A state decide in Albany granted a short lived injunction forcing New York State to totally implement a legislation sharply limiting solitary confinement within the prisons after parts of the legislation had been suspended following the 22-day jail guards strike earlier this yr, court docket data present.
Choose Daniel Lynch dominated the state Division of Corrections and Group Supervision couldn’t invoke emergency provisions to droop the so-called HALT Solitary Confinement Act and hold inmates of their cells greater than 17 hours a day or droop programming and recreation within the prisons.
“The court understands the defendants’ concerns regarding DOCCS staffing and the resulting safety risks,” Lynch wrote. “However HALT is a duly enacted law, and the people have a strong interest in seeing the implementation of laws enacted by their elected representatives.”
Lynch set July 11 because the date the order would turn into efficient, with a purpose to give jail officers time to regulate, he wrote.
“The department is reviewing the decision,” DOCCS spokesman Thomas Mailey mentioned.
The preliminary class motion lawsuit, Alfonso Smalls vs. DOCCS Commissioner Daniel Martuscello, was filed by the Authorized Help Society on April 17 after Martuscello ordered parts of HALT suspended Feb. 20 because of the strike.
When the jail guards strike ended on March 10, Gov. Hochul fired roughly 2,000 officers who had refused to return to work — rising an already current staffing hole.
However the legislation’s suspension meant that inmates had been being stored of their cells longer than the legislation permits, remoted and disadvantaged of primary companies, the lawsuit alleged.
Smalls, the lawsuit alleges, was remoted in his cell for 22 to 24 hours a day from Feb. 20 by no less than April 17, when the swimsuit was filed. Throughout the guards strike, he was locked in 24 hours a day, allowed to depart just for three eight-minute showers, the society mentioned. After the strike ended, Smalls was allowed to depart his cell for simply 90 minutes to at least one hour and 45 minutes a day.
“We are grateful that the court recognized the grave harm caused by DOCCS’ unlawful suspension of the HALT Solitary Law and acted to stop it,” mentioned Antony Gemmell, supervising lawyer with the Prisoners’ Rights Venture at The Authorized Help Society.
“This decision reaffirms that no agency — regardless of political pressure — can unilaterally disregard laws enacted to protect human rights,” he mentioned. “HALT was passed to end the torture of prolonged solitary confinement, and this injunction is a critical step toward ensuring the state honors that commitment and upholds the dignity of those in its custody.”
Assemblywoman Michaelle Solages, head of the Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic and Asian Legislative Caucus, and state Sen. Julia Salazar launched a joint assertion on the event.
“As we and many of our colleagues have said, DOCCS has no authority to issue a statewide ‘suspension’ of provisions of HALT,” they mentioned. “Before, during and after the unauthorized work stoppage, it’s clear that the limited discretion provided to DOCCS was being abused. The caucus will continue to stand by the rights of those incarcerated and will proactively defend legislation that promotes safety and rehabilitation. Full implementation of HALT makes correctional facilities safer for everyone, including prison staff.”
Initially Printed: July 2, 2025 at 4:06 PM EDT
