More from this issue:

1. The History of Prison Legal News, by Paul Wright
2. Twenty Years of PLN in Court
3. From the Editor, by Paul Wright
4. Private Manufacturers Use Cheap Arkansas Prison Labor, by Matthew Clarke
5. Virginia Jail Prisoner Awarded $7,500 after Being Beaten By Guards
6. Sex for Contraband Racket Unravels After Kansas Prisoner Has Abortion, by David Reutter
7. Housing Mentally Ill Violent Offender in Nursing Home Leads to Rape, by Matthew Clarke
8. Georgia Law Creates Homeless Sex Offender Colony, by David Reutter
9. $5,000 Award in New York Prisoner’s Retaliation Suit
10. Cornell Wins $19.5 Million Alaska Contract; CCA Protest Denied, by Matthew Clarke
11. Early Release Scam Results in Arrests, by Brandon Sample
12. $99,999 Settlement for Michigan Prisoner Damaged by Second-Hand Smoke
13. CA Prisoner Erroneously Validated as Prison Gang Member; Clears His Name, Has Records Expunged, $1.04 Million in Fees Awarded, by Michael Brodheim
14. Study Finds Pharmacological Treatment of Opiate Dependence Under-Utilized in State and Federal Prisons, by Michael Brodheim
15. Washington LFOs Issued Before July 1, 2000 Expire in 10 Years
16. Ninth Circuit: Federal Receiver May be Sued for Breach of Contract, by Michael Brodheim
17. Ohio Prisoner Awarded $40,000 for Sexual Assault
18. Missouri DOC Targeted by State Auditors
19. California: Failure to Maintain Relevant Data Renders CDCR Unable to Effectively Monitor and Manage its Operations, by Michael Brodheim
20. Illinois Jail Agrees to Pay $290,000 & Annuity Payments to Settle Excessive Force Suit
21. Iraq: Unrest at Abu Ghraib as Camp Bucca Closes, by Matthew Clarke
22. Ion Spectrometry Scans Resume at BOP Facilities
23. Methadone Vending Machines Installed in British Prisons
24. Faith-Based Substance Abuse Program Contracts May Violate Florida’s Constitution, by David Reutter
25. Missouri Jail Prisoner Awarded $5,000 in Failure to Protect Case
26. Tennessee Jail Agrees to Pay $5,000 for Withholding Prisoner’s Leg
27. State of Washington Settles Suit for $400,000 After Released Sex Offender Goes on Crime Spree, by Michael Brodheim
28. Political Uproar Follows NC Court Ruling that Life Sentence is 80 Years, by David Reutter
29. King County, WA Pays $125,000 for Assault on Juvenile Prisoner
30. DOJ Releases Report on Staff Sexual Abuse of Federal Prisoners, by Justin Miller
31. $900,000 Settlement in Washington State Suit Over Parolee Murdering Woman
32. Fifth Circuit Orders Discovery in Katrina Prisoner Evacuation Case, by Matthew Clarke
33. Colorado Guards Rarely Jailed for Sexual Abuse of Prisoners
34. Mississippi Earned Time Policy Violates Ex Post Facto Clause
35. Are Debtors’ Prisons Making a Comeback in Indiana?, by Justin Miller
36. Closed Door Justice: Court Seeks Disbarment of Attorney in Secret, by Brandon Sample
37. Washington Prisoner’s Rape Claim Results in $60,000 Settlement
38. Cost of Capital Punishment Comes Under Increased Scrutiny in a Struggling Economy, by Justin Miller
39. PLRA Attorney Fee Caps Constitutional, Third Circuit Decides
40. $12,000 Award to Wheelchair-Bound NY Prisoner for Fall off Loading Ramp
41. 17,698 DNA Profiles Missing from Wisconsin Database, by Matthew Clarke
42. Kentucky Supreme Court: Retroactive Application of Sex Offender Residency Restrictions Unconstitutional
43. Kern County Settles False Arrest Lawsuit for $5.5 Million, by Michael Brodheim
44. CCA Agrees to Pay $1.3 Million to Settle Sexual Harassment, Retaliation Suit
45. $932,900 Award to Hawaii Prisoner Rendered Infertile Due to Inept Medical Care
46. Flushing Junk Down Jail Toilets Damages Sewer System, Prompts $2.3 Million Settlement in California Lawsuit
47. Gloucester County, New Jersey Settles Jail Strip Search Class Action for $4 Million, by Matthew Clarke
48. $27,500 Settlement for Washington Prisoner’s Public Records and RLUIPA Claims
49. Opening Legal Mail Outside BOP Prisoner’s Presence States Constitutional Claim
50. Alternative Prisoner Phone Service Company Files Unsuccessful Suit, by David Reutter
51. Bivens Case by Disabled Prisoner Against Federal Prison Officials Remanded; Settles for $15,000
52. News in Brief:

