U.S. district court: prisoner on prisoner assault; Ashford v. District of Columbia.

Ashford v. District of Columbia, 306 F.Supp.2d 8 (D.D.C. 2004). A prisoner brought a civil rights action against the District of Columbia and its employees, alleging they were liable to him for injuries resulting from an attack by other inmates. The district court held that the prisoner stated a sufficient causal connection between his injuries and the District's alleged policy or custom of transferring inmates without informing the receiving institutions about active separation orders. The court also found that the prisoner stated a claim under [section] 1983 against the District's Interstate Compacts administrator. The court noted that the prisoner told prison officials at the receiving facility about the separation orders, but that an official separation order would have received more consideration and attention. (Pleasant Valley State Prison, California)