Case Summary
SCSJ represented a group of men who were stabbed and injured while incarcerated in the Union Unit of Lanesboro Correctional Institution in Anson, North Carolina. The unit was presided over by a manager who smuggled weapons into the facility, creating an incredibly dangerous situation. SCSJ sued the facility’s superintendent for his failure to protect those in his custody and was able to reach financial settlements for a number of the men it represented.
Why it's Important
This case is about protecting the human rights and dignity of people who were held in Lanesboro Correctional Institution. The U.S. Supreme Court has held that a person’s punishment for committing a crime is imprisonment, not exposure to maltreatment and unsafe conditions. Prison officials have a duty under the Eighth Amendment to protect the people in their custody from violence at the hands of those who might do them harm.
Case Documents
Related Media
SCSJ Files Suit Challenging Mistreatment of Prisoners in Lanesboro Correctional
Press Clipping: 5 former inmates file suit against Lanesboro Correctional
Charlotte Observer Reports that Officers at Lanesboro helped gang members wage attacks
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