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Abstract: 

Our regular review of important court decisions includes four federal appellate cases. In Riddick v. Barber (4th Cir. 2024), the court ruled that an involuntarily committed patient’s prolonged restraint and seclusion was such an extreme departure from professional standards that it violated due process; in Thomas v. City of Harrisburg (3rd Cir. 2023), the court denied qualified immunity to officers who failed to ensure that detainee suspected of ingesting cocaine was given proper medical care; in United States v. Handlon (11th Cir. 2024), the court ruled that an inmate’s father’s poor health and need for a caregiver did not constitute an extraordinary and compelling reason to justify a sentence reduction for a sex offender; and Jordan v. Eckstein (7th Cir. 2024), a federal district court ruled that mental health staff were not negligent or liable when schizophrenic inmate tried to commit suicide after request to be moved out of a crowded dormitory was denied.

Keywords: Prolonged Restraint; Overdose Deaths in Custody; Compassionate Release; Schizophrenia and Attempted Suicide

Affiliations:  1: Contributing Editor.