Jury Finds Philly’s Largest Prison’s Conditions Unconstitutional

A jury in the case of Marcellous Minnick vs. the City of Philadelphia—the first of 500-some similar civil suits—has unanimously found that the conditions at Philly’s Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility are unconstitutional. The case centered on Minnick who spent a great deal of time in a plastic cot on the floor—commonly known as a “blue boat”—and was unable to get the hip-replacement surgery he needed and developed a hernia and a rash while awaiting his trial. Overcrowding, rodents, insects, and general lack of cleanliness are all also cited as issues at the facility. The jury, however, found that Minnick did not deserve any financial award. [City Paper]