Washington Advocacy Group Challenges Trump’s Ban On Attorney Access To Immigrant Detainees

Seattle, WA — A Washington-based group, alongside other organizations, has initiated legal action challenging a recent directive that prohibits attorneys from visiting immigrant detainees. This lawsuit is directed against an order issued by the Trump administration, which has raised significant concerns among immigration rights advocates about the welfare and legal rights of detainees. The executive order, part of a broader agenda to tighten immigration controls, has come under scrutiny for allegedly infringing on the constitutional rights of individuals to consult with legal counsel. The order discontinues the long-standing practice of permitting lawyers to meet face-to-face … Read more

Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office Settles Lawsuit Over Detainee’s Suicide Amid Criticism of Jail’s Mental Health Policies

Jacksonville, Fla. – A legal agreement has been finalized between Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters, a corrections officer, and the grieving family of Esther Joy Truax, a woman who committed suicide while detained at the Duval County Pre-trial Detention Facility. The case, settled in December, emerged after multiple suicide attempts by Truax, highlighting ongoing concerns about inmate mental health management in correctional facilities. The lawsuit accused the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (JSO) of neglect and indifference towards Truax’s mental health, despite her documented history of suicide attempts and psychiatric struggles. Truax, who was 35 at the time … Read more

Jury Awards $42 Million to Abu Ghraib Detainees, Virginia Contractor Held Liable for Torture

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — A Virginia jury recently determined that a military contractor should compensate three former detainees of the infamous Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq with $42 million for its role in their torture and maltreatment in the early 2000s. The plaintiffs, subjected to grim ordeals including beatings and sexual abuse, argued that the contractor, CACI, was culpable even though its interrogators did not personally conduct the torture. The company based in Reston, Virginia, has responded to the verdict with disappointment, announcing intentions to appeal. CACI has maintained that its employees were uninvolved in any … Read more

Jury Awards $42 Million to Abu Ghraib Detainees, Virginia Contractor Found Liable for Torture

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — In a landmark decision, a U.S. jury on Tuesday ruled in favor of three former detainees of Abu Ghraib prison, awarding them a staggering $42 million in damages. The verdict held CACI, a military contractor based in Reston, Virginia, responsible for its role in the abuse that occurred at the infamous Iraqi prison nearly two decades ago. This judgement followed an earlier trial wherein a jury remained deadlocked on the culpability of CACI, whose civilian interrogators were employed at Abu Ghraib during the turbulent years of 2003 and 2004. The recent verdict … Read more