In the remedy phase, the plaintiffs will try to convince a federal judge, who has already found the prison in violation of the constitution, to force the state to take corrective measures. Attorneys for the state are arguing that officials have already fixed the problems at Angola.
Hutson is investigating broken security equipment she says was allowed to languish for months, as well as potentially missing records from the Gusman administration.
The bill, which has already passed the state Senate, advanced through a House committee on Tuesday.
In 2020, the City Council told the court to return the money to defendants. State law says it must be used in “defraying the expenses of the criminal justice system.”
Reginald Reddick was convicted of murder by a non-unanimous jury. Though split juries were ruled unconstitutional, hundreds of old split-jury convictions are still considered valid.
Advocates for prisoners convicted by split juries worry that a bill moving through the legislature could provide an excuse for the court to dodge the issue.
Amendments adopted by the committee would require prison officials on the panel and remove its power to sign off on medical director hires.
Hutson, who ran on a reform platform, defeated longtime incumbent Marlin Gusman in last year’s election.
Committee members were split on the measure in spite of a compromise reached between advocates and DOC.
