Rock Island County Sheriff, Gerald Bustos, was sued for a federal conditions of confinement claim in which the plaintiff alleged: he was denied sufficient time and space to exercise, that he slept on the floor because his living conditions were too uncomfortable, the exercise area he was afforded was insufficient, and the jail had mold…
Read MoreA Jerome Combs Detention Center Corrections Officer, Chief of Corrections Chad Kolitwenzew, and Kankakee County Sheriff Michael Downey were sued by an inmate who failed to move his hand from the cell door jamb during the corrections officer’s security check. The officer shut the cell door, which allegedly resulted in an injury to the inmate’s…
Read MoreThe canonical case of Brady v. Maryland, 373 U.S. 83 (1963) requires “the state” to disclose exculpatory evidence to the defense. In the criminal context, it does not matter whether it was police officers, prosecuting attorneys, or administrative personnel who did not disclose the evidence and it does not matter whether the violation was intentional,…
Read MoreOn November 30, 2022, Kankakee County Circuit Court Judge Lindsay Parkhurst granted a motion to dismiss with prejudice in favor of the Manteno Community Fire Protection District and against a former probationary firefighter who had been employed for nine months before he was terminated by the District. The firefighter filed his first Complaint against the…
Read MoreJails are dangerous places for inmates and officers alike. Jail officials exercise substantial deferential discretion to manage security risks. The use of a Taser on an uncooperative, combative inmate is one reasonable option. In Hayden v. Stevenson, an unrestrained inmate at the DeKalb County Jail refused to enter a cellblock because he believed there were…
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