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Virginia Prison Justice Network

Newsletter
7/15/18 Issue #11

About the Rights of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing being typed, may take longer than spoken
conversations.  Therefore, if a facility has a
Deaf and hard of hearing people serving prison insure that their programs and activities are rule that limits inmate telephone use to fifteen
terms are frequently denied basic due process accessible to handicapped persons. For example, minutes, they may need to extend this time for
rights and access to rehabilitation programs and correctional agencies should provide for the a deaf or hard of hearing inmate using a TTY. 
prison services because prison administrators availability of qualified interpreters (certified, The facility must also ensure that the deaf and
fail to understand their communication needs.  where possible, by a recognized certification hard of hearing inmates have the same hours
However, deaf and hard of hearing inmates have agency) to enable hearing-impaired inmates to of access to accessible telephone service as do
constitutional and statutory rights of access in participate on an equal basis with non-handi- other inmates. 
correctional facilities.  These rights are provid- capped inmates in the rehabilitation programs Some facilities limit TTY use to daytime
ing the impetus for many correctional systems offered by the correctional agencies (e.g., educa- hours because the office where a TTY is stored
to re-evaluate the services they have available to tional programs). is only open during those hours.  This violates
deaf and hard of hearing inmates. 45 Fed. Reg. 37630 (June 3, 1980). the ADA if other inmates can make telephone
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, 29 Under this regulation, a deaf or hard of hearing calls during evening or weekend hours.  No ap-
U.S.C. § 794, guarantees persons with disabilities inmate has a right to be provided with qualified pointments or written requests to use the TTY
equal access to any entity that receives federal interpreter services to enable him or her to par- should be required, if the same is not required
financial assistance, either directly or indirectly.  ticipate in or benefit from programs and services (continued on page 2)
Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act the prison offers other inmates, as well as at any
(ADA), 42 U.S.C. § 12141 et seq., now extends disciplinary or other proceedings.    Write to Delegate Lindsey
these same rights to inmates in all state and local Policies and procedures must also be modified,
During the 2018 General Assembly, Dele-
facilities.  The standards of accessibility are sim- in order to give deaf and hard of hearing in-
gate Joseph C. Lindsey, sponsored a bill to
ilar under these two laws.The U.S. Department mates access to accessible telecommunications
reverse current unjust law making it Ap-
of Justice Analysis of its Section 504 regulation equipment that is equal to the opportunity
pealable. HB 1312  Sentencing guidelines;
explains the specific obligations that jails and given to other inmates to make telephone calls. 
appeals. Sentence Guideline Amendment
prisons have as to deaf and hard of hearing For example, a facility must not only provide
Provision F.  
inmates.  a TTY or other effective telecommunications
This bill would have reversed the current
The analysis states: device, it must also allow sufficient time to use
unjust law making it Appealable.  The
[D]etention and correctional agencies must the device.  These conversations, if they are
purpose of a proposed amendment is to
eliminate disparity and achieve consisten-
From Senator Jennifer McClellan cy and fairness in sentencing by allowing
appellate review of the decision of a judge
SB 734 is a measure I introduced in 2015 and Virginia held in Fishback v. Commonwealth to depart from the sentencing guidelines
2016 to require law enforcement to record of Virginia that they should be. SB 100 recommendations.
custodial interrogations where practicable, requires new sentencing proceedings for The amendment will also prevent judges
and require the Department of Criminal those defendants convicted of nonviolent from justifying their departure on the
Justice Services to establish, publish, and felonies prior to the abolition of parole basis of factors that have already been
disseminate a model policy or guideline for who were sentenced before the date of considered in calculating the guidelines.
law-enforcement personnel for the record- Fishback decision.  While this bill reported A common practice that is so inherently
ing of custodial interrogations.  Initially a out of committee on an 8-7 vote, it failed to unfair and unjust. More importantly, the
recommendation of the Innocence Project pass the Senate on a 19-20 vote when one amendment will provide a review remedy
and drafted in consultation with law en- Republican changed his vote and another for presently incarcerated persons whose
forcement, this bill addresses the growing did not vote at all. I plan to work with Gov- sentences exceeds the guidelines recom-
concern over false confessions leading ernor Northam’s Administration to see if mendation.  
to the wrongful conviction of innocent anything can be done through the clemency This bill failed in the 2018 General Assem-
defendants by codifying what is quickly process to address these individuals bly.
