Featured Case: Challenge to Forced Labor Practices at Angola Prison Goes to Trial

Last month, the lawsuit challenging the forced labor practices at Angola prison in Louisiana went to trial in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana.   

The class action lawsuit, filed by grassroots organization Voice of the Experienced (VOTE), together with several men serving sentences in Louisiana, challenges the compulsory agricultural work, known as the "Farm Line," to which people are subjected to at the Louisiana State Penitentiary, or "Angola."  Over the course of litigation, the court has enjoined various aspects of the farm line, requiring the defendants to modify working conditions "to preserve human health and safety."  This has included requiring a certain number of tents on the field, heat alerts, breaks, and equipment to help abate heat.  This lawsuit is ongoing, and no post-trial ruling has yet been issued. 

Read more about the case and find relevant documents here.