When individuals with active arrest warrants move to a different jurisdiction, the home jurisdiction must extradite them to execute the arrest warrants.
To save money, many state and local governments contract with private companies to detain and transport people to their home jurisdiction.
In 2018, Ramsey County contracted with an inmate transport service provider to do just this.
In April of 2020, *Julianne was raped multiple times by a prison transport employee during transport from Washington State to Ramsey County to appear on an existing warrant.
Julianne was transported with other detainees. After the other detainees had been dropped off, Julianne was left alone in the transport vehicle with two male transport employees for the final leg of the journey.
One of the male employees made inappropriate sexual comments about Julianne’s body. These comments escalated into the unthinkable.
This male employee seized the first opportunity to force Julianne into a rest stop bathroom and rape her while she remained partially shackled. This happened while the other employee lay asleep in the transport vehicle outside the rest stop.
Julianne was forced to relive this nightmare again. Hours later, the same male transport employee raped Julianne for the second time in another men’s rest stop restroom. Julianne, traumatized and in extreme pain from the assault, cried. Her assaulter barked at her to stop crying because she ‘looked weak’.
Julianne reported the sexual assault immediately upon her arrival to Ramsey County.
In June of 2020, just months after the sexual assault, Julianne reached out to Madia Law for help.
Through the course of litigation, we found that Ramsey County had notice that employees of this transport company raped and/or sexually assaulted female detainees previously.
But Ramsey Country contracted with the company anyway.
No one should have to endure sexual assault. Inmates transported by this transport company are vulnerable and at the whims of the employees that transport them. These inmates are entitled to a safe journey, free from harm.
Our office worked with Julianne while she was still incarcerated, helping her pursue justice for what she had to endure.
Five years after Julianne first reached out to Madia Law, we were able to secure a settlement of $1 million dollars for Julianne.
Our office was honored to represent Julianne.
*Original names omitted.
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