Ensuring Justice for Inmates: Andy Campbell and Haroon Anwar's Federal Court Victory Awarded

Thanks to a favorable Federal Court ruling obtained by two Faegre Baker Daniels attorneys, a prison inmate was awarded injury damages, and the safety of U.S. prisons has been brought into focus. Andy Campbell, partner, and Haroon Anwar, associate, represented an inmate at the Federal Correctional Complex in Terre Haute, Indiana, who sliced his forearm on a damaged bedframe the prison knew about but neglected to fix.

The inmate filed a tort claim in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana and litigated the lawsuit himself. When the government’s motion for summary judgment was defeated, the inmate was provided pro bono counsel, at which point Campbell and Anwar stepped in through the Southern District of Indiana Civil Trial Assistance Panel pro bono program. In media coverage, the duo explained that a settlement was brought to the table at one point, but the client wanted to go to trial to bring attention to the need for the proper treatment of inmates.

The trial lasted one day, after which Judge Tanya Walton Pratt ruled in favor of the inmate, awarding him with $10,000. Campbell and Anwar were honored at the Southern Indiana District Court’s volunteer appreciation breakfast Feb. 18.

The case and award were covered in The Indiana Lawyer Feb. 24.