Farmer v. Brennan (1993)
- Docket
- 92-7247
- Decided
- 1993-01-01
Summary
Question: Is Farmer entitled to damages or an injunction against various federal prison officials responsible for transferring her to, or assigning Farmer within, a prison facility where Farmer was sexually assaulted by another inmate? Conclusion: Maybe. Justice David H. Souter, writing for seven members of the court, vacated the lower court judgment and remanded. The Supreme Court held that prison officials may be liable if they showed “deliberate indifference” to a substantial risk of serious harm when the official was subjectively aware of the risk and disregarded it. The Court remanded the case for further consideration of whether prison officials were aware of the risk to Farmer. Justice Harry A. Blackmun concurred, writing that inhumane prison conditions violate the Eighth Amendment regardless of a prison official’s state of mind. Justice John Paul Stevens also concurred writing that he agreed with Justice Blackmun, but joined in the majority because it followed prior precedent. Justice Clarence Thomas concurred in the judgment arguing that conditions of confinement do not violate the Eighth Amendment unless they are imposed as part of a sentence.