Supreme Court Declines Appeal from Inmate Kept in Solitary Confinement for Three Years

Justices Jackson, Sotomayor, and Kagan Dissent, Highlighting Dismal Conditions of Confinement

The Supreme Court has declined to hear an appeal from Illinois inmate Michael Johnson, who was kept in solitary confinement for three years without any opportunity to exercise.
Johnson's lawyers argued that the deprivation of yard time, in the absence of a true security justification, violated the Constitution’s bar 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 dismal conditions of Johnson's confinement.
Johnson, who has been diagnosed with severe mental health conditions, saw his mental state deteriorate rapidly during his time in solitary confinement.
The Illinois Department of Corrections justified the harsh treatment due to Johnson's continuous misconduct, including assaulting correctional officers and other inmates.