Settlement in Mass. jail strip search cases
By Associated Press
Thursday, July 8, 2010
http://www.bostonherald.com
Local Coverage
SPRINGFIELD — An attorney says Franklin County officials have agreed to pay more than $1.1 million to non-drug and nonviolent arrestees who were strip searched at the county jail.
Attorney Howard Friedman announced the settlement Thursday, about eight months after a federal magistrate ruled the searches unconstitutional because there was no reason to believe the arrestees had contraband. A hearing seeking a judge’s approval is set for Monday.
Jail officials did not immediately return a call for comment.
The suit was initially filed by a Hurricane Katrina refugee from Mississippi, Gregory Garvey, now of Sunderland.
Garvey was strip-searched at the jail in January 2007 after being arrested on a traffic warrant. He was held overnight and was strip-searched again before a court appearance where his case was dismissed.
Friedman said the settlement will be divided among 486 people.
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