Willie C. Hendking v. Fred v. Smith

DUMBAULD, Senior District Judge.

Appellant’s class action challenges on equal protection grounds 1 an Alabama prison rule which excludes from certain privileges inmates with a history of violent sex offenses. We affirm the judgment below in favor of appellees.

Alabama classifies convicts into five groups with respect to the threat to security which they present: maximum, close, medium, minimum, and community. A minimum security prisoner has an opportunity to enjoy certain privileges, and can be assigned to “honor farms” or leave the facility altogether on short-term passes. According to the…