becoming a best practice for law enforce- Contact the Senator to show your support RIHD requests that we all show appre-
ment.  This year, the Roosevelt Institute at for her work and let her know your stories ciation and support for Delegate Lindsey
George Mason University, a non-partisan, if you are a Fishback prisoner or someone by sending email,   card, letter requesting
student-run think tank focused on drafting with a custodial interrogation issue that he re-introduce his bill in 2019 General
and implementing policy proposals on the lead to a false conviction: Assembly Session.
state and local level, asked me to introduce
the bill again.  SB 734 failed to report out of District Office telephone:  (804) 698-7509 Delegate Joseph Lindsey, D
committee on a party-line 6-9 vote. Richmond Office (during session) Norfolk 90th District
P.O. Box 396 500 East Plume Street, Suite 105
Although Virginia abolished parole in 1995, Norfolk, Virginia 23510
Virginia juries were not instructed for an- Richmond, Virginia 23218
(757) 623-6522
other five years until the Supreme Court of DelJLindsey@house.virginia.gov
Page 2

(“Rights” continued from page 1) of hearing inmates must have access to relay 1995 places limitations on inmates seeking
for other inmates to use a telephone.  Finally, services. federal remedies for prison civil rights
some facilities prohibit inmates from using toll- In 2008, the U.S. Department of Justice pro- violations.   42 U.S.C. § 1997(e)(a).  Most
free “800” numbers or “711” access numbers to posed new rules for Title II of the Americans importantly, inmates may not pursue federal
reach a telecommunications relay service.  These with Disabilities Act (ADA), which apply to claims until they have exhausted all available
policies must be changed to enable deaf and hard state and local governments. Complaints can administrative remedies.  Therefore, before
of hearing inmates to reach the statewide TTY be filed with the U.S. Department of Justice filing a lawsuit, prisoners should make sure
or other relay service, mandated by Title IV of (Civil Rights Division,  950 Pennsylvania they have already attempted to resolve their
the ADA.  Relay services enable communication Avenue, NW, Disability Rights Section – complaint through the appropriate prison
between a deaf or hard of hearing person and NYAV, Washington, DC 20530) or in courts.  complaint procedures.
a person who uses a telephone.  Deaf and hard However, the Prison Litigation Reform Act of

Transparency in the Courts


A new law goes into effect Sunday, July 1, that uals will be able to dive into the information for “It never occurred to us that we should back
gives people sweeping access to Virginia court re- the first time (and) be able to help us make our down,” Solomon said. “We felt we needed to see
cords — a goal sought by the Daily Press for years justice system more fair,” he said.  Daily Press it through.”  For an attorney such as Whitfield,
and realized this year when legislators endorsed Editor-in-Chief and Publisher Marisa Porto, who having access to bulk data means the sky’s the
new legislation to make it a reality.  The win for served as vice president of content until former limit when it comes to analyzing trends.  “Our
transparency in the criminal court division means publisher Digby Solomon’s retirement in 2016, courts system is the third branch of government,”
Virginians can search for data patterns. These called the law a win-win for every Virginian.  Whitfield said. “It’s an awfully important part of
searches can reveal information such as the aver- “Without the court data, Virginians couldn’t re- our government. Having the data of how those
age punishment for dangerous crimes in Hamp- main informed about how its citizens were being courts are operating — having it freely available
ton Roads, the number of felons convicted and treated,” she said. “This new law shines a light — seems like a healthy thing for a democracy.”
