In 2004, a Mental Health Unit (MHU) prisoner at Georgia's Phillips State Prison brought this §1983 suit in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia. Represented by the Southern Center for Human Rights, plaintiff contended that the defendant prison administrators denied Eighth Amendment protections against cruel and unusual punishment by understaffing the MHU, as well as by staffing it with correctional officers without adequate mental health training. The plaintiff noted that the lack of trained staff led to overworked and overstressed staff, such as there were, who consequently took actions resulting in danger, violence, and death to prisoners. Such actions included correctional officers' excessive use of force against MHU residents and double-bunking prisoners without adequate screening or consideration of risks one presented to another. Class action certification was sought but not granted.

The case's PACER docket reflects that discovery proceedings subsequently occurred, as did settlement negotiations. The latter led to the filing by the parties, on January 31, 2005 (the day before dispositive motions were due to be filed), of a joint stipulation of dismissal, which was approved by Judge Carnes on the same day. Court documents do not provide any details on settlement terms.

Mike Fagan - 04/14/2008


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