Kenneth, an inmate at Northern Nevada Correctional Center, suffered a series of strokes while incarcerated at Nevada Department of Corrections and alleges that he has been denied pain management and adequate follow-up care. He also alleges he smelled alcohol when he approached the doctor inside the facility and the doctor then threatened him. He filed a grievance and claimed retribution for accusations against the doctor for drinking at work. He filed a federal civil rights suit and seeks compensatory damages, punitive damages, and injunctive relief. He would like an attorney to assist him with his case through the Federal Pro Bono Program.
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Dayvid FiglerCase Number: 2022-011591
Carlos, an inmate at Lovelock Correctional Center filed a civil rights complaint seeking to obtain declaratory, injunctive and monetary relief to redress the injuries and damages suffered as a direct or proximate result of conduct of DOC employees. Plaintiff claims he was improperly designated a Sureno gang member at High Desert State Prison (HDSP) and denied an STG due process hearing regarding his improper validation. Plaintiff claims he is not affiliated with any gang and has received threats due to his denial of being a member of the Sureno gang. There was testimony at sentencing from a Las Vegas Police Officer that he was not a gang member and a ruling by the sentencing judge that he was not a gang member and thus not subject to the gang enhancement, which he shared with the case worker and institutional investigator, but he claims they did not care. He filed an informal grievance challenging the designation of gang member and denial of a due process hearing and, a week later, was placed in administrative segregation. While he was housed in administrative segregation at HDSP, he was allowed to access the yard for outdoor exercise only in a 10 x 10-foot cage for five-to-seven-hour stretches. The temperatures often exceeded 100 degrees, but the cages didn’t have any shade or water fountains. The cages also lacked urinals and toilets, and prisoners were not provided bathroom breaks. As a result, the cages were “encrusted with human feces and urine.” He was required to eat lunch in the cage. The cages were placed side-by-side, which allowed gang members to verbally harass him. He eventually declined yard time because of these conditions. He also did not have access to tier time, the gym, the library, jobs, or programs. He was permitted to shower once every three days. He was permitted only two phone calls and one hour-long, no-contact visit per week. He was permitted to spend only $50 per week in the canteen and limited to hygiene, writing, and correspondence items. He was not permitted to participate in the food and clothing package programs. He also endured 24-hour lockdowns because gang members kept threatening his life. He is seeking representation through the Federal Pro Bono Program. Next Deadline(s): Second Amended Complaint due 10/10/22.
Case Number: 2022-011700 (Pending Placement)
Stephen, an inmate at Ely State Prison, alleges the warden at High Desert State Prison authorized the use of a chemical agent to assist in extracting an inmate from a cell close to his own when he was in custody there in July 2020. He alleges the chemical agent seeped into his cell and caused him injuries to his nose and throat, blurred vision, and burnt skin. He lost his eyelashes because of it. He was taken to shower four hours later and given skin ointment by the pill-call nurse, but claims he never received an eye wash, respiratory exam, or any other medical attention for his injuries. As a result, he filed a federal complaint alleging violations of the Eighth Amendment. He is seeking representation through the Federal Pro Bono Program. Next Deadline(s): No deadlines at this time.
Case Number: 2022-015212 (Urgent)
Because of a serious motorcycle accident, Toney has a severe head injury that causes seizures. He was on an effective plan of care, including a regular medication, that proved to control seizures 97% of the time. In 2007, he was then diagnosed with a fungal infection in his left wrist that resulted in five surgeries and daily medication. He went into custody in 2016 and is currently at High Desert State Prison. He alleges that, in 2017, the defendants stopped administering the required medication for his seizures despite the medication’s common use in the medical field for seizures and the number of seizures he has had since has increased. He alleges they added fraudulent entries in his medical records to justify stopping the medication. He also alleges that, upon re-entry to the NDOC system in 2019, his left wrist brace, seizure medication, and anti-fungal medication were confiscated despite all being medically necessary. He also states he was cuffed on his left wrist without his brace, causing injury to his wrist. He eventually got a replacement brace after filing a grievance and other requests and he got his seizure medication back only after they witnessed a severe seizure. He got his anti-fungal medication back only after his wrist became re-infected. He filed a 1983 civil rights suit alleging 1st, 8th, and 14th amendment violations. He is in need of an attorney to represent him through the Federal Pro Bono Program. Next Deadline(s): Discovery due by 7/20/2023. Motions due by 9/19/2023. Proposed Joint Pretrial Order due by 10/19/2023.
Case Number: 2022-015805 (Urgent)
An inmate currently incarcerated at High Desert State Prison (HDSP) was allegedly assaulted and stabbed in his single-man cell while he was incarcerated at Ely State Prison in March 2018. He alleges prison gang members due to his unwillingness to associate with a prison gang. In addition, in September 2019, he broke both legs and ankles when he jumped over a high fence in an attempted escape from HDSP. He then underwent surgery and received braces and a wheelchair. After being returned to HDSP following surgery, he was placed on suicide watch. The cell where he was housed had excrement and urine stains and smelled strongly of disinfectant spray. The light was left on in his cell at night not allowing him adequate sleep. He reports he was left on the floor overnight after falling from his bed while attempting to get into his wheelchair. He claims he was denied adequate medical care and pain relief. When he filed medical grievances, he alleges they were ignored or denied because English is his second language and the grievances were not clearly written in English. He is claiming loss of property, placement in segregation without cause, wrongful transfer of from his prison account to allegedly pay fines associated with his attempted escape, lack of medical attention, and lack of accommodations for providing food because they placed his tray of food where he could not access it while in his wheelchair. As a result, he filed a 1983 civil rights law suit and is seeking monetary damages and injunctive relief. He would like representation through the Federal Pro Bono Program. Next Deadline(s): Status Conference 03/14/23 at 9 a.m.
