We are proud to share our recent civil rights trial victory.
On March 2, 2026, after a six-day trial, a federal jury in Pittsburgh returned a verdict in favor of Plaintiff Maurice D. Able, finding that correctional officers violated his constitutional rights under the Eighth Amendment. The Honorable Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan, U.S. District Judge for the Western District of Pennsylvania, presided over the trial.
Mr. Able, who is incarcerated in a state prison in Greene County, Pennsylvania, brought a claim under the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution related to his conditions of confinement. Specifically, Mr. Able alleged that corrections officials improperly placed him in solitary confinement for 50 days – in a unit housing mentally ill prisoners – where he was denied basic life necessities including clean underwear, personal hygiene products, religious items and reading materials, and access to outside fresh air and exercise.
The jury found that these conditions constituted a violation of Mr. Able’s constitutional rights and awarded Mr. Able punitive damages in the amount of $37,500, recognizing the need to punish and deter conduct that disregards fundamental constitutional protections.
Kelly Iverson of Lynch Carpenter and Rachel McElroy of the McElroy Law Firm served as co-lead trial counsel. They were assisted at trial by Connor Hayes of Lynch Carpenter. Attorneys Iverson, Hayes, and McElroy were appointed by the Court to represent Mr. Able on a pro bono basis, driven by a shared commitment to ensuring that constitutional protections apply to every person, regardless of their circumstances.
“This verdict sends a clear message that constitutional rights do not stop at the prison door,” said Kelly Iverson. “The result underscores the vital role of civil rights litigation in holding prison officials accountable and reinforces that individuals in custody are entitled to humane treatment under the Constitution and we are proud to have stood up for that principle.”
At Lynch Carpenter, we are committed to using our legal skills to advance justice and hold corporations and institutions accountable when they violate the law. We are grateful to Mr. Able for his trust, and to the jury for their vindication of Mr. Able’s constitutional rights.