jailed for possessing a gun, and racial disparities on the commonwealth’s court system so we can Reaching a compromise
when it comes to plea bargains.   “When you go use that information to determine if we’re really While the Supreme Court ruled against the Daily
to court in this state or any other state, your life doing the best we can.” Press in June 2017, the legal battle caught the at-
changes,” said Daily Press reporter David Ress, Legal battle tention of legislators, who worked with the Daily
who realized early on the importance of having The inability to be able to get this kind of infor- Press, the Virginia Press Association, the Virginia
access to public court records.  “It’s vital to know mation led the Daily Press to sue the OES for Courts Association and other stakeholders to
that when you go to court, you’re getting a fair access to the records in 2015. Solomon and Porto work on legislation that would allow access to the
deal, you’re getting justice, and the people of the were at the helm when Ress was stonewalled in his aggregate data.  “The Supreme Court generally
community are getting justice. So the data here search for information on legal trends. The data took the position of what the law was, but were
matters because it’s a way of asking, ‘Is justice Ress sought is compiled by the state’s court clerks, willing to discuss what the law should be to try
working in Virginia?’” who were of the opinion that they controlled their to promote access,” Habeeb said.    By January,
How the law works court’s data and it was up to them to say whether the legislators had filed a few bills — House
The law allows people to make requests for to release it, said John Whitfield, an attorney and Bill 780 and Senate Bill 564 — and within a few
bulk data to the Office of the Executive Secre- co-chairman of the Virginia Access to Justice months, the bills had passed with no issues and
tary, which has to fulfill the request in 30 days. Commission. Whitfield wanted to know, for were on Gov. Ralph Northam’s desk for final ap-
Names, birthdays and Social Security numbers example, the percentage of Virginians who go to proval.  “This is one of those examples where two
are not included in the bulk data requests.  The court without a lawyer. He worked with the Na- Democrats joined in with two very conservative
law also directs the OES to create an online case tional Center for State Courts, which produced Republicans, worked with all the organizations
information database — essentially allowing the Virginia Self-Represented Litigant Study in involved, put a bill forward together, and it
someone to search by name to see what offenses March.  “They had a dickens of a time trying to get passed unanimously,” Mason said.  Ferguson, the
that person has across Virginia — by July 1, circuit court data,” he said.  The NCSC received clerks association president, said clerks serve the
2019. Right now, someone would have to search data from 33 circuit courts — roughly 38 percent public and want to facilitate public information
manually through each jurisdiction in the state to of the statewide circuit court caseload — leading requests, but they also want to protect people’s
get that information.  It doesn’t address civil re- to an incomplete study.  The clerks’ reasoning personal data.  “We try to balance those com-
cords, something Del. Mike Mullin, D-Newport for denying requests was that releasing the data peting interests and we feel that this legislation
News, and Sen. Monty Mason, D-Williamsburg, could be requested by data-mining companies provides adequate protection for people and at
said they want to address in the future. The two and prompt identity theft, said Paul Ferguson, the same time allow for information access that
were adamant supporters of getting the law for president of the Virginia Clerks Association and the public could actually want,” he said.  Porto
accessing criminal records changed, along with the circuit court clerk in Arlington County.  It also and Solomon said they never hesitated to fight for
Del. Greg Habeeb, R-Salem, and state Sen. Mark ran the risk of not being totally accurate past the the freedom of information.  “That’s, at the end
Obenshain, R-Harrisonburg. day the request was fulfilled, as the database is of the day, what newspapers do,” Solomon said.
The bill also doesn’t address data from juvenile constantly changing.  In the meantime, through “They help people get the information they need
and domestic relations courts because those cases the help of civic-minded computer engineers, to be informed citizens and vote intelligently.”
aren’t currently online, but Habeeb said that was the Daily Press recreated the database, obtaining What’s excluded from bulk data requests
something he hoped the General Assembly would 17 years’ worth of circuit court criminal case -Name, Date of birth, Social security number
tackle next session.Mullin said he’d like to request records, 12 years of circuit court civil case records How to file a bulk data request
data related to simple possession of marijuana and seven years of general district court records, -Address it to the Office of the Executive Secretary
charges and see whether he can uncover any pat- available at virginiacourtdata.org. (100 N 9th St #3, Richmond, VA 23219)
terns in the way the state criminal justice system Circuit Court Judge David Pugh in Newport -Include your name and legal address
prosecutes those types of cases.  “Our hope is News ruled in the clerks’ favor in 2016, and the -Identify the requested records with “reasonable
that over the course of the next year, newspapers, Daily Press appealed it to the Virginia Supreme specificity”
public interest groups and just interested individ- Court.
