Case: U.S. v. Mississippi

3:94-cv-00115 | U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi

Filed Date: March 9, 1994

Closed Date: 1999

Clearinghouse coding complete

Case Summary

On July 23, 1990, the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) instituted an investigation into the conditions of confinement at the Boswell Retardation Center in Sanitorium, Mississippi, pursuant to the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act (CRIPA), 42 U.S.C. § 1997. The investigation was instituted due to concerns that the constitutional rights of the residents at Boswell were being violated by inadequate staffing, abuse, neglect, misuse of restraints, inadequate record-keeping, and…

On July 23, 1990, the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) instituted an investigation into the conditions of confinement at the Boswell Retardation Center in Sanitorium, Mississippi, pursuant to the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act (CRIPA), 42 U.S.C. § 1997. The investigation was instituted due to concerns that the constitutional rights of the residents at Boswell were being violated by inadequate staffing, abuse, neglect, misuse of restraints, inadequate record-keeping, and failure to provide treatment.

On November 21, 1991, the DOJ issued a findings letter to the State of Mississippi, informing the governor that their investigation had revealed unconstitutional conditions at Boswell, including undue restraint on residents, inadequate staffing, inadequate psychiatric care, poor record-keeping, and a physical environment which threatens the health and safety of residents.

On March 9, 1994, the DOJ filed a lawsuit against the State of Mississippi under 42 U.S.C. § 1997 in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi. The complaint alleged that the defendants were violating the constitutional rights of the residents at Boswell. On March 10, 1994, the District Court (Judge Tom S. Lee) adopted an agreed order filed jointly by the parties to the lawsuit.

On March 31, 1999, the parties filed a joint motion for dismissal. The District Court (Judge Lee) granted the motion and dismissed the case.

Summary Authors

Kristen Sagar (3/21/2007)

People


Judge(s)

Lee, Tom Stewart (Mississippi)

Attorney for Plaintiff

Deutsch, David (District of Columbia)

Dunne, John R. (District of Columbia)

Lynn, Daniel E. (District of Columbia)

Attorney for Defendant

Moore, Mike (Mississippi)

Documents in the Clearinghouse

Documents in this case

3:94-cv-00115

Docket (PACER)

March 31, 1999

March 31, 1999

Docket

3:94-cv-00115

Notice Letter re: CRIPA Investigation of Boswell Retardation Center, Sanatorium, Mississippi

No Court

July 23, 1990

July 23, 1990

Notice of Investigation or Suit/Demand Letter

Findings Letter re: CRIPA Investigation of Boswell Retardation Center, Sanatorium, Mississippi

No Court

Nov. 21, 1991

Nov. 21, 1991

Findings Letter/Report
1

3:94-cv-00115

Agreed Order

March 9, 1994

March 9, 1994

Order/Opinion
1

3:94-cv-00115

Complaint

March 9, 1994

March 9, 1994

Complaint

Docket

Last updated March 28, 2025, 8:07 a.m.

ECF Number Date Description Link
1 March 9, 1994

COMPLAINT Filing Fee waived ; (lwe) (Entered: 03/09/1994)

PACER
March 9, 1994

Magistrate Judge Assignment - Alfred G. Nicols, Jr. (lwe) (Entered: 03/09/1994)

PACER
2 March 10, 1994

AGREED ORDER: The parties to this action having agreed to the provisions in the Agreed Order set forth, and the Court being advised in the premises, this Agreed Order is hereby entered as the ORDER and JUDGMENT of this Court. ( signed by Judge Tom S. Lee ); copies mailed. (csf) Modified on 09/07/1994 (Entered: 03/14/1994)

PACER
March 10, 1994

Boswell Retardation Center Plan of Implementation - 1994 - One volume. (csf) (Entered: 03/14/1994)

PACER
March 10, 1994

Case closed. (csf) (Entered: 03/14/1994)

PACER
3 Sept. 6, 1994

MOTION by movant MS Protection System, movant Glen Allen Porter, movant Thomas W. Talkington to Vacate [2-1] order (an) (Entered: 09/07/1994)

PACER
4 Sept. 16, 1994

NOTICE of motion to vacate consent decree before Judge Tom S. Lee by movant MS Protection System, movant Glen Allen Porter, movant Thomas W. Talkington (spc) (Entered: 09/16/1994)

