A federal lawsuit over the distribution of a journal titled Prison Legal News at a Michigan jail has been settled.
WHMI-FM reports that under the agreement the Livingston County Jail must accept up to 30 subscriptions per month of the publication addressed to specific inmates. The jail also must deliver up to 30 books per month addressed to specific inmates.
Prison Legal News sued the sheriff's department in 2011, saying a policy of limiting mail banned the delivery of its journal and was unconstitutional.
Livingston County denied any wrongdoing. Sheriff Mike Murphy, who took over as sheriff after the lawsuit was filed, noted that the average length of stay for inmates at the jail is 14 days. He says many inmates will be released before getting the publication.
