J.H. v. Edwards

• Decision Date: 24 June 2020
• Docket Number: CIVIL ACTION NO. 20-293-JWD-EWD
• Parties: J.H., by and through his mother and next friend, N.H., ET AL. v. JOHN BEL EDWARDS, in his official capacity as Governor of Louisiana, ET AL.
• Court: U.S. District Court — Middle District of Louisiana

J.H., by and through his mother and next friend, N.H., ET AL. v. JOHN BEL EDWARDS,in his official capacity as Governor of Louisiana, ET AL.

CIVIL ACTION NO. 20-293-JWD-EWD

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT MIDDLE DISTRICT OF LOUISIANA

June 24, 2020

FINDINGS OF FACT AND CONCLUSIONS OF LAW

This matter comes before the Court on the Plaintiffs' Emergency Motion for Temporary Restraining Order Seeking Immediate Furlough("Plaintiffs' TRO"), Doc. 7.Defendants, the Louisiana Office of Juvenile Justice, Edward Dustin Bickham, James Woods, Shannon Matthews, Shawn Herbert, and Rodney Ward, filed a response, Doc. 34, which Defendant Governor John Bel Edwards adopted and incorporated by reference, Doc. 26.Plaintiffs have filed a reply.Doc. 31.Both sides have submitted evidence and filed proposed findings of fact and conclusions of law.Docs. 73, 77-79.On June 3, 2020, through June 5, 2020, the Court held an evidentiary hearing online via Zoom.Docs. 67, 70, 72.The Court has carefully considered the law, the facts in the record, and the arguments and submissions of the parties and is prepared to rule.

Pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 52(a), the Court enters these Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law.If any finding is in truth a conclusion of law, or if any conclusion stated is in truth a finding of fact, it shall be deemed so.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

I.FINDINGS OF FACT ............................................................................................................. 1

A.Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 1

B. COVID-19 and Children Generally .................................................................................... 5

C.Impact of COVID-19 Within the OJJ Secure Facilities ...................................................... 8

D.Likelihood of Substantial or Irreparable Harm to Youth in OJJ's Secure Care Facilities from COVID-19 ........................................................................................................................ 12

E. OJJ's Powers and Responsibilities Generally ................................................................... 13

F. OJJ's Response to COVID-19 .......................................................................................... 13

i. Generally ........................................................................................................................ 13

ii.Pre-Pandemic Planning ............................................................................................... 15

iii.Restricting Access to Secure Care Facilities, Monitoring People Who Enter the Secure Care Facilities, and Suspending the Furlough Program ............................................ 17

iv.Virtual Visitation ........................................................................................................ 19

v. "Reverse Isolation" of Youth in Secure Care Facilities ............................................. 20

vi.Testing Protocol .......................................................................................................... 21

vii.Quarantine and Medical Isolation Protocols .............................................................. 26

viii.Changes to Educational Services and Rehabilitation Programing ............................. 30

G.Depopulation of Secure Care Facilities ............................................................................ 38

i. OJJ's Plan for Depopulation .......................................................................................... 40

ii.The Furlough Policy ................................................................................................... 43

iii.Furlough Eligibility for Named Plaintiffs and Testifying Youth ............................... 46

iv.Sentence Modifications and Non-Furlough Release .................................................. 47

H.Other Concerns Stemming from OJJ's Response to COVID-19 ...................................... 49

i. Alleged Ancillary Consequences ................................................................................... 49

ii.Likelihood of Alleged Harm from Ancillary Consequences of OJJ'sCOVID-19 Response ............................................................................................................................... 52

I.Administrative Remedy Procedure ................................................................................... 53

II.CONCLUSIONS OF LAW .................................................................................................. 57

A.Standard for Temporary Restraining Orders and Preliminary Injunctions ....................... 57

B.Substantial Likelihood of Success on the Merits .............................................................. 58

i. Appropriate Standard ..................................................................................................... 58 ii.Fourteenth Amendment Analysis ............................................................................... 62

iii.Eighth Amendment Analysis ...................................................................................... 74

iv.Other Issues ................................................................................................................ 77

C.Substantial Threat of Irreparable Injury ............................................................................ 83

D.Weighing Harm to the Defendants and the Public Interest ............................................... 87

E.Preliminary Injunction ...................................................................................................... 91

III.Conclusion ........................................................................................................................ 92

I.FINDINGS OF FACT

A.Introduction

1.COVID-19 is a global pandemic caused by a novel coronavirus that has infected more than 5.7 million people and killed more than 355,000 to date.Joint Statement of Stipulated Facts("Stipulations")¶ 1, Doc. 51.

