Search | Wrongly Convicted

$4,000 Settlement in Failure to Arraign

Article • September 15, 2009

Filed under: Sentencing, Wrongful Imprisonment

$4,000 Settlement in Failure to Arraign by Washington State’s King County Jail has paid $4,000 to settle the claim of Michael Chiofar, which sought damages for the failure of the Jail to assure that he was arraigned within 72 hours of his arrest as required by Washington law. He claimed …

$8,000 Settlement for 10 Days of Wrongful Detention

Article • September 15, 2009

Filed under: Sentencing, Good Time, Wrongful Imprisonment

$8,000 Settlement for 10 Days of Wrongful Detention by Washington State’s King County has paid $8,000 to settle the claim of Pantaleon F. Alba, who was overdetained by 10 days due to King County Correctional Facility records clerk, Kimberly Carver, failing to correct his good time credits. Carver transmitted to …

$16,000 Settlement in Seattle Wrongful Imprisonment Claim

Article • September 15, 2009

Filed under: Misconduct/Corruption, Jail Misconduct, Wrongful Imprisonment

$16,000 Settlement in Seattle Wrongful Imprisonment Claim by Washington State’s King County paid $16,000 to settle the civil rights suit of Christopher L. Larson, who was due to be released ...

$20,000 Settlement for False Imprisonment by Seattle Jail

Article • September 15, 2009

Filed under: Sentencing, Wrongful Imprisonment

$20,000 Settlement for False Imprisonment by Seattle Jail by Washington State’s King County paid $20,511.02 to Thomas Padgett, Jr. for being falsely imprisoned from June 3 through 15, 2001. When Padgett was arrested and taken to the jail, he was not brought before a judge until June 15, which resulted …

$3,900 Settlement in False Imprisonment by Seattle Jail

Article • September 15, 2009

Filed under: Sentencing, Wrongful Imprisonment, False Arrest, Arrest Warrants

$3,900 Settlement in False Imprisonment by Seattle Jail by Washington State’s King County Jail paid $3,848.54 to settle the false imprisonment claim of Amanda Markholt, who was arrested on a warrant out of Pierce County for failing to take a blood test. The same day of her arrest, December 31, …

$7,500 Settlement for Seattle Police Officer Withholding Exculpatory Information

Article • September 15, 2009

Filed under: Police Misconduct, Crime/Demographics, Criminal Prosecution, Wrongful Imprisonment, False Arrest

$7,500 Settlement for Seattle Police Officer Withholding Exculpatory Information by Washington State’s King County paid $7,540.64 to settle the claim of Richard D. Sweat, who was arrested for attempted robbery. During the investigation, Deputy Kirk Rains of the King County Sheriff’s Office was advised that the alleged crime was committed …

$100,000 Settlement in Illegal Imprisonment Caused by Massachusetts’ Failure to Implement Court Order

Article • August 15, 2009 • from PLN August, 2009

Filed under: Sentencing, Wrongful Imprisonment

$100,000 Settlement in Illegal Imprisonment Caused by Massachusetts’ Failure to Implement Court Order by David Reutter by David M. Reutter A former Massachusetts prisoner has received $100,000 to settle a claim of wrongful and illegal confinement. PLN previously reported on this incident, which stems from the failure of the Massachusetts …

$250,000 Award in Mississippi False Imprisonment Suit

Article • August 15, 2009 • from PLN August, 2009

Filed under: Sentencing, Wrongful Imprisonment

$250,000 Award in Mississippi False Imprisonment Suit by Last January, a Mississippi federal jury awarded a former prisoner $250,000 for being falsely incarcerated by the Mississippi Department of Corrections (MDOC). The facts of the case exhibit an unbelievable abuse of power by MDOC officials. After pleading guilty to burglary of …

Rodriguez v. City of Houston, TX, Motion for Atty Fees, Wrongful Rape Conviction, 2009

Brief • August 14, 2009

Filed under: Prosecutor/Attorney General Misconduct, Wrongful Conviction, Wrongful Imprisonment

Rodriguez v. City of Houston, TX, Motion for Atty Fees, Wrongful Rape Conviction, 2009 Case 4:06-cv-02650 Document 335 Filed in TXSD on 08/14/2009 Page 1 of 22 IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF TEXAS HOUSTON DIVISION GEORGE RODRIGUEZ, Plaintiff, v. CITY OF HOUSTON, et al., …

Sotomayor for the Prosecution

Article • July 15, 2009

Filed under: Sentencing, Wrongful Conviction, Habeas Corpus, Wrongful Imprisonment

Sotomayor for the Prosecution by James Ridgeway — By James Ridgeway | Wed July 15, 2009 12:18 PM PST Mother Jones Sonia Sotomayor's all-but-certain confirmation will be a notable victory for the Democrats, and a long-overdue victory for diversity on the nation's highest court. Whether it will be a victory …

$1,500 Settlement in Overdetention Claim

Article • July 15, 2009

Filed under: Sentencing, Good Time, Wrongful Imprisonment

$1,500 Settlement in Overdetention Claim by Washington State’s King County Jail has paid Kenneth L. Hoeck $1,500 to settle a claim that he was overdetained by 10 days due to the failure of jail officials to award him good time on his 60 day community custody violation sentence. In response …

