Eric Pepke Petersburg, VA It can seem pointless to challenge the deplorable conditions we face in prison, but it is important to do so anyway. Action can make a difference, especially in numbers. Even if one of us fails, many together can succeed. One of the most powerful ways to effect change is the federal […]
Issues: Guild Notes Vol. 43, No. 4 (Winter 2018)
BEYOND BARS: Immunity Through the State
Valencia Simms Milton, FL Court rulings such as Hall v. Key and the Supreme Court rendering in Hudson v. McMillian clearly forbade malicious and sadistic abuse of prisoners. The decision in McMillian outlined “excessive force” as prison guards violently imposing not “in a good faith effort to maintain and restore” order, but out of personal […]
BEYOND BARS: Be Vigilant of Your Rights
Patrick Lexis Suffield, CT Allow me to introduce myself: My name is Patrick Lexis and I’m 25-years-old. In my six years incarcerated I was compelled to learn the law. I taught myself to practice law. By reading countless case laws in my cell, I learned how to prove the elements of how my civil rights […]