Page 3
CNN:   Esposas, ataques y dr0gas que se llaman ‘vitaminas’: niños afirman que han sufrido
graves abusos en instalaciones de detención de inmigrantes (Junio 2018)
Un año antes de que la política del gobierno los funcionarios dijeron que están bien equipa- lizados en Brownsville, Texas, que la CNN visitó
Trump “tolerancia cero” diera lugar a más de dos para satisfacer las necesidades de los niños la semana pasada, a los centros de detención de
2.300 niños separados de sus familias en la bajo su cuidado. La agencia dijo que es necesario menores. Las instalaciones donde se llevan a
frontera en un período de cinco semanas, un es- satisfacer la creciente demanda.  John Doe 2 cabo a menudo no publicitan sus ubicaciones y
tudiante de noveno grado en McAllen, Texas, cuenta otro lado de la historia. Cuando intentó bloquean a periodistas o legisladores para que no
fue separado de su madre.  Él viajaba en el auto huir del primer refugio en el que fue internado vean las condiciones.  Algunos niños en el siste-
con amigos. El adolescente, traído ilegalmente al después de dos meses de estar allí y comenzó a ma cruzaron la frontera solos, a menudo huyen-
país por su madre, no pudo mostrarle a un hacerse daño y a meterse en peleas, dijo que lo do de la violencia en sus países de origen. Otros
policía su identificación. La policía llamó a fun- trasladaron a Virginia, Shenandoah, al Centro llegaron con sus familias y se separaron, incluso
cionarios de inmigración, quienes arrestaron al de Detención Juvenil Valley Juvenile Center, antes de la nueva política. Aún otros, como John
niño y lo enviaron al refugio para niños inmi- destinado a algunos de los jóvenes detenidos in- Doe 2, han vivido en los Estados Unidos durante
grantes no acompañados.  John Doe 2, como se migrantes más peligrosos.  Él dice que su admin- años y carecen de ciudadanía. Independiente-
le denomina en los documentos legales vigentes istrador de caso le dijo que había sido transferido mente de sus orígenes, todos ingresan al mismo
para impugnar su detención, se convirtió en uno allí por problemas de comportamiento. Esa afir- sistema.  Los abogados de inmigración están
de los miles atrapados en una red de refugios e mación está respaldada por documentos legales batallando contra el gobierno federal sobre las
instalaciones de mayor seguridad que albergan a de la instalación, que dicen que fue diagnostica- condiciones en estas instalaciones, argumentan-
menores indocumentados, que ahora están reci- do con condiciones que incluyen déficit de do que no se ha respetado un acuerdo de alto
biendo gran atención a medida que más niños atención, ansiedad y trastorno explosivo inter- perfil en 1997 que dicta cómo se trata a los niños
están entrando en este sistema.  Los abogados de mitente.  Su llegada allí marcó la última vez que dentro del sistema, conocido como el acuerdo de
inmigración que trabajan directamente con respiraría aire fresco durante meses, dijo el ado- Flores. Algunas de las acusaciones recientes
niños inmigrantes dicen que algunas de estas in- lescente en una declaración legal jurada en enero. contienen cientos de páginas de declaraciones de
stalaciones brindan la mejor atención posible, Estaba tan molesto consigo mismo que le re- primera mano, que detallan los abusos de los
dadas las circunstancias. Y un gran refugio en spondió y atacó al personal, que según él hablaba niños, los registros médicos, el papeleo de admis-
Brownsville, Texas, que abrió sus puertas para ofensivamente de él y otros niños hispanos en ión, así como la correspondencia interna y el de-
una gira de medios la semana pasada, parecía inglés, sin saber que él podía entender.  Ese epi- bate entre los abogados y el gobierno federal.
