Courts and Crime



Ohio ordered to pay $625,000

The US Supreme Court unanimously rules in favor of inmate, Michelle Ortiz, in sexual assault case.

by WKSU's STATEHOUSE CORRESPONDENT JO INGLES



Reporter

Jo Ingles The US Supreme Court says Ohio's Prison officials did nothing to prevent the 2002 sexual assault of a female inmate in Marysville by a guard, and in fact, punished the woman for reporting it. The judges unanimously agreed that an appeals court was wrong to throw out a $625,000 judgment awarded to Michelle Ortiz. In an interview with Ohio Public Radio's Jo Ingles, Ohio Rehabilitation and Corrections Department spokesman Carlo LaParo says the agency is trying to figure out what happens next. Click to listen Other options:

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Ortiz was serving a one-year sentence at the Ohio Reformatory for Women in November 2002 when a prison guard fondled and molested her. When she discussed the two attacks with other inmates, she was shackled and sent to solitary confinement.