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Case Name
Groseclose v. Dutton
PC-TN-0003
Docket / Court
84-579 ( M.D. Tenn. )
State/Territory
Tennessee
Case Type(s)
Prison Conditions
Case Summary
On June 6, 1984, a petition for writ of habeas corpus was filed by third parties on behalf of Ronald Harries who was confined to Unit IV of the Tennessee State Penitentiary. William Groseclose and others brought the case on Harries' behalf after he refused to appeal his death sentence due to the ...
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On June 6, 1984, a petition for writ of habeas corpus was filed by third parties on behalf of Ronald Harries who was confined to Unit IV of the Tennessee State Penitentiary. William Groseclose and others brought the case on Harries' behalf after he refused to appeal his death sentence due to the adverse conditions of his confinement. An order staying Harries' execution was granted. Groseclose v. Dutton, 589 F.Supp. 362 (M.D. Tenn. 1984). A subsequent order denied defendants motion to dismiss and continued the stay. Groseclose v. Dutton, 594 F.Supp. 949 (M.D. Tenn. 1984).
Plaintiffs also alleged civil rights violations regarding the conditions of Unit IV. Plaintiffs were represented by private council. On November 13, 1984, a class was certified composed of those persons on death row and future inmates who would be confined in Unit IV under sentence of death. The class also included the American Civil Liberties Union of Tennessee. The court bifurcated the habeas corpus claim and the civil rights claim concerning the prison conditions. After an evidentiary hearing, the district court (Judge John T. Nixon) declared the prison conditions on Unit IV (death row) to be unconstitutional and ordered the defendant to submit a good faith remedial plan to correct the conditions. Groseclose v. Dutton, 609 F.Supp. 1432 (M.D. Tenn. 1985). Among the court's concerns with the prison were the small size of the cells, insect infestation, absence of fire drills, insufficient human interaction, and the lack of opportunity for religious services.
An appeal by the defendant was dismissed on April 14, 1986 by the Court of Appeals because the district court's order was not an appealable final judgment. Groseclose v. Dutton, 788 F.2d 356 (6th Cir. 1986). The case was re-heard by the Court of Appeals en banc on November 3, 1987 after a master plan was accepted by the district court and a special master was appointed to monitor its implementation. The court (Judge David A. Nelson) vacated the judgment of the district court. Groseclose v. Dutton, 829 F.2d 581 (6th Cir. 1987). The court concluded that the case should have been consolidated with a pending class action lawsuit involving the constitutionality of conditions throughout the Tennessee prison system. (Grubbs v. Bradley, 552 F.Supp.1052 (M.D. Tenn. 1982)). (PC-TN-007) Second, it concluded that the district court had applied an incorrect legal standard in determining whether prison conditions violated the Eight Amendment. On May 11, 1988, the case was remanded to the district court for further proceedings after a settlement was reached by the parties. Groseclose v. Dutton, 848 F.2d 190 (6th Cir. 1988). The order approving the settlement provides no details or specifics of the settlement.
Subsequent litigation concerning Harries' mental capacity and psychiatric treatment continued for several years. On October 22, 1999, Groseclose was deleted as a party to the action and his name was deleted from all future pleadings. On August 23, 2002, Judge John T. Nixon vacated Harries' death sentence and remanded the case to the State of Tennessee for further proceedings.
Angela Heverling - 02/06/2006
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Issues and Causes of Action
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Issues
Affected Gender
Male
Constitutional Clause
Cruel and Unusual Punishment
Crowding
Crowding / caseload
General
Access to lawyers or judicial system
Classification / placement
Counseling
Fire safety
Food service / nutrition / hydration
Recreation / Exercise
Sanitation / living conditions
Totality of conditions
Type of Facility
Government-run
Causes of Action
Habeas Corpus, 28 U.S.C. §§ 2241-2253; 2254; 2255
42 U.S.C. § 1983
Case Details
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Defendant(s)
Tennessee Department of Corrections
Tennessee State Penitentiary
Plaintiff Description
Death sentenced inmates confined to Unit VI of Tennessee State Penitentiary in Nashville.
Class action status sought
Yes
Class action status granted
Yes
Filed Pro Se
Yes
Prevailing Party
Plaintiff
Public Int. Lawyer
No
Nature of Relief
Unknown
Source of Relief
Litigation
Filed
06/06/1984
Case Ongoing
No
Additional Resources
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Documents
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Court
Docket(s)
M.D. Tenn.
10/21/2005
84-579
PC-TN-0003-9000.pdf
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Detail
Source: PACER [Public Access to Court Electronic Records]
General Documents
M.D. Tenn.
06/08/1984
Memorandum and Order
(589 F.Supp. 362)
PC-TN-0003-0004.pdf
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WESTLAW
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LEXIS
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Detail
Source: Google Scholar
M.D. Tenn.
