AIDS Policy Law. 1996 Jul 26;11(13):14. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE
A Federal appeals court upheld a lower court's finding that South
Carolina prison officials did not subject Anthony Tyrone Williams, who
is HIV-positive, to cruel and unusual punishment by refusing to fill his
medication requests. Williams charged that officials and health care
workers were deliberately indifferent to his medical needs while he was
awaiting trial in the Berkeley County jail. Prison officials refused his
request for Darvocet, a narcotic, and Restoril, a sleep aid, although
drugs to treat his other conditions were provided. The prison nurse
could not be held liable because she was not permitted to dispense the
drugs. The appeals court also rejected Williams' claim that he was
denied his due-process right to be free from the use of excessive force.
Prison gaurds sprayed Williams with pepper mace after he threatened to
sling blood at them. The court said the effects of the spray were
minimal and officials followed proper clean up procedures.
Analgesics, Opioid/*THERAPEUTIC USE Civil Rights/*LEGISLATION &
JURISPRUD *HIV Seropositivity Human Male *Prisoners Refusal to
Treat/*LEGISLATION & JURISPRUD South Carolina NEWSLETTER ARTICLE