Filed Date: March 20, 1972
Closed Date: Feb. 12, 1975
Clearinghouse coding complete
In 1972, inmates of the Jefferson Parish Prison in Louisiana filed a lawsuit under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 against the Louisiana Department of Corrections in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana. The plaintiffs alleged that their constitutional rights had been violated by prison policies regarding censorship of their mail, visitation rights, access to religious services, access to the telephone, and access to sexually explicit reading materials.
The parties entered into mediation in an effort to reach a settlement agreement, but they could not reach an agreement on the issues pertaining to censorship of mail and access to sexually explicit reading materials. On August 23, 1974, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana (Judge Jack Gordon) held that the defendants had the right to ban sexually stimulating reading matter and to censor inmate mail if it were not legal mail, but that the defendants did not have the authority to open and read inmate legal mail. Frazier v. Donelon, 381 F.Supp. 911 (E.D.La. 1974). The plaintiffs appealed this decision.
On September 12, 1975, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit affirmed the district court's decision without a reported opinion. Frazier v. Donelon, 520 F.2d 941 (5th Cir. 1975). The plaintiffs appealed this decision.
On February 23, 1976, the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear the case. Frazier v. Donelon, 424 U.S. 923 (1976).
Summary Authors
Kristen Sagar (4/4/2006)
Gordon, Jack Murphy (Louisiana)
Fontham, Michael R. (Louisiana)
Broussard, Robert I. (Louisiana)
Collins, Lionel R. (Louisiana)
Eason, Alvin R. (Louisiana)
Gordon, Jack Murphy (Louisiana)
Last updated March 29, 2024, 3:10 a.m.
Docket sheet not available via the Clearinghouse.State / Territory: Louisiana
Case Type(s):
Key Dates
Filing Date: March 20, 1972
Closing Date: Feb. 12, 1975
Case Ongoing: Perhaps, but long-dormant
Plaintiffs
Plaintiff Description:
Inmates of parish jail alleging that refusal and censorship of their mail and alleged curtailment of their right to read certain materials abridged their constitutional rights
Plaintiff Type(s):
Public Interest Lawyer: Unknown
Filed Pro Se: Unknown
Class Action Sought: Unknown
Class Action Outcome: Unknown
Defendants
President of Jefferson Parish, Regional
Councilmen of Jefferson Parish, Regional
Sheriff of Jefferson Parish, Regional
Warden of Jefferson Parish Prison, Regional
Warden of Jefferson Parish Prison, Regional
Case Details
Causes of Action:
Constitutional Clause(s):
Available Documents:
Outcome
Prevailing Party: Mixed
Nature of Relief:
Injunction / Injunctive-like Settlement
Source of Relief:
Order Duration: 1974 - None
Issues
General:
Parents (visitation, involvement)
Siblings (visitation, placement)
Jails, Prisons, Detention Centers, and Other Institutions:
Discrimination-basis:
Type of Facility: