MISSOULA — U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah Lynch of Missoula said he would approve a settlement in a lawsuit filed by the ALCU of Montana over conditions for Montana State Prison inmates with disabilities.
The case dates back to a lawsuit filed after a 1991 prison riot in which five inmates were killed. It was settled in 1995, but in 2013 experts said the prison was not meeting Americans with Disabilities Act requirements.
The settlement, presented to Lynch Friday, requires the prison to install features like wheelchair ramps and grab bars, update policies and ensure inmates will not be disciplined based on a disability or behavior that is a result of a disability, unless they are a danger to themselves or others.
The Missoulian reports Lynch said he thought the lawsuit brought significant improvements to the prison and other facilities.