Benkahla v. Federal Bureau of Prisons, IN, Proposed Amended Complaint, Wrongful CMU Confinement, 2009

Brief • June 18, 2009

Filed under: Conditions of Confinement, Complaints, Sentencing, Wrongful Imprisonment

Benkahla v. Federal Bureau of Prisons, IN, Proposed Amended Complaint, Wrongful CMU Confinement, 2009 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF INDIANA TERRE HAUTE DIVISION ) ) ) Plaintiff, ) ) v. ) ) Federal Bureau of Prisons; ) Eric H. Holder, Attorney General of the ) United States; Harley …

California Prosecutors, Parole Board, State Agencies Entitled to Absolute Immunity in Parole Decisions

Article • June 15, 2009

Filed under: Sentencing, Parole, Habeas Corpus, Wrongful Imprisonment, Eleventh Amendment Immunity, Prosecutorial Immunity, Sovereign Immunity

California Prosecutors, Parole Board, State Agencies Entitled to Absolute Immunity in Parole Decisions by The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeal has held that prosecutors, parole board members and state agencies are entitled to absolute immunity for participating in or making parole decisions. The Court’s ruling comes in the case of …

$650 Settlement for Lost Property, Stolen Identity Claim

Article • June 15, 2009

Filed under: Wrongful Imprisonment, Money/Property, Prisoner Property

$650 Settlement for Lost Property, Stolen Identity Claim by Washington State’s King County Jail has paid $650 to settle the lost property claim of Dion K. Humphrey. In December 2002, the Jail gave Humphrey’s social security card, driver’s license and clothes to Scott Williamson, who had stolen Humphrey’s identity. The …

Jury Award Exceeds $1.5 Million in New York Malicious Prosecution Case

Article • June 15, 2009

Filed under: Police Misconduct, Attorney Fee Awards, Summary Judgment, Damages, Costs, New Trial Motions, Expert Witnesses, Wrongful Conviction, Wrongful Imprisonment, Immunity/Liability, Qualified Immunity, Supervisory Liability, Municipal Liability, False Arrest

Jury Award Exceeds $1.5 Million in New York Malicious Prosecution Case by On June 24, 2008, a New York federal jury found two New York City police officers liable in a Section 1983 malicious prosecution suit brought by security guard & part-time state police officer Anthony Manganiello. Manganiello's initial suit …

Jury Awards $1.8 Million for False Arrest and Malicious Prosecution

Article • June 15, 2009

Filed under: Retaliation, Damages, Wrongful Imprisonment, Police, False Arrest, Excessive Force (Police)

Jury Awards $1.8 Million for False Arrest and Malicious Prosecution by In April, 2008, five Maryland men were awarded more than $1.8 million in compensatory and punitive damages in a civil rights suit alleging false arrest and malicious prosecution by Baltimore police officer Robert Cirello. Plaintiffs' attorneys, James L. Rhodes …

Ohio Woman Awarded $350,000 for False Arrest

Article • June 15, 2009

Filed under: Police Misconduct, Damages, Wrongful Imprisonment, Immunity/Liability, Qualified Immunity, False Arrest, Arrest Warrants

Ohio Woman Awarded $350,000 for False Arrest by On August 30, 2005, a federal jury in Ohio awarded Michelle Black-Hosang $100,000 in compensatory damages, as well as $250,000 in punitive damages for her unlawful arrest by Sergeant James Mendenhall of the Ohio State Police. Additionally, Black-Hosang is seeking more than …

Oregon Detainee Paid $30,000 for 90 Days Illegal Jail Confinement

Article • June 15, 2009 • from PLN June, 2009

Filed under: Sentencing, Wrongful Imprisonment

Oregon Detainee Paid $30,000 for 90 Days Illegal Jail Confinement by Oregon Detainee Paid $30,000 for 90 Days Illegal Jail Confinement The State of Oregon and Multnomah County have paid a man $30,000 to settle his suit for 90 days of illegal confinement. Ira Robinson was detained in the Multnomah …

Overdetained California Prisoner Wins $21,800 for False Imprisonment

Article • May 15, 2009 • from PLN May, 2009

Filed under: Civil Procedure, Damages, Administrative Exhaustion, Good Time, Wrongful Imprisonment

Overdetained California Prisoner Wins $21,800 for False Imprisonment by John Dannenberg by John E. Dannenberg The California Court of Appeal upheld a Superior Court verdict of $21,800 against state prison officials in a lawsuit filed by a prisoner whose eventually-corrected good time credit earning rate resulted in his being released …

Indeterminate Commitment Order Reversed on Appeal

Article • May 15, 2009

Filed under: Civil Procedure, Appeals, Retroactivity, Habeas Corpus, Wrongful Imprisonment, Sex Offender Treatment, Civil Commitment

Indeterminate Commitment Order Reversed on Appeal by On March 15, 2007, a California superior court erroneously granted a motion requesting the involuntary commitment of David Litmon, Jr. for an indeterminate length of time. The State filed the motion under the terms of Proposition 83, which went into effect in 2006 …