08/17/1984
Memorandum and Order
(594 F.Supp. 949)
PC-TN-0003-0005.pdf
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WESTLAW
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LEXIS
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Detail
Source: Google Scholar
M.D. Tenn.
05/24/1985
Memorandum
(609 F.Supp. 1432)
PC-TN-0003-0002.pdf
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WESTLAW
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LEXIS
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Detail
Source: Google Scholar
U.S. Court of Appeals
04/14/1986
Reported Opinion
(788 F.2d 356)
PC-TN-0003-0001.pdf
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WESTLAW
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LEXIS
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Detail
Source: Google Scholar
U.S. Court of Appeals
11/03/1987
Reported Opinion
(829 F.2d 581)
PC-TN-0003-0003.pdf
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WESTLAW
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LEXIS
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Detail
Source: Google Scholar
U.S. Court of Appeals
05/11/1988
Order, Unpublished Disposition
(848 F.2d 190)
PC-TN-0003-0006.pdf
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WESTLAW
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LEXIS
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Detail
People
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Judges
Guy, Ralph B. Jr.
(FISCR, E.D. Mich., Sixth Circuit)
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PC-TN-0003-0001
Kennedy, Cornelia Groefsema
(E.D. Mich., Sixth Circuit)
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PC-TN-0003-0006
Krupansky, Robert B.
(N.D. Ohio, Sixth Circuit)
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PC-TN-0003-0001 | PC-TN-0003-0003
Merritt, Gilbert Stroud Jr.
(Sixth Circuit)
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PC-TN-0003-0006
Nelson, David Aldrich
(Sixth Circuit)
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PC-TN-0003-0003
Nixon, John Trice
(M.D. Tenn.)
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PC-TN-0003-0002 | PC-TN-0003-0004 | PC-TN-0003-0005 | PC-TN-0003-9000
Peck, John Weld II
(S.D. Ohio, Sixth Circuit)
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PC-TN-0003-0001 | PC-TN-0003-0006
Plaintiff's Lawyers
Alliman, Peter
(Tennessee)
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PC-TN-0003-9000
Hardin, Hal D.
(Tennessee)
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PC-TN-0003-0001 | PC-TN-0003-0002 | PC-TN-0003-0003 | PC-TN-0003-0004 | PC-TN-0003-0005 | PC-TN-0003-9000
Heil, Peter D.
(Tennessee)
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PC-TN-0003-9000
MacLean, Bradley Alan
(Tennessee)
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PC-TN-0003-9000
Marett, William J. Jr.
(Tennessee)
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PC-TN-0003-0002 | PC-TN-0003-0005
Minton, Christopher M.
(Tennessee)
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PC-TN-0003-9000
Passino, Michael James
(Tennessee)
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PC-TN-0003-9000
Redick, William P. Jr.
(Tennessee)
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PC-TN-0003-0001 | PC-TN-0003-0002 | PC-TN-0003-0005 | PC-TN-0003-9000
Venick, Irwin Bruce
(Tennessee)
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PC-TN-0003-0002 | PC-TN-0003-9000
Woods, Jinx S.
(Tennessee)
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PC-TN-0003-0002 | PC-TN-0003-0004 | PC-TN-0003-0005 | PC-TN-0003-9000
Woods, Larry D.
(Tennessee)
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PC-TN-0003-0001 | PC-TN-0003-0002 | PC-TN-0003-0003 | PC-TN-0003-0004 | PC-TN-0003-0005 | PC-TN-0003-9000
Defendant's Lawyers
Cody, W.J. Michael
(Tennessee)
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PC-TN-0003-0001 | PC-TN-0003-0003
Grunow, Robert
(Tennessee)
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PC-TN-0003-0002 | PC-TN-0003-0005
Hoyal, J. Andrew II
(Tennessee)
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PC-TN-0003-0001 | PC-TN-0003-0003
Leech, William M. Jr.
(Tennessee)
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PC-TN-0003-0002 | PC-TN-0003-0005
Lustre, Alice B.
(Tennessee)
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PC-TN-0003-9000
McGee, Richard
(Tennessee)
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PC-TN-0003-0001 | PC-TN-0003-0005 | PC-TN-0003-9000
Mitchell, Robin J.
(Tennessee)
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PC-TN-0003-0002
Southworth, John F. Jr.
(Tennessee)
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PC-TN-0003-0001 | PC-TN-0003-0002
Uhl, Wayne Elliott
(Tennessee)
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PC-TN-0003-0001 | PC-TN-0003-0003 | PC-TN-0003-0004 | PC-TN-0003-0005 | PC-TN-0003-9000
Other Lawyers
Berger, Joel
(New York)
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PC-TN-0003-0001
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