages, Settlements

Illinois Jail Agrees to Pay $290,000 & Annuity Payments to Settle Excessive Force Suit by Illinois Jail Agrees to Pay $290,000 & Annuity Payments to Settle Excessive Force Suit Tazewell County, Illinois has agreed to settle an excessive force suit for $290,000 and annual annuity payments. Charles Chandler was taken …

Iraq: Unrest at Abu Ghraib as Camp Bucca Closes

Article • May 15, 2010 • from PLN May, 2010

Filed under: Prison Rebellion, International, Prisoners-International, Political Prisoners (International), Terrorism, Military Prisons

Iraq: Unrest at Abu Ghraib as Camp Bucca Closes by Matthew Clarke by Matt Clarke In September 2009 the U.S. military closed Camp Bucca in Iraq, once its largest detention facility, and the prison at Abu Ghraib experienced a two-day uprising. Camp Bucca cost the U.S. $50 million to build …

Ion Spectrometry Scans Resume at BOP Facilities

Article • May 15, 2010 • from PLN May, 2010

Filed under: Searches, Mechanical Searches/Scanners, Visitor Searches

Ion Spectrometry Scans Resume at BOP Facilities by The Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) has restarted its ion spectrometry program. In April 2008, the BOP suspended the use of all its ion spectrometry machines to screen prison visitors for drugs after lawsuits and complaints cast doubt on the reliability of …

Methadone Vending Machines Installed in British Prisons

Article • May 15, 2010 • from PLN May, 2010

Filed under: Medication, International, Prisoners-International, Drug Treatment/Rehab

Methadone Vending Machines Installed in British Prisons by Fifty-seven methadone vending machines have been installed in British prisons in an effort to help opiate-addicted prisoners manage their drug addictions without resorting to illegal heroin supplies available behind bars. The machines dispense individualized doses of methadone to registered prisoners after a …

Faith-Based Substance Abuse Program Contracts May Violate Florida’s Constitution

Article • May 15, 2010 • from PLN May, 2010

Filed under: Mental Health, Drug Treatment/Rehab

Faith-Based Substance Abuse Program Contracts May Violate Florida’s Constitution by David Reutter by David M. Reutter Contracts between the Florida Department of Corrections (FDOC) and faith-based substance abuse transitional housing programs may violate the “no-aid” provision of Florida’s Constitution. Because the issue required further factual development to make that determination, …

Sacramento County Agrees to Pay $100,000 to Settle Inadequate Medical Care Suit

Article • May 15, 2010

Filed under: Medical, Systemic Medical Neglect, Settlements

Sacramento County Agrees to Pay $100,000 to Settle Inadequate Medical Care Suit by On July 12, 2007, Sacramento County agreed to pay $100,000 to settle a suit that alleged Sacramento County Main Jail (SCMJ) staff provided deliberately indifferent medical care. Ricky Kirk cut his hand during a domestic dispute at …

Sacramento County Agrees to Pay $500 to Settle Slip and Fall Suit

Article • May 15, 2010

Filed under: Conditions of Confinement, Showers, Settlements, Premises Liability

Sacramento County Agrees to Pay $500 to Settle Slip and Fall Suit by On October 12, 2006, the County of Sacramento agreed to pay $500 to a prisoner who alleged that he slipped and fell twice in a shower at the Sacramento Main Jail (SMJ) due to deliberated indifference by …

Arizona State Jury Awards $275,000 for Negligent Medical Care

Article • May 15, 2010

Filed under: Medical, Systemic Medical Neglect, Vision, Diabetes, Settlements

Arizona State Jury Awards $275,000 for Negligent Medical Care by An Arizona State Jury awarded $275,000 in a lawsuit claiming negligence in medical care. While housed in a tent at Maricopa County Jail in December 2001, prisoner “Talbow,” a 63-year-old male with diabetes, suffered a diabetic episode. Talbow’s complaint alleged …

