Pro Bono Client Obtains Favorable Settlement With New York State for Civil Rights Violations Arising From Incarcerated Son’s Treatment

Paul, Weiss secured a favorable settlement on behalf of a pro bono client in two related and long-running cases against New York state and individual state corrections employees, one in the Eastern District of New York and one in the New York State Court of Claims.

Our client is the mother of an adult son with severe mental illness who was incarcerated at the Downstate Correctional Facility in Fishkill, N.Y. While incarcerated, he was left unmedicated and then placed in solitary confinement while in the throes of a severe psychiatric episode. Within a day of his release from custody, he tragically stabbed his mother and was then charged with attempted murder.

Paul, Weiss filed a Section 1983 action against various corrections officers who were responsible for our client’s son’s care under a “state-created danger” theory of liability, as well as an action against New York state. The team vigorously litigated both actions over several years, defeating motions to dismiss and a motion for summary judgment.

After two mediation sessions before Magistrate Judge Sanket Bulsara, including a second session that included defense attorneys handling both cases, Judge Bulsara offered a mediator’s proposal of $700,000. Both parties accepted the proposal, and a settlement has been finalized.

The Paul, Weiss team included litigation associates Alison Benedon, Sabrina Hendershot and Charles Sucher. The matter was supervised by of counsel Walter Ricciardi and partner Aidan Synnott.