More from David Reutter:

• Philadelphia Agrees to $9.1 Million Settlement for Wrongful Murder Conviction, Feb. 15, 2025
• ‘Fictional Pleas’ and ‘Hidden Departures’: Failure to Collect Data on Binding Federal Plea Bargains Hinders Researchers, Feb. 15, 2025
• First Circuit: Two-Level Enhancement Under § 3B1.1(c) for Leadership or Managerial Role Vacated Because Government Failed to Prove Defendant’s Order Was Actually ‘Obeyed’ by Fellow Criminal Participant, Feb. 15, 2025
• Texas Court of Criminal Appeals Holds Witness Wearing Surgical Mask During Pandemic Is Denial of Sixth Amendment Right to Face-to-Face Confrontation and No General Exception to This Right for Pandemic or ‘Other Global Events’ Such as Wars and Natural, Feb. 15, 2025
• The Murky Waters of Parole, Feb. 1, 2025
• California Prisoner Awarded Over $1.26 Million in Suit Challenging Withheld Legal Mail Which Resulted in Habeas Loss, Jan. 15, 2025
• Muslim New York Prisoner’s Free Exercise of Religion Claim Reinstated, Jan. 15, 2025
• Fourth Circuit: Baltimore County Prisoners May Qualify as Employees under FLSA, Jan. 15, 2025
• In Failure-to-Treat Claims, Wellpath Denied Dismissal in Virginia, Settles in Pennsylvania, Dec. 15, 2024
• Trends Show Mortality Risks Increase with Higher Jail Turnover Rates, Dec. 15, 2024

More from these topics:

• Prison Profiteers Ready to Help Trump Make Good on Deportation Threats, Feb. 15, 2025. GEO Group/Wackenhut, Government Misconduct, Deportation/Removal/Exclusion, Police/Govt Misconduct.
• Philadelphia Agrees to $9.1 Million Settlement for Wrongful Murder Conviction, Feb. 15, 2025. Settlements, Wrongful Conviction, Wrongful Imprisonment, Murder/Felony Murder.
• Third Circuit Grants Habeas Relief to Prisoner on Confrontation Clause and Ineffective Assistance Claims Based on Trial Court Reading Entire Criminal Information Into the Record of Co-Conspirator Who Pleaded Guilty, Feb. 15, 2025. Habeas Corpus, Ineffective Assistance of Counsel, Exculpatory No Doctrine, Confrontation Clause/Rights, Witnesses - Prior Statements/Testimony, Plea Agreements/Guilty Pleas.
• Texas Court of Criminal Appeals Grants Habeas Relief in ‘Shaken Baby Syndrome’ Case, Feb. 1, 2025. junk science, Habeas Corpus, Forensic Sciences, Child Abuse/Abusers, Evidence - Admissibility.
• Fifth Circuit Leaves Louisiana Prisoner Waiting for Reinstated Parole, Jan. 15, 2025. Parole, Overdetention, Victim's Rights to Enforce Collection.
• Colorado Legislature’s New Jail Oversight Committee Not Weighted in Detainees’ Favor, Jan. 15, 2025. Government Misconduct, Committee Reports, Relevant Conduct.
• GOP Michigan County Commissioner Re-elected— and Headed to Federal Prison, Jan. 15, 2025. Government Misconduct, Marijuana Laws/Issues, Probation, Parole & Supervised Release, Criticism of Government.
• California Prisoner Awarded Over $1.26 Million in Suit Challenging Withheld Legal Mail Which Resulted in Habeas Loss, Jan. 15, 2025. Settlements, Habeas Corpus, Mail Regulations, Legal Mail.
• Georgia Supreme Court Grants Habeas Relief Where Both Trial and Appellate Counsel Provided Ineffective Assistance by Failing to Challenge Indictment for Residential Burglary That Failed to Allege Defendant Illegally Entered a ‘Dwelling’, Jan. 15, 2025. Habeas Corpus, Ineffective Assistance of Counsel, Constitutional Challenges/Law.
• Ninth Circuit Holds District Courts Have No Authority Under Rule 4 of Rules Governing § 2254 Cases to Dismiss Habeas Petition on the Merits, Dec. 15, 2024. Habeas Corpus, Dismissal, Authority and Jurisdiction.