Well, folks, we have a new twist in the case.
Elijah Reid has filed a federal lawsuit in U.S. District Court, Rock Island, seeking $17 million because he claims Rock Island County Jail correctional officers Jeff Stulir and Bryan Browne did not let him use the jail’s law library, though Judge Walter Braud ordered he be allowed to use it for an hour a day.
You can read the full, handwritten text of the complaint here (warning – contains spelling and grammatical errors): http://thecourtroominsider.files.wordpress.com/2010/02/reid_fedsuit.pdf
At the very least, it will be interesting to see if anything comes of this. I was at the hearing in July, 2009 where Judge Braud ordered jail officials to allow him an hour a day in the law library. Jail officials seemed to indicate that should not be a problem. Another interesting aspect is that neither Mr. Reid nor his attorneys said anything in any of the hearings leading up to the trial. Nor did they say anything during the trial itself. Rock Island County Sheriff’s Lt. William Kauzlarich told me he thinks it’s “sour grapes” and that he finds it hard to believe a correctional officer would not obey a judge’s order.
Adding to the mystery is another federal lawsuit, also filed in U.S. District Court in Rock Island. This one was file last month by Rock Island County Jail inmate named Samuel R. Scott. Mr. Scott, who, at least according to court records, is in jail on a charge of possession of a controlled substance. Mr. Scott’s suit also claims corrections officers – the same two named in Mr. Reid’s suit, in fact – did not let him use the law library.
So that’ s where we are. No court dates have been set for either federal suit, so I can’t say when I’ll know any more. But I’ll keep an eye on it.
I can not believe that we have to put up with more crap from this ANIMAL. our tax money go’s to him. GOD! please just put him away and throw away the key. this shows just how dumb he really is. he is good at acting. well RIP! JERMAINE & RYAN WE MISS AND LOVE YOU VERY MUCH!