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May 4, 2010

Supreme Court: Family Can’t Sue Over Detainee’s Death
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The Supreme Court has unanimously ruled that federal health officials
can not be sued over the death of an immigrant who died after being
denied medical care while in immigrant detention. The case centers on
the treatment of Francisco Castaneda, an immigrant from El Salvador.
Castaneda was held in detention for 11 months and repeatedly requested a
biopsy of his groin but doctors with the U.S. Public Health Service
refused the procedure. He later died at the age of 36.
Gabriel Eber of the American Civil Liberties Union said: “With today’s
decision, the Supreme Court has unfortunately closed the door on an
important avenue of accountability for the gross mistreatment that
immigration detainees across the country have suffered.”



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