Plaintiff is a pro se prisoner bringing an action pursuant to Section 1983 against two correctional officers. Plaintiff alleges First Amendment violations relating to his right to freely exercise his religion. He further alleges that Defendants used excessive force. In particular, Plaintiff claims that on several occasions he was told to take his religious hat off and fears that he is being retaliated against for being Muslim. Plaintiff also asserts that defendants used excessive force by putting him into leg and hand restraints and kicking and punching him repeatedly all over his body in a medical cell. If interested, please email FLSD_ProBono@flsd.uscourts.gov
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Plaintiff is a pro se prisoner and combat veteran suing the United States of America under the Federal Tort Claims Act for negligence, medical malpractice, and abuse as a result of inadequate medical treatment when he visited six Veteran Affairs hospitals over the course of ten years. There is a pending motion to dismiss in this case. If interested, please email FLSD_ProBono@flsd.uscourts.gov
Plaintiff brings this action pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983, alleging that Defendant City of Hollywood violated his right to be free from excessive force under the Fourth Amendment. Plaintiff LeCharles Coakley alleges that while being arrested for trespass and loitering, he was attached by a K-9 officer, beaten with police batons, and dragged by his ankle with a rope until his ankle was dislocated. In his Complaint, Plaintiff submits documentation indicating that the underlying charges stemming from his arrest were dropped due to the states failure to establish reasonable suspicion. This case is set for trial on September 13, 2021. If interested, please email FLSD_ProBono@flsd.uscourts.gov
Plaintiff, a pro se prisoner at Dade Correctional Institution, filed a civil rights action pursuant to 42 U.S.C. section 1983 alleging abuse by a number of employees of the institutions in which he has been incarcerated. Plaintiffs complaint alleges three claims: a claim of deliberate indifference to his serious medical needs, a claim Defendants violated the Eighth Amendment's prohibition on cruel and unusual punishment, and a claim Defendants violated his Fourteenth Amendment right to due process. Plaintiff states he suffers from a number of mental illnesses for which he was denied treatment. Because of Plaintiff's self-reported mental illness, he seeks a volunteer lawyer to represent him in his case. Summary judgment has been granted for the Defendants; Plaintiff has appealed.
If interested, please email FLSD_ProBono@flsd.uscourts.gov
In this section 1983 action, Plaintiff, Norberto Iglesias, alleges numerous Defendants employed by the Florida Department of Corrections and Inspector Generals Office violated his Eighth Amendment rights. Plaintiff additionally asserts state law claims of gross negligence and civil RICO. Plaintiff states he witnessed, on multiple occasions, certain Defendants sell firearms, ammunition, TEXTER C-4, and GPS cellular telephones to the inmates at Everglades Correctional Institution. Plaintiff claims he made several formal and informal requests to other Defendants regarding this matter but never received a response. Plaintiff alleges he was the victim of retaliation by another inmate who was hired to attack and kill him. During the attack, Plaintiff was stabbed 19 times and sustained life-threatening injuries. Plaintiff is now blind in his left eye. Plaintiff maintains the Defendants were aware of these illegal activities and deliberately refused to act or protect him from harm. Plaintiff is now seeking $2,000,000 in compensatory and punitive damages. Plaintiffs claims survived Defendants Motion to Dismiss, and the case is currently closed pending Plaintiffs filing of a response to Defendants Motion for Summary Judgment.
If interested, please email FLSD_ProBono@flsd.uscourts.gov
Plaintiff, Stephen Brent McNeely, has filed a claim under 28 U.S.C. section 1983 against Defendant, Sergeant Salmon, a former employee at South Florida Reception Center, alleging violations of the Eighth Amendment. Specifically, Mr. McNeely alleges Defendant used excessive force by grabbing and twisting Plaintiffs neck until he was on the ground, causing a neck injury and ongoing pain. Plaintiff further alleges Defendant was deliberately indifferent in response to Plaintiffs declared mental health emergency by telling Plaintiff he didn't care if he cut his own throat, resulting in Plaintiff cutting his own throat and needing approximately 40 stitches.
Defendant has answered the complaint, and discovery will begin soon.
If interested, please email FLSD_ProBono@flsd.uscourts.gov
Pro se Plaintiff Jean Baptiste Mackenson filed a 42 U.S.C. § 1983 complaint again Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw. Plaintiff was arrested on November 14, 2018 on an alleged felony violation and transported to the Palm Beach County Jail, where he was detained pending a bond hearing. After being granted bond, Plaintiff posted his bond on March 17, 2019. Plaintiff filed a motion requesting entry of an order directing his immediate release to home confinement, as per the conditions of his bond. Despite posting bond, plaintiff was held pursuant to a 48-hour Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) hold. ICE never obtained custody of Plaintiff, and he remained in custody until he pled guilty in December 2020. Defendant has filed a motion to dismiss Plaintiffs excessive continued detention complaint. Plaintiff has not filed a response.
If interested, please email williams@flsd.uscourts.gov.
Plaintiff Juan C. Pena Bejerano has filed a civil rights action pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983, alleging that his constitutional rights were violated when he was unlawfully detained for the purpose of being declared a Sexually Violent Predator after the expiration of his criminal sentence. Plaintiff asserts claims for violations of his Fourth, Sixth, Eighth, and Fourteenth Amendment rights.
If interested, please email FLSD_ProBono@flsd.uscourts.gov
Pro se Plaintiff, Marlon Lewis, filed this action seeking review of an unfavorable decision by the Commissioner of the Social Security Administration on Plaintiffs claim for disability insurance benefits. Plaintiff contends that he is entitled to disability benefits because he has several severe medical impairments that prevent him from working. The complaint was filed on June 29, 2021, and Defendant has not yet filed a response.
If interested, please email mcaliley@flsd.uscourts.gov.
Plaintiff Aaron Mohanlal brings this action under section 1983 asserting First Amendment claims against several prison officials at the South Bay Correctional Facility for retaliation for using prison grievance procedures. Specifically, Plaintiff claims retaliatory acts of (1) a disciplinary report in response to his filing of grievances and (2) a transfer to a different correctional facility.
The Court has already ruled on the summary judgment motion and the case is trial ready. Due to Covid restrictions, the case has not been scheduled for trial. Once pro bono counsel has entered an appearance, the Court will conduct a status conference and set the case for trial. Plaintiff is currently housed at the Okeechobee Correctional Institution.
If interested, please email FLSD_ProBono@flsd.uscourts.gov