2.Louisiana alone has more than 38,000 confirmed cases and more than 2,700 deaths as of May 30, 2020.Stipulations¶ 2, Doc. 51.

3.However, of the confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Louisiana, there have been 925 cases and 2 deaths of individuals under the age of 18 as of May 30, 2020.Stipulations¶ 3, Doc. 51.OJJ also houses individuals between the ages of 18 and 21. Id.

4.COVID-19 is an acute respiratory syndrome.Stipulations¶ 4, Doc. 51.Common symptoms of COVID-19 include cough, fever, and shortness of breath.Id.Additional symptoms of COVID-19 include chest pain, headache, loss of smell, abdominal pain, rash, diarrhea, aches, and vomiting.Id.In the most severe cases, it can cause pneumonia, respiratory failure, heart failure, sepsis, and death.Id.

5.There is an increased risk of serious complications in patients infected with COVID-19 who also suffer from certain co-morbidities, including asthma, hypertension, diabetes, Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, and other immunocompromising conditions.Stipulations¶ 5, Doc. 51.Obesity is also a risk factor for developing complicated clinical courses.Id.

6.The majority of infected individuals are asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic, and people without symptoms can spread the disease.Stipulations¶ 6, Doc. 51.

7.This is a class action brought by youths who have been adjudicated delinquent and are currently confined in secure care facilities operated by the Louisiana Office of Juvenile Justice.Class Action Complaint for Declaratory and Injunctive Relief and Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus("Complaint")¶ 1, Doc. 1.

8.Plaintiffs filed their Complaint on May 14, 2020.Compl., Doc. 1.

9.Plaintiffs generally allege that Defendants' actions and failures to act with respect to the COVID-19 pandemic constitute violations of Plaintiffs' constitutional rights under the Eighth and Fourteenth Amendments.See generallyCompl., Doc. 1.Plaintiffs bring the action pursuant to 22 U.S.C. § 2241,42 U.S.C. § 1983, and28 U.S.C. §§ 2201,2202, for relief from both detention and conditions of confinement for these alleged constitutional violations.Id.¶ 10.

10.Plaintiff J.H. is a minor currently confined at Acadiana Center for Youth who was previously housed at Bridge City Center for Youth.Compl.¶ 15, Doc. 1. J.H.'s mother, N.H., brings this suit on his behalf.Id.

11.Plaintiff I.B. is a minor currently confined at Acadiana Center for Youth.Compl.¶ 16, Doc. 1.His parents are A.B. and I.B., and they bring this suit on his behalf.Id.

12.Defendants in this action are:

a. Governor John Bel Edwards("Governor Edwards");

b. the Louisiana Office of Juvenile Justice("OJJ");

c. Edward Dustin Bickham("Bickham"), Interim Deputy Secretary of OJJ;¹

d. James Woods("Woods"), Director of the Acadiana Center for Youth ("Acadiana"); e. Shannon Mathews("Matthews"), former Director of the Bridge City Center for Youth("Bridge City"), though this position is now held by Cassandra Washington("Washington"), Interim Director of Bridge City;

f. Shawn Herbert("Herbert"), Interim Director of the Swanson Center for Youth at Monroe ("Swanson Monroe"); and

g. Rodney Ward("Ward"), Deputy Director of the Swanson Center for Youth at Columbia ("Swanson Columbia").Compl.¶¶ 17-23, Doc. 1.

13.Plaintiffs' Complaint seeks a preliminary injunction and permanent injunction, including but not limited to the release of juvenile offenders (the "Youth") through the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic.Compl., Doc. 1at 42-46.

14.On May 15, 2020, Plaintiffs' TRO was filed.Doc. 7.

15.In the motion, Plaintiffs seek an order enjoining Defendants from:

a. continuing to confine all children who are currently within 180 days of their release dates;

b. continuing to confine children who are presumptively eligible for release, including all children (i) who have contracted COVID-19;(ii) who have pre-existing medical

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