PACER
5 Sept. 29, 1994

JOINT MOTION by plaintiff United States, defendant State of Mississippi to Extend Time to respond to Motion to Vacate Consent Decree (fe) (Entered: 09/30/1994)

PACER
6 Sept. 29, 1994

ORDER granting [5-1] joint motion to Extend Time to respond to Motion to Vacate Consent Decree, Response to Motion reset to 10/15/94 for [3- 1] motion to Vacate [2-1] order ( signed by Judge Tom S. Lee ); copies mailed. (fe) (Entered: 09/30/1994)

PACER
7 Oct. 3, 1994

Notice of Service of First Set of Interrogatories by movant MS Protection System to all defendants. (sec) (Entered: 10/04/1994)

PACER
8 Oct. 3, 1994

FIRST REQUEST for Admissions by movant MS Protection System to defendant State of Mississippi, defendant Kirk Fordice, defendant Albert Randel Hendrix, defendant Roger McMurtry, defendant Suzie Lassiter (sec) (Entered: 10/04/1994)

PACER
10 Oct. 11, 1994

Second Quarter Report on the Impllementation of the Agreed Order between the U. S. Department of Justice and Boswell Regional Center by defendant Suzie Lassiter. (sec) (Entered: 10/12/1994)

PACER
11 Oct. 17, 1994

RESPONSE by defendant State of Mississippi, defendant Kirk Fordice, defendant Albert Randel Hendrix, defendant Roger McMurtry, defendant Suzie Lassiter to [3-1] motion to Vacate [2-1] order by movants (lwe) (Entered: 10/18/1994)

PACER
12 Oct. 17, 1994

RESPONSE by plaintiff United States to [3-1] motion to Vacate [2-1] order by movants (lwe) (Entered: 10/19/1994)

PACER
13 Oct. 25, 1994

MOTION by movant MS Protection System to Extend Time to Reply to Defendants' Response (fe) (Entered: 10/28/1994)

PACER
14 Oct. 27, 1994

ORDER granting [13-1] motion to Extend Time to Reply to Defendants' Response, Reply to Response to Motion reset to 11/4/94 for [3-1] motion to Vacate [2-1] order ( signed by Judge Tom S. Lee ); copies mailed. (fe) (Entered: 10/28/1994)

PACER
15 Nov. 7, 1994

RESPONSE by movant MS Protection System in support of [3-1] motion to Vacate [2-1] order by movants (cwl) (Entered: 11/08/1994)

PACER
16 Nov. 23, 1994

Supplemental RESPONSE by plaintiff United States in opposition to [3- 1] motion to Vacate [2-1] order by movants (cwl) (Entered: 11/23/1994)

PACER
17 Jan. 9, 1995

Third Quarterly Report filed by Department of Mental Health. (spc) (Entered: 01/10/1995)

PACER
18 April 10, 1995

REPORT TO THE COURT by Boxwell Regional Center Mississippi Department of Mental Health (thr) (Entered: 04/10/1995)

PACER
19 May 3, 1995

MEMORANDUM OPINION and ORDER denying [3-1] motion to Vacate [2-1] order ( signed by Judge Tom S. Lee ) ;copies mailed. ob: 1995 page: 1115-1119 (thr) (Entered: 05/03/1995)

PACER
20 May 18, 1995

MOTION by movant MS Protection System to Amend [19-1] order (thr) (Entered: 05/18/1995)

PACER
21 June 5, 1995

RESPONSE by defendants State of Mississippi, Kirk Fordice, Albert Randel Hendrix, Roger McMurtry, Suzie Lassiter to [20-1] motion to Amend [19-1] order by movant (thr) (Entered: 06/05/1995)

PACER
22 June 20, 1995

ORDER denying [20-1] motion to Amend [19-1] order ( signed by Judge Tom S. Lee ); copies mailed. (thr) (Entered: 06/20/1995)

PACER
23 July 27, 1995

FIFTH QUARTER REPORT TO THE COURT by Boswell Regional Center Mississippi Department of Mental Health (thr) (Entered: 07/27/1995)

PACER
24 Oct. 24, 1995

SIXTH QUARTER REPORT TO THE COURT by Boswell Regional Center Mississippi Department of Mental Health (thr) (Entered: 10/24/1995)

PACER
25 Jan. 19, 1996

SEVENTH REPORT TO THE COURT by Boswell Regional Center Mississippi Department of Mental Health (thr) (Entered: 01/19/1996)

