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LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Pulaski County Circuit Judge Tim Fox has given Attorney General Tim Griffin 30 days to come to an agreement with the state’s Board of Corrections, or else his case will be dismissed. Griffin had filed a lawsuit against the board after it hired an outside counsel and voted to suspend Secretary of Corrections Joe Profiri on Dec. 14.
In his ruling, Fox stated that Griffin had effectively sued his own clients by taking legal action against the Board of Corrections, which violated his duties and responsibilities as the state’s attorney general.
Griffin’s lawsuit contends that the board violated Arkansas law by convening an executive session and retaining outside counsel without his authorization. The board members also reportedly voted to challenge a set of new laws that make the corrections secretary answerable to the governor and not the board.
The lawsuit filed by Griffin is against Sanders, Profiri, and the Dept. of Correction to challenge the constitutionality of Acts 185 and 659. Additionally, Griffin is seeking to void the contract with outside counsel, reverse the board’s decisions to appoint an acting executive in charge of the department, and compel the board to fully respond to his FOIA request.
The legal battle comes amid pressure from various parties to address overcrowding issues within the state’s prison system. The corrections board has been hesitant to add more beds due to staffing and safety concerns, while the Sanders administration has taken unilateral action to add hundreds of new beds in December.
Overall, the lawsuit and legal proceedings highlight the tensions between different stakeholders in Arkansas’ criminal justice system and the challenges of addressing overcrowding and safety concerns within the state’s prisons.
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