Medically vulnerable individuals in federal criminal custody at Elkton filed a putative class action seeking release, transfer, and other relief due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The district court had found the individuals were likely to succeed on the merits of their Eighth Amendment deliberate indifference claims and entered a preliminary injunction ordering evaluation of the class members for transfer or release. The BOP appealed on jurisdictional grounds and on the merits; the Sixth Circuit held that although section 2241 habeas was the proper vehicle for seeking release, the individuals had failed to show a likelihood of an Eighth Amendment violation given the mitigating measures undertaken by the prison. Accordingly, the Sixth Circuit vacated the preliminary injunction.
Wilson v. Williams, No. 20-3447 (6th Cir. Jun. 9, 2020)
DETAILS
Decision
Date
6/9/2020
Practice Area
Criminal (Federal Charges)
Relief Requested
Preliminary Injunction (PI), Release, Transfer
Type of Court
Federal Appellate Court
Location
Ohio
Type of Case
Class Action
Case Characteristics
Elderly, Post-Conviction Detention [jail or prison], Pre-Existing Health Conditions
Release Granted
No
Compassionate Release Case
Yes
Case Tracking Number
4:20-cv-00794-JG
MORE CASE INFORMATION
Court Name
6th Cir.
Decision
Motion Denied
Place of Incarceration
Federal Prison
Name of Facility
Elkton Federal Correctional Institution
Legal Authority
Eighth Amendment - Deliberate Indifference
Legal Authority
§ 2241 Habeas
Case Status
Decision Made
Class Action Medically Vulnerable People
Individuals age sixty-five and older and those with medical conditions posing additional risk of severe harm from COVID-19
COVID-19 Positive or Symptomatic
Not discussed
COVID-19 in Jail Prison or Detention Center
Yes
Organization Legal Filings Templates and Decisions
ACLU of Ohio; Ohio Justice & Policy Center; Disability Rights Ohio
Litigation Database
Crowdsourced legal documents from around the country related to COVID-19 and incarceration, organized, collected, and summarized for public defenders, litigators, and other advocates. Created and managed by Bronx Defenders, Columbia Law School’s Center for Institutional and Social Change, UCLA Law COVID-19 Behind Bars Data Project, and Zealous. Mostly federal court opinions, but now expanding to states and legal filings, declarations, and exhibits.
This resource is designed to help lawyers, advocates, researchers, journalists, and others interested in challenging, remedying, or drawing attention to the grave risk that Covid-19 poses to individuals who are detained.