PACER
26 April 12, 1996

EIGHTH REPORT TO THE COURT by Boswell Regional Center Mississippi Department of Mental Health (thr) (Entered: 04/15/1996)

PACER
27 July 15, 1996

Ninth Quarter REPORT TO THE COURT from Boswell Regional Center. (spc) (Entered: 07/16/1996)

PACER
28 Oct. 16, 1996

Tenth Quarter REPORT TO THE COURT from Boswell Regional Center (thr) (Entered: 10/16/1996)

PACER
29 Jan. 14, 1997

Eleventh Quarter REPORT TO THE COURT by Boswell Regional Center (fe) (Entered: 01/14/1997)

PACER
30 April 21, 1997

Twelfth Quarter REPORT TO THE COURT by Boswell Regional Center (thr) (Entered: 04/21/1997)

PACER
31 July 14, 1997

Thirteenth Quarter REPORT TO THE COURT by Boswell Regional Center (thr) (Entered: 07/15/1997)

PACER
32 Oct. 23, 1997

Thirteenth Ouarter REPORT TO THE COURT by Boswell Regional Center (thr) (Entered: 10/24/1997)

PACER
33 Jan. 27, 1998

STIPULATION as to plaintiff United States, defendant Kirk Fordice, et al, by Judge Tom S. Lee, copies mailed. (thr) Modified on 01/27/1998 (Entered: 01/27/1998)

PACER
34 Jan. 29, 1998

Fifteenth Quarter REPORT TO THE COURT by Boswell Regional Center (thr) (Entered: 01/29/1998)

PACER
35 April 21, 1998

Sixteenth Quarter REPORT TO THE COURT by Boswell Regional Center (thr) (Entered: 04/21/1998)

PACER
36 July 17, 1998

Seventeenth Quarterly REPORT TO THE COURT by Boswell Regional Center (thr) (Entered: 07/20/1998)

PACER
37 Oct. 14, 1998

Eighteenth Quarterly REPORT TO THE COURT by Boswell Retional Center (thr) (Entered: 10/14/1998)

PACER
38 Jan. 20, 1999

Nineteenth Quarterly REPORT TO THE COURT by Boswell Regional Center (thr) (Entered: 01/22/1999)

PACER
39 March 29, 1999

JOINT MOTION by plaintiff United States, defendant Kirk Fordice, et al to Dismiss Order vacating the 3/10/94 Agreed Order (thr) Modified on 03/31/1999 (Entered: 03/30/1999)

PACER
40 March 31, 1999

ORDER granting [39-1] joint motion to Dismiss Order vacating the 3/10/94 Agreed Order. This case is dismissed, the injunction dissolved and jurisdiction of this court is terminated. ( signed by Judge Tom S. Lee ); copies mailed. (thr) (Entered: 03/31/1999)

PACER

Case Details

State / Territory:

Mississippi

Case Type(s):

Intellectual Disability (Facility)

Special Collection(s):

Multi-LexSum (in sample)

Key Dates

Filing Date: March 9, 1994

Closing Date: 1999

Case Ongoing: No

Plaintiffs

Plaintiff Description:

United States Department of Justice

Plaintiff Type(s):

U.S. Dept of Justice plaintiff

Public Interest Lawyer: Yes

Filed Pro Se: No

Class Action Sought: No

Class Action Outcome: Not sought

Defendants

State

Boswell Retardation Center

Facility Type(s):

Government-run

Case Details

Causes of Action:

Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act (CRIPA), 42 U.S.C. § 1997 et seq.

Other Dockets:

Southern District of Mississippi 3:94-cv-00115

Available Documents:

Complaint (any)

Findings Letter/Report

Injunctive (or Injunctive-like) Relief

Trial Court Docket

Outcome

Prevailing Party: Plaintiff OR Mixed

Relief Granted:

Injunction / Injunctive-like Settlement

Source of Relief:

Settlement

Form of Settlement:

Court Approved Settlement or Consent Decree

Order Duration: 1994 - 1999

Issues

General/Misc.:

Neglect by staff

Record-keeping

Staff (number, training, qualifications, wages)

Disability and Disability Rights:

Intellectual/developmental disability, unspecified

Least restrictive environment

Jails, Prisons, Detention Centers, and Other Institutions:

Assault/abuse by staff (facilities)

Habilitation (training/treatment)

Restraints (physical)

Medical/Mental Health Care:

Mental health care, general

Recommended Citation