estar limpio y bien dotado de personal en ese sodio causó que lo ataran y lo hirieran, Hay otra demanda colectiva separada contra
momento.  Sin embargo, John Doe 2 aterrizó en dijo.   “Agarraron mis manos y las ataron atrás Shenandoah por “condiciones inconstitucionales
una esquina mucho más problemático del siste- para que yo no pueda moverme”. Algunas veces que conmocionan la conciencia”, una denuncia
ma, de acuerdo a una declaración jurada en pri- usan bolígrafos para hincarme en las costillas, a de Shenandoah niega.  En la actualidad, cerca de
mera persona en una demanda contra el gobierno veces me sujetan la mandíbula con las manos”, 11.800 niños están alojados en más de 100 insta-
federal por detención ilegal e inadecuado de los dijo en su declaración. “Son más grandes que yo. laciones en 17 estados diferentes, según la Ofici-
niños. Su relato es uno de los muchos que relatan El médico de aquí me dio ibuprofeno para el do- na de Reasentamiento de Refugiados, que está
el abandono, asalto y otros abusos horribles que lor”.    En esta misma instalación, dijo, a veces lo obligada a hacerse cargo de los niños dentro de
habrían sufrido en las instalaciones.  Las denun- mantenían esposado y luego lo ataban a una silla las 72 horas de su detención inicial por las auto-
cias de estos documentos, así como los informes cubriéndole el rostro. Este castigo fue descrito en ridades de inmigración. Con muchos de estos, el
de inspección de las instalaciones y otras deman- al menos otras cinco declaraciones de los niños, gobierno ha estado luchando por encontrar
das, van desde las condiciones insalubres y la incluido uno que había quedado desnudo, atado camas adicionales para los niños.  No está claro
monitorización invasiva de correo electrónico y a la silla durante más de dos días.  En los docu- cuántas personas están protegidas, pero los da-
las llamadas telefónicas a las salas sin aire mentos judiciales, Shenandoah negó cualquier tos de ORR citados en los registros judiciales
acondicionado en los veranos tan calientes de ataque a los residentes, pero reconoció que los muestran que dichas instalaciones recibieron
Texas, y que a los niños se les dan cócteles de miembros del personal utilizaron el confin- más de 800 ingresos en el año fiscal 2017.  Los
medicamentos psicotrópicos disfrazados de vita- amiento y las restricciones cuando los residentes expertos que se oponen a la política de sepa-
minas. En una instalación, los niños relataron estaban peleando entre sí.  “Cuando se utiliza la ración infantil, incluida la Asociación Médica
que se los mantenía presionados para recibir in- silla de emergencia, los residentes se ven restrin- Estadounidense y el Consejo Nacional de Jueces
yecciones forzosas, que según los registros gidos por sus brazos, piernas y torso, y se coloca de Juzgados y Juzgados de Familia, dicen que
médicos son poderosos antipsicóticos y sedantes.  una máscara de escupir en el residente para evitar incluso se ha demostrado que separar y detener
Este es el sistema al que los niños de familias que el personal sea escupido o mordido”, afirmó brevemente a los niños les causa un daño durade-
separadas están entrando. Y, aun después del la instalación. En una declaración a CNN, dijo ro.  Algunas de las instalaciones menos restricti-
decreto que Donald Trump firmó el miércoles, que la organización “Shenandoah Valley Centro vas han sido señaladas por los reguladores por
presentado como una manera de poner fin a la de Menores cree que las denuncias de la demanda problemas, incluidos los de Southwest Key Pro-
separación de las familias inmigrantes, sigue carecen de fundamento y esperan con interés la grams y BCFS Health and Human Services, dos
siendo el sistema en el que entran los niños que ya oportunidad de presentar pruebas que permitan de los mayores receptores de subvenciones gu-
están separados, y miles de otros niños indocu- a un jurado de llegar a la misma conclusión”.  bernamentales. Y cuando el trauma puede hacer
mentados.  “Parece que hay un nivel de intención John Doe 2 todavía estaba en Shenandoah en que los niños actúen mal, los niños pueden ser
cruel que nunca antes había visto y una indifer- enero, cuando dio su declaración. “Estoy frustra- trasladados o “intensificados” rápidamente a in-
encia real por el bienestar de un niño”, dijo Holly do por estar encerrado y extraño a mi familia”, stalaciones más restrictivas, donde los niños y
Cooper, una de los muchos abogados que impug- dijo.  El jueves, en respuesta a las acusaciones, el sus abogados dicen que son tratados como pri-
nan la detención de menores por parte del gobi- gobernador Ralph Northam de Virginia anunció sioneros. En última instancia, su destino puede
erno. Cooper visita regularmente las instala- una investigación de las instalaciones de Shenan- depender de la instalación donde el gobierno de
ciones y representa a un número de niños doah.  El gobierno de Estados Unidos reparte EE.UU. decida colocarlos.
inmigrantes como codirectora de la Clínica de alrededor de 1.000 millones de dólares a organi-
Leyes de Inmigración en la Universidad de Cali- zaciones no lucrativas y agencias gubernamen- Published by the Coalition for Justice
fornia, Davis.  La Oficina de Reubicación de Re- tales locales cada año para alojar y proporcionar
PO Box 299
fugiados no respondió a las reiteradas solicitudes servicios a los niños migrantes detenidos, en las
de información. Pero en una llamada de prensa, instalaciones que van desde los Walmart reuti- Blacksburg, VA 24063

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