Opinion ID: 447604
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The 1978 and 1980 Proceedings

Text: 2 On January 4, 1978 the district court, after a six-week trial in a class action brought pursuant to 42 U.S.C. Sec. 1983 (1982), held that the conditions in which inmates of the jail were held violated the United States Constitution in numerous respects. Owens-El v. Robinson, 442 F.Supp. 1368 (W.D.Pa.1978). In order to remedy those violations the court appointed a master to make a report and recommendations. The court adopted the master's recommendations in a final injunction dated October 11, 1978. Owens-El v. Robinson, 457 F.Supp. 984 (W.D.Pa.1978). The defendants did not appeal. The class representatives, however, appealed with respect to three requested remedies not included in the judgment. This court in Inmates of Allegheny County Jail v. Pierce, 612 F.2d 754 (3d Cir.1979) affirmed the district court on two of the issues, but remanded for further consideration of changes in the decree necessary to raise the level of pyschiatric care at the jail to the minimum required by the Constitution. After a five-day non-jury trial the district court in Inmates of Allegheny County Jail v. Pierce, 487 F.Supp. 638 (W.D.Pa.1980) found that the conditions in the jail with respect to care of mentally ill inmates amounted to deliberate indifference within the meaning of Estelle v. Gamble, 429 U.S. 97, 105-06, 97 S.Ct. 285, 291-92, 50 L.Ed.2d 251 (1976). The court also found that the provisions of the October 11, 1978 final injunction had not been fully complied with, and on April 17, 1980 entered an order directing that the October 11, 1978 order be fully implemented, and that specific steps be taken to remedy deliberate indifference to the care of mentally ill inmates. Inmates, 487 F.Supp. at 643-45. No appeal was taken from the April 17, 1980 judgment.