State Compassionate Releases

Covid-19 survivor gets released from prison! April 29, 2021 United States v. Lonich United States District Court for the Northern District of California 2021 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 81562 Covid-19 survivor granted compassionate release David Lonich is 66 years old and suffers from prostate cancer, hypertension, high cholesterol and sleep apnea. In October 2018, he was…

New Fifth Circuit Compassionate Release Ruling April 29, 2021 United States v. Cooper United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit 2021 U.S. App. LEXIS 12712 Compassionate release motion, first denied, to be reconsidered In 2010, Fred Joseph Cooper was convicted by a jury for two counts of possession with intent to distribute cocaine…

A long stacked sentence is reduced through compassionate release April 27, 2021 Stacked-Sentences Compassionate Release Order United States v. Derrick United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas, Dallas Division 2021 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 79199 Long stacked sentence reduced for inmate sentenced prior to First Step Act Derrick Damon Rainwater was sentenced to…

Last week, Judge Consuelo Marshall ruled that the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) must release low-risk offenders from Lompoc’s prison complex to home confinement. This decision came after the revelation that nearly 1,000 inmates have been infected by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). The lawsuit, originally presented by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Southern California,…

BOP’s Inmate Healthcare Policies Are Inhumane. In his first interview since his release from federal prison, Sal DiMasi has begun to speak out on the way that the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) treats inmate healthcare. The former Massachusetts Speaker of the House is now out on compassionate release, but his battle was hard-won. His goal…

With COVID-19 cases plaguing both state and federal prisons, inmates are seeking medical furloughs to reduce their exposure to the virus. However, many requests go unanswered or outright denied by the facility. The New Jersey Supreme Court ruled unanimously that these rejections are eligible for appeal. Medical Furloughs under NJ Executive order lacking The New…