On Monday, September 20th, a federal judge granted class certification as part of a lawsuit filed by DRLA and the ACLU of Louisiana in 2018.
From WWLTV.com:
Monday’s ruling by a federal judge means criminal justice advocates who filed the 2018 lawsuit can potentially seek relief for hundreds of prisoners for alleged inhumane treatment at the David Wade Correctional Center in Claiborne Parish.
The lawsuit says some inmates with mental health issues at the north Louisiana prison have been held in isolation for months or years.
State officials denied the lawsuit’s allegations when it was filed. They didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment Monday.
In July, the Lens reported several prisoners at the facility went on a hunger strike, saying they’ve been held in restrictive housing for almost two years — in isolation for 23 hours a day with breaks only to shower.
…
“With today’s order from the Western District of Louisiana granting class certification, we are one step closer to establishing that for years the men at DWCC have been denied necessary mental health treatment and have suffered cruel and unusual treatment in this remote Louisiana prison” said Ronald Lospennato, Interim Executive Director at Disability Rights Louisiana.
DRLA is the Federal Protection and Advocacy program that represents the Plaintiffs along with the ACLU of Louisiana. “The men at David Wade have been suffering in this remote Louisiana prison for years. Without the court’s intervention and remedial order requiring the state to provide adequate treatment and humane conditions, there is a significant risk that many of them will suffer serious harm or even die,” Lospennato said. A trial in the case is scheduled for this coming January.
For the full article from WWLTV.com, visit: https://bit.ly/2YeWPws