Case Number: 2022-016252 (Urgent)
An inmate of High Desert State Prison filed a federal civil rights law suit because he alleges he was subjected to double jeopardy and was in custody from December 2010 to February 2017 when he should not have been. He states that he was incarcerated for multiple sentences and, on February 26, 2006, he received an institutional parole for his sentence. He then started another sentence on February 27, 2006 for the enhancement to his conviction that yielded the first sentence. He alleges this is a violation of the law and he asked for a hearing with the Nevada Parole Board to address it. His request was denied. On December 30, 2010, he states his sentences were overturned but not reflected in NDOC’s system. He is in need of someone to represent him in his federal civil action through the Federal Pro Bono Program.
Case Number: 2022-017132 (Urgent)
An inmate at Ely State Prison is suing multiple Defendants for events that took place while he was incarcerated at Ely State Prison. As of November 2021, he reports he resided in strict solitary isolation. Because of his placement in administrative segregation, he was subject to restrictions on daily activities, jobs, showering time, visitation, phone usage, and commissary options. These conditions caused him to suffer mental anguish, and he attempted suicide on several occasions. He claims he can no longer multitask or hold a conversation for longer than forty-five minutes and he experiences “quick mood displacement,” crying often. During the week of November 20, 2021, client informed prison personnel that he needed yard time. Then, during the week of December 2, 2021, client again asked several times for yard rights. Despite his requests, he did not receive an adequate level of 1-hour exercise yard daily. He submitted kites and grievances about these issues. He reports that he asked to have a hearing on his placement in solitary confinement. He filed a 1983 case alleging a 14th amendment due process claim, 8th amendment conditions-of-confinement claim, and an 8th amendment deliberate indifference to his mental health needs claim. He is in fear of retribution and believes his life is in imminent danger due to consistent harassment and threats. He is seeking monetary and injunctive relief. He would like representation through the Federal Pro Bono Program. Next Deadline(s): No upcoming deadlines.
Case Number: 2022-016770 (Urgent)
An inmate of Ely State Prison filed a civil rights suit alleging a violation a 14th Amendment Due Process violation because he was allegedly precluded presenting witnesses and/or documentary evidence at a disciplinary hearing. He is in need of an attorney through the Federal Pro Bono Program because the Court found that he has difficulty understanding the difference between re-litigating the underlying disciplinary proceeding and a due process violation, does not understand the legal process, has difficulties articulating his claims pro se, and may not fully understand the parameters of discovery. Next Deadline(s): No upcoming deadlines.
Case Number: 2023-000471
Plaintiff sues multiple defendants seeking monetary and injunctive relief for events that took place while he was being transferred from Southern Desert Correctional Center to Northern Nevada Correctional Center. Prior to 2021, Plaintiff suffered a series of strokes that left him paralyzed on his right side. Although he subsequently regained minimal function of his right side, he continues to suffer from severe pain in his legs, knees, and ankles, muscle spasms, and dysfunction in his left shoulder, wrists, knees, feet, and ankles. As a result, Plaintiff has limited mobility and he requires a walker to move around. On March 15, 2021, Plaintiff was scheduled to be transported from one facility to another. In order to transport him, correctional officers allegedly placed him in ankle and waist restraints and told him to step up into the van, which was two-and-a-half feet off the ground. Plaintiff, who was using a walker at the time, asked for an ADA van/vehicle but his request was allegedly ignored. Instead, he claims they violently tossed, slammed, and pushed him into the van, causing him to experience pain and injury to his shoulders, wrist, hip, neck, leg, and knees. He experienced pain throughout the 5 hour trip and extending beyond that. As a result, Plaintiff sues multiple defendants seeking monetary and injunctive relief and is in need of an attorney through the Federal Pro Bono Program to assist him with his lawsuit. Next Deadline(s): 120-Day Report due 5/12/2023.
Case Number: 2023-000843
An inmate at Florence McClure Correctional Center alleges that she completed a high school equivalency/GED certificate which should have entitled her to 60 days of credit toward her sentence. She also completed food handling safety classes titled ServSafe for which she alleges she should have been given credit for 30 merit days per state law. Upon learning that her sentence had not been reduced by the appropriate amount, she filed a grievance. Filing a grievance resulted in ‘severe retaliation’ which then escalated to a Notice of Charges. She was subsequently denied parole and believes it was due to the extreme character damage resulting from the retaliation and Notice of Charges. As a result, she filed a civil rights case alleging 1st Amendment retaliation and 14th Amendment due process violations and is seeking an attorney through the Federal Pro Bono Program. Next Deadline(s): Plaintiff has no upcoming deadlines. Defendants’ Answers to Amended Complaint are due 4/1/2023.