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Alabama Female Guards Title VII Suit over Masturbating Prisoners Dismissed
Female prison guards employed in a male prison sued under Title VII, alleging that they had been subjected to a hostile work environment as a result of the "egregious acts" of the prisoners, condoned by the plaintiffs' superiors. (One of the incidents plaintiffs relied on involved several prisoners in segregation who would not cease masturbating in her presence; her superior refused to move them because they were segregation inmates and he had nowhere else to put them; the officer then got the fire hose, and the supervisor told her if she hosed down the prisoners she would be fired.)
The court grants summary judgment for the defendants, noting that all new officers are provided training warning them of this kind of prisoner behavior, and that prison officials cannot be held vicariously liable for the behavior of the prisoners. The court is not impressed by additional incidents of disparate treatment alleged by the plaintiffs. See: Hicks v. Alabama, 45 F.Supp.2d 921 (S.D.Ala. 1998).
The court grants summary judgment for the defendants, noting that all new officers are provided training warning them of this kind of prisoner behavior, and that prison officials cannot be held vicariously liable for the behavior of the prisoners. The court is not impressed by additional incidents of disparate treatment alleged by the plaintiffs. See: Hicks v. Alabama, 45 F.Supp.2d 921 (S.D.Ala. 1998).
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Related legal case
Hicks v. Alabama
| Year | 1998 |
|---|---|
| Cite | 45 F.Supp.2d 921 (S.D.Ala. 1998) |
| Level | District Court |
| Injunction Status | N/A |