NEW ORLEANS (AP) - A federal lawsuit in which several inmates at a Louisiana prison allege isolation and harsh treatment of the mentally ill has been granted class action status.
Monday's ruling by a federal judge means criminal justice advocates who filed the 2018 lawsuit can potentially seek relief for hundreds of prisoners for alleged inhumane treatment at the Wade Correctional Center in Claiborne Parish.
The lawsuit says some inmates with mental health issues at the north Louisiana prison have been held in isolation for months or years.
State officials denied the lawsuit's allegations when it was filed. They didn't immediately respond to a request for comment Monday.
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