The legal battle related to the class action lawsuit challenging the
deadly heat conditions in the TDCJ continues.
An appeal (number 18-20216) is being pursued pro se by approximately 200
heat-sensitive inmates who, due to Hurricane Harvey, were evacuated
from the Stringfellow Unit to the Pack Unit in August 2017; and then
ordered by U.S. District Judge Keith Ellison relocated to the climate
controlled LeBlanc Prison Unit. This particular group of heat-sensitive
inmates were by agreement between class counsel Jeffrey Edwards and TDCJ
officials, excluded as sub-class members once Edwards was guaranteed a
$4.5 million dollar payday in attorney fees as part of the settlement
agreement.
Currently the appeal is in jeopardy of being dismissed.
This is because
the sole jailhouse lawyer -Lakeith Amir-Sharif - responsible for leading
his peers through the legal maze has been ordered by the Court of
Appeals to either show proof by September 10, 2018 that he has paid two
PLRA sanctions imposed against him over 10 years ago; or to pay in full
the $100 and $455 sanctions. Otherwise the appeal shall be dismissed.
Curiously as reflected from the District Court and Court of Appeals
records, on June 28, 2018 and July 10, 2018 both courts had granted
Sharif permission to appeal.
10 donations of $55 each paid directly to the Clerk of Court are
urgently needed. Please help and ask someone you know to donate. No more
inmates should lose their life because of TDCJ's statewide policy and
practice of failing to regulate extreme and deadly indoor heat index
temperatures. Make checks or money order payable to U.S. Court of
Appeals, Fifth Circuit. In the Memo section, put "sanctions payment for
L. Amir-Sharif." Please also sign up for email alerts so you can follow
this landmark litigation.
Please make a copy of your contribution so the court nor TDCJ can claim
that the PLRA sanctions have not been paid in full and therefore the
appeal must be dismissed.
Thank you to everyone for sharing our urgent message.
- 200 heat-sensitive inmates in LeBlanc Unit, Beaumont, TX
