Dispatches

by Daniel A. Rosen | Joseph Messere, a 68-year-old prisoner in Massachusetts, was just days away from death last December when his attorney got a phone call from state officials. The Parole Board and state corrections agency told David Apfel "we really want your client released as soon as possible." It was a remarkable change … Continue reading Massachusetts Medical Parole Avoids In-Custody Deaths From Covid

by Daniel A. Rosen | The Commonwealth of Virginia recently settled two outstanding lawsuits alleging the abuse of solitary confinement. Taken together, the payouts cost the state's taxpayers over a quarter million dollars. In a year when Virginia's General Assembly made progress on other justice issues - abolishing the death penalty, legalizing marijuana, and restoring … Continue reading Virginia Settles Two Lawsuits Over Misuse of Solitary Confinement

by Daniel A. Rosen | Like local jails and prisons across the country, Alabama's carceral system is being sorely tested by COVID-19 - and inmates are paying the price. For weeks, Dylan Garrard fell asleep on a thin foam mat on the floor of his jail cell, next to a toilet. The two bunks in … Continue reading Alabama Jails and Inmates Facing COVID-Related Challenges

by Daniel A. Rosen | In 1995, during a tough-on-crime era across the country, Virginia abolished parole entirely, along with several other states. But it wasn't until 2000 that jurors sentencing defendants were told of that change. As a result, jurors may have recommended more prison time, incorrectly believing offenders would only serve a fraction … Continue reading Hundreds of Virginia Inmates Await Parole Consideration Under New Law

by Daniel A. Rosen | Heriberto Delvalle's story sounds like a Kafka novel, but it's sadly true. After serving his 15-year sentence for attempted murder in a Florida state prison, he was detained by federal immigration officials, and remains there to this day - almost 12 years later. The 70-year-old Cuban man has now spent … Continue reading ICE Holding Cuban Detainee for 11 Years and Counting Following Florida Prison Release

by Daniel A. Rosen | Folsom Prison was once the setting for an iconic musical performance, when Johnny Cash first played live there in 1968. Now, Folsom inmates are performing their own songs, and telling their stories with help from the Prison Music Project. The "Long Time Gone" album was released in the summer of … Continue reading The Prison Music Project Brings Inmates’ Stories to Life in Song

by Daniel A. Rosen | In most states, inmates pay an average of $2 to $8 copays for medical appointments, lab tests, and medication. But as prisons across the country have become COVID hotspots, some corrections departments are waiving the fees to encourage inmates to seek treatment for virus symptoms. Most states say they charge … Continue reading Medical Copays Suspended in Several States Due to COVID-19

by Daniel A. Rosen | Waylon Young Bird, a 52-year-old federal prisoner with serious kidney disease, wrote over a dozen letters to the judge that sentenced him asking for compassionate release. He died of COVID-19 in early November of 2020, a week after his last plea was written. "I'm afraid I may be infected by … Continue reading Missouri Inmate Pled for Release Before Dying of COVID

by Daniel A. Rosen | On election day in November, 2020 Washington attorney and former inmate Tara Simmons became the first person convicted of a felony elected to the state's legislature. Prior to the election, she said she was running to help give people "a first chance so they won't need a second chance later … Continue reading First Ex-Offender Elected to Washington State Legislature

by Daniel A. Rosen | According to a recent story in Tablet, as many as seven percent of inmates in New York's prison system are identifying as Jewish, primarily so they can receive kosher meals. If that's accurate, there are twice as many Jews as Nation of Islam members locked up in New York. This … Continue reading The Allure of Kosher Meals in NY Prisons

by Daniel A. Rosen | Ex-death-row inmate Debra Milke's civil suit against Arizona authorities claiming wrongful conviction was dismissed by a federal judge because she repeatedly destroyed documents relevant to her case. Judge Roslyn Silver harshly criticized Milke in her ruling, saying the destroyed records would have addressed the main issue at the heart of … Continue reading Federal Judge Dismisses Arizona Woman’s Wrongful Conviction Suit

by Daniel A. Rosen | An attorney with a small private practice in Albuquerque has blazed an unconventional path to reformng the use of solitary confinement in New Mexico. According to a recent profile in Rolling Stone magazine, Matthew Coyte has successfully sued local corrections departments over abuses of the practice, and he's won millions … Continue reading New Mexico Lawyer Fights to End Solitary Confinement

by Daniel A. Rosen | A jail inmate in Broward County gave birth in her cell recently, with staff ignoring her pleas for help until just prior to delivery. Broward Sheriff Gregory Tony fired two top administrators at the jail just 24 hours after learning of the incident. It's the second time in two years … Continue reading Florida Jail Administrators Fired After Woman Gives Birth in Cell

by Daniel A. Rosen | Nevada state officials recently suspended a Department of Corrections policy that used a victims' bill of rights to take up to 80 percent of funds sent to inmates by family members. Marsy's Law was approved by Nevada voters in 2018 as an amendment to the state constitution. It's a nationwide … Continue reading Nevada Stops Taking Inmates’ Money for Restitution