On April 1, 1987, Melvin P., a 17 year old a minor, filed class action in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama against Lauderdale County, Alabama, several county commissioners, as well as police officers and judges. The plaintiff alleged that Lauderdale County Jail practices were in violation of his rights under the 14th Amendment, including: due process, freedom from cruel and unusual punishment, right to privacy, and right to treatment in least restrictive conditions; he sought injunctive and declaratory relief. Specifically the complaint alleged unsanitary conditions, insufficient staff, inadequate safety in the event of fire, lack of medical or mental health screening or services, and juveniles being in frequent contact with adult inmates. It also challenged the constitutionality of holding juveniles for crimes that were not punishable for adults. The complaint was brought by the Youth Law Center of San Francisco, California, as a class action under 42 U.S.C. 1983, and the Juvenile Delinquency Act, 42 U.S.C. 5601 et seq. Private attorneys represented the defendants.

On April 26, 1989, the United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama (Judge Elbert Bertram Haltom Jr.) permanently enjoined the defendants, and their successors in office, from confining and detaining any juvenile in the Lauderdale County, Alabama Jail, or permitting anyone else to do the same. The injunction simultaneously dismissed the civil action brought by Melvin P.

The docket on PACER contains no information about the proceedings and there are no published opinions in this case.

Greg Venker - 05/15/2006


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