Humphrey and Rieders recognized by the Lewisburg Prison Project

John M. Humphrey and  Clifford A. Rieders were each  awarded the Karl and Isabelle  Patten Award by the Lewisburg  Prison Project. The organization  was celebrating its 40th  anniversary in Sunbury at the  Packard House. Humphrey is of  counsel, and Rieders is a partner  in the Law Firm of Rieders,  Travis, Humphrey, Harris,  Waters, Waffenschmidt and  Dohrmann. 

The award is in recognition for "following in the footsteps of Isabelle and Karl Patten who  inspire us all with their lifetime of standing up for oppressed people here and everywhere." Lewisburg Prison Project was established 40 years ago to address conditions of confinement and other problems faced by inmates primarily at the Lewisburg Penitentiary, but also at other federal and state prisons in central Pennsylvania. 

Humphrey  was praised for  his pro bono  work on Jordan  v. Arnold,  addressing  serious deficiencies  in ventilation,  sanitary conditions,  exercise and punishment of  prisoners without due process  of law at the Lewisburg  Penitentiary. As a result of the  prison's non-compliance with  the federal court order entered  in that case, following a three week  hearing also handled by  Humphrey, the warden of the  Lewisburg Penitentiary  became the first warden in the  United States to be held in contempt  of court. 

Rieders handled the case of  The Lewisburg Prison Project v.  Fenton, where a federal court  jury found that the warden violated  the constitutional rights  of the Lewisburg Prison Project  by trying to  interfere with  its grant from  the Catholic  charity, Campaign  for  Human Development.  The jury found that the conduct of  the warden was  outrageous and entitled the  project to punitive damages.  Rieders also handled that case  on a pro bono basis. 

Both attorneys handled the case of Ferri v. United States,  which officially gained legal  recognition and sanction for the  Lewisburg Prison Project as a  result of a trailblazing consent  decree. 

The lawyers have been longtime  friends, colleagues and  counsel in significant litigation.  Both Humphrey and Rieders  spoke of the enduring influence  of Karl and Isabelle Patten, as  well as Bridgette Cooke and  other founders of the organization. 

The annual event of the  Lewisburg Prison Project was  accompanied by a silent auction  to help raise funds for the nongovernmental,  nonprofit  Lewisburg Prison Project.