Pierce County, Washington Pays $6,250 Settlement for Negligence of Dental Care

Article • May 15, 2010

Filed under: Medical, Systemic Medical Neglect, Dental Care, Settlements

Pierce County, Washington Pays $6,250 Settlement for Negligence of Dental Care by Washington State’s Pierce County paid $6,250 to settle a prisoner’s claim for neglectful dental care. Steven Michaelson was a prisoner in the Pierce County Jail when he lost a filling in a molar. He filed a “kite” on …

$100,000 Settlement for City of New York Police Unit’s Excessive Force against Homeless Man Seeking Work

Article • May 15, 2010

Filed under: Excessive Force, Pepper Spray/Tear Gas, Settlements, False Arrest, Excessive Force (Police), Property

$100,000 Settlement for City of New York Police Unit’s Excessive Force against Homeless Man Seeking Work by The City of New York paid $100,000 to settle a lawsuit for the violation of civil rights, false arrest and excessive force against two men by police officers. On October 27, 2006, Kojak …

District of Columbia to Pay $150,000 for Violation of Minor's Rights

Article • May 15, 2010

Filed under: Misconduct/Corruption, Guard Misconduct, Strip Searches

District of Columbia to Pay $150,000 for Violation of Minor's Rights by On April 17, 2002, Washington, D.C. attorney Nina Kraut filed suit against the District of Columbia (D.C.) and others alleging Constitutional and Civil Rights violations. The action was brought by Angela Harvin on behalf of her 14-year-o1d son, …

Plaintiff Wins $460,000 in Excessive Force Case

Article • May 15, 2010

Filed under: Medical Misconduct, Skeletal Injury, Settlements, Police, Excessive Force (Police)

Plaintiff Wins $460,000 in Excessive Force Case by In an amended complaint filed July 21, 2008, New York Resident Rafael Weizmann filed suit pursuant to 42 U.S.C. §§ 1983 and 1988 against Suffolk County, New York, Suffolk County Police Department, Saint Charles Hospital and a number of police officers and …

Washington DOC Pays $35,000 in Discrimination Suit

Article • May 15, 2010

Filed under: Staff-Staff Harassment, Gender Discrimination -- Women, Racial Discrimination, Civil Procedure, Settlements

Washington DOC Pays $35,000 in Discrimination Suit by In a stipulated judgment filed September 16, 2008, Amy Howard was awarded $35,000 for damages and attorney fees and costs for alleged sexual harassment and racial discrimination. Ms. Howard's attorney, W. Michael Hanbey, PS, of Olympia, originally sought $280,000 for damages inflicted …

$25,000 Federal Jury Award For Racial/Sex Discrimination by TDCJ

Article • May 15, 2010

Filed under: Discrimination, Gender Discrimination -- Women, Racial Discrimination, Retaliation against Staff, Employee Litigation

$25,000 Federal Jury Award For Racial/Sex Discrimination by TDCJ by On October 9, 2003, a federal jury awarded a former employee of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) $25,000 in compensation for damages caused by discrimination against her due to her race and gender. Latrice M. Sellers was a …

Missoula County Settles Medical Treatment Denial Suit for $5,000

Article • May 15, 2010

Filed under: Systemic Medical Neglect, Cardiovascular, Diabetes, Malicious Prosecution, Stun Guns/Tasers, Civil Procedure, Settlements, Excessive Force (Police)

Missoula County Settles Medical Treatment Denial Suit for $5,000 by In September 2009, a retired physician settled the part of his lawsuit that alleged denial of medical care while in the Missoula County Detention Facility (MCDF) for $5,000. The remaining claims in the suit were not settled. Dr. Walt Peschel, …

Washington Prisoner Sexual Abuse Claim Nets $45,000 Settlement

Article • May 15, 2010

Filed under: Staff-Prisoner Assault, Staff-Prisoner Harassment, Misconduct/Corruption, Guard Misconduct, Settlements

Washington Prisoner Sexual Abuse Claim Nets $45,000 Settlement by The State of Washington paid $45,000 to settle a prisoner’s claim for sexual misconduct. After prisoner Teresa A. Rutter was transferred to Washington’s Pine Lodge Corrections Center for Women on June 19, 2005, guard Jeffery W. Hill told Rutter that if …