$115,000 Settlement in Seattle Jail Strip-Search Suit by John E Dannenberg by John E. Dannenberg King County and the City of Seattle settled a wrongful strip-search suit for $115,000 on May 21, 2003 and also agreed to change strip-search policies at King County jails. Jasmine Wells and Brian Walton, college …
The History of Prison Legal News by Paul Wright In May, 1990, the first issue of Prisoners' Legal News (PLN) was published. It was hand typed, photocopied and ten pages long. The first issue was mailed to 75 potential subscribers. Its budget was $50. The first 3 issues were banned …
PLN in Court by Paul Wright Since PLN started in 1990 we have been censored in prisons and jails around the country. We have always attempted to resolve censorship issues administratively, but in cases where the goal was to keep PLN out of prison at any cost, that obviously wasn't …
City Liable for Jail Sex Shows and Nude Dancing by PLN has extensively reported on the prevalence of sexual assault and sexual harassment of women prisoners in District of Columbia prisons and jails. In "Our Sisters Keepers," by Daniel Burton Rose, [PLN, Feb. 1999] we reported on women prisoners in …
Washington Civil Commitment Held in Contempt by Tamara Menteer by Ron Petersen and Tamara Menteer On November 15, 1999, after 6 years overseeing an injunction, a federal judge issued a ruling finding the Washington state civil commitment facility known as The Special Commitment Center (SCC) , the nation's first civil …
Magistrate Judge Recuses Self in BOP Medical Treatment Case by Magistrate Judge Recuses Self in BOP Medical Treatment Case A Magistrate Judge for the District of Columbia has recused himself on the federal government's motion from a case involving the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) and its medical care of a …
BOP Electric Musical Instrument Ban Upheld by DC Circuit by John E Dannenberg BOP Electric Musical Instrument Ban Upheld by DC Circuit by John E. Dannenberg The US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit upheld the BOP ban on electric musical instruments in federal prisons, rejecting prisoner arguments that …
PLN v. WA DOC, WA, Reply to Response to Complaint, Records - Employee Conduct, 2000 I /\ I 2 3 4 IN THE SUPERJOR COURT OF THE STATE OF WASHING TON IN AND FOR THE COUNTY OF THURSTON 5 6 7 PRJSON LEGAL NEWS, INC., a Washington non-profit corporation, No. …
Washington Prisoner May Not Challenge Underlying Infraction in Four Strike Disciplinary Violation by In the November 1998 issue of PLN we reported on In re Gronquist, 89 Wn.App. 596 P.2d 497 (WA Ct.App.Div.I 1997), where the Washington Court of Appeals granted Derek Gronquist's personal restraint petition alleging that he had …
Washington Health and Safety Standards Apply to Prison Work Places by The Washington State Supreme Court has held that the Dept. of Corrections (DOC) must comply with electrical licensing and safety laws, but not competitive bidding and prevailing wage laws, when managing prisoner labor. The National Electrical Contractor Association (NECA) …
Dean Injunction Clarified in Washington 35% Suit by Wright Acted On PLN has extensively reported the state and federal litigation challenging the constitutionality of RCW 72.09.480. RCW 72.09.480 is the statute which allows the Washington Department of Corrections (DOC) to seize 35% of all funds sent to Washington prisoners. As …
Washington DOC Settles Mail Censorship Suit by In early October, 1999, the Wash- ington Department of Corrections settled a wide ranging lawsuit challenging various aspects of its mail censorship policies. PLN reported the filing of the suit in its November, 1997, issue. The lawsuit had publisher plaintiffs Humanists of Washington, …
Washington DOC Public Disclosure Overcharges Struck Down by On September 17, 1999, Spokane superior court judge Ellen Clark ruled that the Washington Department of corrections has been overcharging for Public Disclosure Act (PDA) requests. RCW 42.17 allows citizens to seek documents from state and local government agencies. RCW 42.17.300 allows …
PLN v. WA DOC, WA, Complaint, Records - Employee Conduct, 2000 2 3 4 5 IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON IN AND FOR THE COUNTY OF THURSTON 6 7 PRISON LEGAL NEWS, INC., a Washington non-profit corporation, 8 Plaintiff, ) ) ) ) ) 9 I0 …
No Filing Fee Required if IFP Denied in DC Circuit by No Filing Fee Required if IFP Denied in DC Circuit: Reflecting a widening split between the circuits on this issue, the court of appeals for District of Columbia circuit held that when prisoner plaintiffs are denied In Forma Pauperis …
Washington Prison Slavery Runs Competitors Out of Business by Paul Wright PLN has extensively reported that, contrary to the claims of its supporters, prison slave labor has historically cost free world workers their jobs and eliminated businesses who are unable to compete with prison slave wages. Prison slave labor also …
Water Jet Companies Challenge Washington Slave Labor Laws by On August 31, 1999, the Washington Waterjet Workers Association (WWWA) filed suit in King county (Seattle) superior court in Washington, challenging the state Department of Corrections (DOC) practice of allowing private businesses to employ prisoner labor. The defendants are Howard Yarbrough, …
Whitestone Foundation by Whitestone Foundation Focusing on New Post-Sentence Civil Commitment Laws Whitestone Foundation exposes programs designed to warehouse sex offenders. Since organizing in 1998, Whitestone has gained national attention. Our missions: 1) provide critical analysis of civil commitment programs designed to re-incarcerate criminals in indefinite confinement (touted as mental …
Dean v. Lehman, WA, ACLU Amicus Curiae Brief, Seizure Statute, 2000 p~.c~ ~"\Pte:[) fEB ~4200] L.'W \.;rrl(;~:;' t;;' SIRIANNI & YOUTZ NO. 68281-0 IN THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON SUZANNE DEAN, ON BEHALF OF ALL SIMILARLY SITUATED PERSONS, Respondents, v. JOSEPH LEHMAN, CHASE RIVELAND, AND THE STATE …
Washington Municipalities Liable for Attacks by Probationers by The Washington state Supreme Court held that municipalities have a duty to protect others from reasonably foreseeable harm resulting from the dangerous propensities of probationers and pretrial releasees under their supervision. In 1990 Barry Krantz raped a 6 year old little girl …
