Georgia Prisons Violate Constitution Daily, Federal Courts Already Ruled

FACILITY BREAKDOWN

What GPS Documented (Original Findings)

• Federal court in Battle v. Anderson declared 'Persons are sent to prison as punishment, not for punishment' — Source: GPS legal analysis of Battle v. Anderson, 457 F. Supp. 719 (E.D. Okla. 1978)
• U.S. Supreme Court ruled 'Being violently assaulted in prison is simply not part of the penalty that criminal offenders pay for their offenses against society' — Source: GPS analysis of Farmer v. Brennan, 511 U.S. 825 (1994)
• In Georgia, correctional officer training may last 5–8 weeks compared to 2-3 years in Norway — Source: GPS analysis of GDC training requirements and Scandinavian systems
• Roy Mason Morris died under suspicious circumstances at Dooly State Prison on October 15, 2023 — Source: GPS family interviews and facility records
• Almir Harris died from diabetic crisis ignored by staff at Baldwin State Prison on December 31, 2024 — Source: GPS family interviews and medical records analysis

Data source: GPS analysis of federal court decisions, GDC records, and family interviews

What DOJ Already Confirmed

• Georgia's prisons violate civil rights and fail to protect people from murder, suicide, assaults, and medical neglect — Pages Multiple findings throughout report

Source: DOJ Findings Report, October 1, 2024
https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-finds-georgia-s-state-prisons-violate-constitution

RECORDS JOURNALISTS SHOULD REQUEST

Georgia Open Records Act:

1. "POST Basic Correctional Officer Training Manual"
   Complete training curriculum and duration requirements for Georgia correctional officers
   Agency: Georgia Department of Corrections
   Date range: Current version and any revisions 2020-2025
   Expected response: 3-5 business days; fee quote likely for large requests
2. "Death Investigation Reports for Roy Mason Morris"
   Complete incident reports, medical records, and investigation findings
   Agency: Georgia Department of Corrections
   Date range: October 2023
   Expected response: 5-10 business days; may require fee
3. "Death Investigation Reports for Almir Harris"
   Complete incident reports, medical records, and investigation findings
   Agency: Georgia Department of Corrections
   Date range: December 2024
   Expected response: 5-10 business days; may require fee
4. "Legal Opinions on Constitutional Compliance"
   GDC legal analysis of Battle v. Anderson and Farmer v. Brennan requirements
   Agency: Georgia Department of Corrections
   Date range: 2020-2025
   Expected response: May be denied as attorney work product

Federal FOIA:

1. "DOJ Civil Rights Division correspondence with GDC regarding constitutional violations"
   Agency: DOJ Civil Rights Division

SOURCES AVAILABLE FOR INTERVIEW

Families (contact via media@gps.press):

• Family of Roy Mason Morris — Dooly State Prison (October 15, 2023)
• Family of Almir Harris — Baldwin State Prison (December 31, 2024)

Incarcerated Witnesses:

• Incarcerated witnesses to constitutional violations, anonymous, background only
  "Available through GPS secure communication"
  GPS can facilitate secure communication.

Experts:

• Available upon request, Constitutional law and prison conditions — Federal court precedent on Eighth Amendment prison conditions

OFFICIALS WHO SHOULD BE ASKED FOR COMMENT

* None have been asked for on-record comment by major media outlets.

QUESTIONS GDC HAS NOT ANSWERED

1. Why Georgia continues to operate prisons in violation of federal constitutional standards
2. What steps GDC is taking to address unconstitutional conditions
3. How GDC justifies conditions that exceed lawful punishment of liberty deprivation

GPS submitted these questions via Press inquiry on Multiple inquiries . Status: No substantive response

STORY ANGLES

Local:

Families in specific counties affected by deaths at Dooly and Baldwin facilities

Policy:

Cost of constitutional violations vs. implementing normalization model

Accountability:

Officials who ignored established federal constitutional standards

Data:

Request training records, death investigations, and constitutional compliance documents

QUOTABLES

"Persons are sent to prison as punishment, not for punishment."

— Federal court in Battle v. Anderson

"Being violently assaulted in prison is simply not part of the penalty that criminal offenders pay for their offenses against society."

— U.S. Supreme Court in Farmer v. Brennan

SOURCE DOCUMENTS

• Battle v. Anderson, 457 F. Supp. 719 (E.D. Okla. 1978) (PDF)
  http://Available%20through%20legal%20databases
• Farmer v. Brennan, 511 U.S. 825 (1994) (PDF)
  http://Available%20through%20Supreme%20Court%20database
• DOJ Findings Report on Georgia Prisons (PDF)
  https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-finds-georgia-s-state-prisons-violate-constitution

GPS Full Investigation:
https://gps.press/normalization-the-principle-that-changes-everything/