Florida 'Sexual Predator' Fails in Daring Bid for Freedom by A "violent sexual predator" who broke out of Florida's civil commitment detention center in a brazen midday helicopter escape was captured, along with his helicopter-flying accomplice, 4 ½ miles away after a 25-hour manhunt. Shortly after 1:00 P.Mon June 5, …
Without Running Water by A A Without running Water By David M. Reutter PLN previously reported that Florida's Martin Correctional Institution (MCI) had been evacuated as a result of bad water. [See PLN, May, 2000: Bad Water Causes Florida Prison Evacuation.] That report was based solely upon media reports that …
The Restraint Chair: Safe and Humane? by Anne-Marie Cusac Jail and prison employees call it the "strap-o-lounger," the "barcalounger," the "we care chair," and the "be sweet chair." Prisoners and their lawyers have other names for the device: "torture chair," "slave chair," and "devil's chair." They are not referring to …
Deviant Doctors Dumped on Prisoners by How does a psychiatrist come by the "qualifications" required to work in a state prison? Not all prison doctors have questionable pedigrees, but the case of Dr. Valentino Andres is all too common. According to a California prisoner and PLN subscriber, Dr. Andres is …
Wackenhut Wracked by Sexual Abuse Scandals by Ronald Young Wackenhut Wracked By Sexual Abuse Scandals by Ron Young After a decade as a leading operator of corporate-owned prisons, Wackenhut Corrections has become a prisoner of its own problems. In New Mexico, a 500-page legislative report written by five consultants calls …
Federal Judge Hits BOP Mule with Two-by-Four by Federal Judge Hits BOP Mule With Two-by-Four A ticked-off federal judge in Miami interrupted the fraud and money-laundering trial of jewel dealer Jack Hasson February 2, 2000, for an "extraordinary display of judicial pique and power," the Palm Beach Post reported. U.S. …
FDOC Hazardous to Prisoners' Health by Mark Sherwood by Mark Sherwood and Bob Posey Thirty percent of the 129 doctors who provide medical care to prisoners incarcerated in the Florida Department of Corrections (FDOC) have marks on their records ranging from malpractice to fraud. The FDOC rarely fires or disciplines …
Bad Water Causes Florida Prison Evacuation by More than 700 prisoners at Florida's maximum-security Martin Correctional Institution (MCI) had to be evacuated October 26, 1999 while state crews scrambled to make emergency repairs to a water plant plagued by breakdowns, sickening odors and contaminants. Workers set up portable toilets and …
PLRA Applies to Prospective Relief; Fees Are Not Prospective Relief by A federal court in Florida held that a provision of the Prison Litigation reform Act (PLRA) automatically staying enforcement of prospective relief under consent decrees applies only to prospective relief engendered within the consent decree, and not to the …
Four Florida Prison Guards Face Murder Charges by Nine guards from Florida State Prison's "X-Wing" were suspended while state law enforcement investigators probed their role in the July 17, 1999 beating death of X-Wing prisoner Frank Valdes [see page 1 of the October 1999 PLN]. On February 2, 2000, four …
Error in Electronic Docket Tolls Appeal Deadline by The court of appeals for the Eleventh circuit held that a lawyer's reliance on a district court's electronic docketing system to monitor a case's progress would toll the 30 day time limit in which to file a notice of appeal. As state …
Prison Health Services Refuses to Pay by The U.S. court of appeals for the Eleventh Circuit held that a forum selection clause in an indemnity agreement between the Sheriff of Polk Co., Florida and Prison Health Services (PHS), which allowed contract disputes to be brought in the state circuit court, …
Florida State Prison Halloween Melee by According to a report in The Orlando Sentinel, six Florida State Prison guards were injured during a Halloween incident at Florida State Prison. The disturbance began when FSP prisoner William Stiles set his mattress on fire. Other prisoners complained of respiratory problems because of …
Nine Florida Guards Injured in Scuffle by Heightened tensions between prisoners and guards stemming from the July beating death of Frank Valdes at the hands of Florida State Prison guards may have contributed to a September clash between prisoners and guards at the Union Correctional Center in Raiford. According to …
Florida DOC Curtails Use of Stun Belts by After several Florida circuit judges ordered the state prison system to stop using stun belts on prisoners, DOC Chief of Operations James Upchurch ordered the routine use of the of the belts temporarily discontinued, the Palm Beach Post reported in its 23 …
Valdes Murder Witness Exiled, Muzzled by On the cover of the October 1999 PLN was an article describing the July 9, 1999 beating death of "X-Wing" prisoner Frank Valdes at the hands of Florida State Prison (FSP) guards. The day of the killing Valdes' partner and fellow X-Wing prisoner William …
CSC Cancels Florida Juvenile Facility Contract by Correctional Services Corp. (CSC) announced Aug. 23, 1999 that it was withdrawing from an $8.7 million-a-year contract to operate the Pahokee Youth Development Center, a 350 bed Florida juvenile facility, 8 months before the contract is due to expire. The announcement came six …
Many Florida Prison Guards Are Law Breakers by After a review of state records, two Florida newspapers have revealed that state and county prison guards are twice as likely to be disciplined for violations of standards than police officers and that nearly ten percent of Florida state prison guards have …
Insanity, Brutality and Fatality: Florida's X-Wing Marks the End of the Line by Dan Pens Upon the ranks of such as we, They enforce their mastery. And yet we bleed the same as they, The tie that binds us day to day. The public interest uppermost, So some say while …
Death Row Eulogy by Van Poyck, William By William Van Poyck On July 17, 1999, my friend and co-defendant, Frank Valdes, was stomped and beaten to death in his X-Wing cell by a large group of Florida State Prison (FSP) guards. As FSP prisoners know only too well, this beating …
