This 42 U.S.C. § 1983 case was filed in the Eastern District of Louisiana on November 6, 1998 by private counsel on behalf of thirteen Asian immigrant detainees of the Orleans Parish Prison.

The suit alleged that correctional officers beat the detainees and conspired with non-immigrant inmates to fight the detainees in 'staged gladiatorial contests.' Along with the § 1983 claim, the plaintiffs simultaneously filed a motion for a temporary restraining order (TRO) to require defendants to allow them access to counsel.

On January 7, 1999, the Court (Judge Sarah S. Vance) issued the TRO and on January 12, 1999, issued a Preliminary and Permanent Injunction containing its terms; ordering defendants to grant plaintiffs' counsel immediate access to any inmate or detainee who signed a contract of representation or who requested a visit with counsel. The order further required defendants to allow counsel to photograph any inmate or detainee who had signed a proper contract of representation.

Plaintiffs moved for an interim award of attorney fees and costs, and on April 12, 1999, the Court (Judge Vance) granted the motion.

The case was consolidated with two other cases arising out of the same incident. In one, a non-immigrant inmate claimed that he had been coerced into fighting the asian immigration detainees. In the other, a new pretrial inmate claimed that he had been left unguarded and was embroiled in the fight. All three cases were set before Magistrate Judge Wilkinson for a bench trial.

A bench trial began on May 16, 2000, and after the conclusion thereof, the parties reached a settlement prior the release of Magistrate Judge Wilkinson's findings letter. We have no details about the terms of the settlement and no further information about this case.

Blase Kearney - 04/17/2012


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