Indiana inmate convicted in razor blade attack on officer
An inmate at a northern Indiana prison has been convicted in a 2020 attack on a correctional officer who was slashed in the face with a razor blade, leaving him with a permanent scar.
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Latin Kings leaders lose appeals of convictions, life sentences
A pair of northern Indiana gang leaders who were sentenced to life in prison for their roles in gang-related murders and drug activity have failed in their challenges to their convictions and sentences at the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals.
Druidism now recognized as distinct religion at DOC
The Indiana Department of Correction is now allowing followers of Druidism to study and worship as a distinct religion pursuant to a court-approved consent decree.
Making litigants’ voices heard: Indy attorney Sniderman takes on additional role helping recruited counsel represent prisoners
Attorney Mark Sniderman is taking his respect for the client’s story to his new role as consulting attorney for the United States District Court for the Southern District of Indiana’s Recruited Counsel Program. He will continue his private practice and serve in this new position, which started Feb. 1, on an as-needed basis, providing materials and offering guidance to attorneys in the program.
COA: Trial court didn’t err in child porn case
A split Court of Appeals of Indiana has determined a trial court didn’t err when it sentenced a Dubois County man to 21 years in prison after finding thousands of videos depicting child pornography on a hard drive in his home.
7th Circuit: Solitary confinement prisoner failed to exhaust administrative remedies
A prisoner who spent nearly four years in solitary confinement failed to exhaust his administrative remedies before filing a federal claim about his prison conditions. He also failed to budge a 7th Circuit Court of Appeals decision affirming judgment against him.
Man sentenced to 22 years in death of Indiana infant girl
An Indiana judge sentenced a man to 22 years in prison on Friday, accepting the terms of a plea agreement in the death of a five-month-old girl.
Senate launches group to examine embattled US prison system
The U.S. Senate is launching a bipartisan working group of lawmakers to scrutinize conditions within the Bureau of Prisons following reporting by The Associated Press that uncovered widespread corruption and abuse in federal prisons.
Southern District denies prisoner’s compassionate release request prompted by COVID-19 concerns
The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana denied Thursday a prisoner’s request for compassionate release based on a fear of contracting COVID-19, finding no extraordinary and compelling reasons to reduce his sentence.
Indiana lawmakers eye returning to more prison sentences
A big jump in Indiana county jail overcrowding has state lawmakers looking to partially roll back a nearly decade-old criminal sentencing overhaul and let judges send more people convicted of low-level felonies into state prisons.
DOJ says inmates on home confinement can stay out of prison
The Justice Department on Tuesday reversed its own legal opinion and said it would allow federal inmates released on home confinement because of the coronavirus pandemic to stay out of prison.
Inmate awarded habeas relief for lack of evidence in prison disciplinary action
A prisoner accused of bringing heroin into a correctional facility has been granted habeas relief after the United States District Court of the Southern District of Indiana, Indianapolis Division, found the defense failed to provide evidence he committed the crime.
Woman’s early release in deadly Rochester school bus crash denied
A judge on Monday blocked the early prison release of a woman convicted in a 2018 crash that killed three siblings who were crossing a rural northern Indiana highway to board a school bus.
Northern District Court offering training on prisoner civil rights litigation
The United States District Court for the Northern District of Indiana will host a training session for attorneys on prisoner civil rights litigation on Dec. 7 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. EST via Zoom.
Monroe Co. couple sentenced to federal prison for child sexual exploitation
A Monroe County husband and wife have each been sentenced to federal prison following their convictions for sexual exploitation of five children in their care.
Workers at federal prisons are committing some of the crimes
More than 100 federal prison workers have been arrested, convicted or sentenced for crimes since the start of 2019, including a warden indicted for sexual abuse, an associate warden charged with murder, guards taking cash to smuggle drugs and weapons, and supervisors stealing property such as tires and tractors.
Man jailed after crashing through Indiana State Prison gate
A motorist who crashed through the Indiana State Prison’s main gate has been charged with drunken driving and criminal trespass, state police said.
7th Circuit: Prisoner ineligible for relief due to COVID-19 vaccination
The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals has upheld the denial of relief to a man convicted of child pornography crimes, finding that because he is vaccinated against COVID-19, he is ineligible for relief on remand for extraordinary and compelling reasons.
US prisons face staff shortages as officers quit amid COVID
Staff shortages have long been a challenge for prison agencies, given the low pay and grueling nature of the work. But the coronavirus pandemic — and its impact on the labor market — has pushed many corrections systems into crisis.
New Indiana archives building planned at former prison site
Indiana officials plan to build a $35 million state archives facility on Indianapolis’ near-east side after a yearslong search for a new site to house the state’s vast collection of historical records. The site was formerly home to the Indiana Women’s Prison.