Chief Judge Shelly Dick has ordered Louisiana officials to cease housing children, predominantly Black boys, in the former death row section of the Louisiana State Penitentiary, commonly referred to as Angola.
The order dictates the swift removal of the children from the facility by September 15, ending nearly ten months of what the judge deemed abusive conditions.
The situation mirrors that of Angola’s long and racist history. State officials built the prison on land that was once an 8,000-acre farm in West Feliciana Parish, a remote part of Louisiana. The farm was named Angola after the country where its former slaves came from. It was first used as a prison in 1880 when prisoners lived in the old slave quarters and worked on the farm. The state took over Angola in 1901, reportedly because of unhinged brutality against inmates.
Furthermore, the judge’s ruling underscored that the state had reneged on every assurance it made during a prior court hearing in September of the preceding year, where it pledged not to mete out punitive measures against children. The judge found the state guilty of:2. Resorting to handcuffs, the use of mace, and denying family visits as punishment.
Lead counsel David Utter spoke on behalf of the litigation team, expressing gratitude towards the clients and their families for their courage in coming forward and opposing these cruel conditions. Utter emphasized the urgent need for Louisiana’s leaders to redirect their efforts toward providing the necessary care and support to enable these children to thrive and realize their full potential.
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