Supreme Court Denies Appeal of Illinois Prisoner Held in Solitary Confinement for 3 Years
The Supreme Court has rejected the appeal of an Illinois inmate, Michael Johnson, who was kept in solitary confinement for three years and denied access to exercise. Johnson argued that the deprivation of yard time violated the Constitution's prohibition on cruel and inhumane punishment. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, joined by Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan, dissented from the court's decision, highlighting the severe conditions Johnson endured. Johnson's mental state deteriorated rapidly, leading to hallucinations and self-harm. Despite the dissent, a lower court ruled against Johnson, stating that the deprivation of exercise was justified due to his continuous misconduct.