Hogan Lovells announces $6.75M settlement in federal class action alleging systemic, unconstitutional violence at Massachusetts prison, sweeping reforms

The lawsuit, filed in 2022, was brought on behalf of approximately 160 current and former incarcerated individuals who suffered physical and psychological abuse by SBCC correction officers during a concentrated period of violence at the prison from January 10 to February 6, 2020. Following an assault on several corrections officers by a small number of incarcerated people, corrections officers engaged in what the lawsuit described as “brutal and calculated collective revenge” against numerous individuals who were not involved in the initial incident. This brutality included violent attacks against incarcerated people, deploying Taser guns, pepper ball guns, chemical agents, and K9s and forcing people to kneel in stress positions with hands and ankles shackled, in some cases for several hours. The lawsuit also addresses the unconstitutional treatment of Black and Latino individuals who were targeted for particularly harsh treatment because of their race, including excessive force, yanking or cutting dreadlocks from people’s heads, racial slurs, and other discriminatory actions.

“This settlement represents a meaningful step toward justice for those who endured unlawful violence and racial abuse at SBCC,” said partner Tony Fuller, Hogan Lovells partner in Boston who led the team in this pro bono matter. “It sends a clear message that systemic misconduct in correctional institutions must be addressed through both accountability and reform.”

In addition to providing nearly $7 million in monetary relief to class members, the settlement also requires SBCC to implement significant policy reforms to address the facility's history of excessive force and racially discriminatory practices. Boston-based law firm Hemenway & Barnes LLP is representing the estates of now-deceased class members on a pro bono basis to ensure their survivors receive the monetary relief to which they are entitled under the settlement.

“As a society, we are judged by how we treat the least advantaged and privileged among us,” said Kayla Ghantous, attorney at Hogan Lovells. “This settlement helps ensure that the Department of Corrections lives up to that expectation and will bring much needed relief to our clients.”

The Hogan Lovells team also includes partner Greg Noonan, counsel Alex Bailey, senior associate Courtney Caruso, associates Jason Perez (all Boston) and Fleming Farrell (Washington, D.C.), and senior paralegal Melissa Cieszkowski (Boston).