For Immediate Release                                       Contact: Dana Kaplan

Wednesday March 5, 2008                                                 504.473.1403

                                                                                              Charles Easterling

                                                                                               251.509.2560

FEDERAL COURT ASSERTS RIGHT OF ACCESS TO COUNSEL FOR YOUTH HELD IN NEW ORLEANS’ YOUTH JAIL

ATTORNEYS REGAIN RIGHT TO INVESTIGATE CONDITIONS AT YOUTH STUDY CENTER

New Orleans, Louisiana – The United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana granted an emergency access motion this morning providing attorneys at the Juvenile Justice Project of Louisiana (JJPL) access to their clients for the first time since JJPL filed a lawsuit in Federal Court citing poor conditions at the Youth Study Center (YSC). The emergency motion was originally filed by the JJPL on January 18, 2008. “The city was unconstitutionally restricting access to legal counsel for children held at YSC; all of whom are in the same inhumane and unconstitutional conditions of confinement.” said JJPL Legal Director, Carol Kolinchak.

Access to counsel for the children had not been restricted prior to the filing of litigation back in December. “We believe that the city’s decision to deny our client’s access to their attorneys was in direct response to the filing of the lawsuit citing inhumane conditions at the Center.” said Dana Kaplan, Executive Director of JJPL. “Up until that point we had not been denied access to youth at the facility. If there is nothing for Richard Winder and the city to hide, why were they not allowing children at YSC to speak with lawyers?”

JJPL remains committed to monitoring conditions within the Youth Study Center and plans to move forward with its litigation on inhumane conditions, inadequately trained staff, and gross mismanagement at YSC. 

JJPL is joined by the international law firm Holland & Knight as co-counsel on the case.

Holland & Knight’s Community Services Team is nationally recognized for its work on

prison reform and civil rights.

A copy of the ruling can be accessed at: www.jjpl.org/litigation/easterndistrictrulingYSC.pdf

For additional information or to speak with JJPL staff and Holland and Knight Attorneys, please contact: Charles Easterling 251.509.2560

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