In separate judgments this month, Attorney General Curtis Hill successfully defended the State of Indiana against challenges brought by two Indiana Department of Correction inmates.
On May 10, the Indiana Court of Appeals denied inmate Hubert Williams’ appeal of a LaPorte Circuit Court decision. The circuit court earlier denied Williams’ petition for writ of habeas corpus, in which he argued among other things that the conditions of his parole did not apply since he refused to sign his parole agreement. (A writ of habeas corpus is a court order requiring officials to prove that an inmate’s imprisonment is valid.) The Court of Appeals upheld the circuit court’s decision, finding that Williams is bound by the conditions of parole despite his refusal to sign the paperwork.
Also on May 10, a U.S. District Court judge ruled against inmate Edward Niksich, who brought a lawsuit claiming that state officials provided him deficient medical care for his hepatitis C and end-stage liver disease in violation of the Eighth Amendment. The judge found that Niksich had no admissible evidence that state officials were aware of, let alone personally involved with, any denial of appropriate medical treatment.
“The State of Indiana takes very seriously the responsibility to follow proper policies with regard to incarcerated individuals,†Attorney General Hill said. “We’re pleased that in each of these cases the courts affirmed that state officials appropriately fulfilled their obligations.â€
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