Destiny Hoffman served 154 days for a 48-hour sentence

[Jesus Malverde]

Charges against a Jeffersonville woman who spent five months in jail for a 48-hour sentence are expected to dropped while she moves ahead with filing a civil lawsuit against Clark County for her lengthy incarceration.

Destiny Hoffman, 34, was released from the Michael L. Becher Adult Correctional Complex on Thursday, a day after Clark County Deputy Prosecutor Michaelia Gilbert discovered her status as an inmate while reviewing old case files.

Hoffman was a participant in the Clark County Drug Court Treatment Program, and her 154-day incarceration resulted from Clark County Circuit Court No. 2 Judge Jerry Jacobi, who oversees the drug court, issuing a two-day sanction and never notifying jail staff to release her from the facility.

“All charges will be dismissed against Ms. Hoffman. She will have no further requirements to attend drug court or probation. Her cases are, basically, finished,” said Nathan Masingo, Hoffman’s public defender.

Masingo said he expects Hoffman will file a civil complaint that could result in Clark County taxpayers paying for the blunder that kept her behind bars from Aug. 22 to Jan. 23.

“She met with an attorney today,” Masingo said Monday. “She will be suing the [Clark] county civilly for violation of her constitutional rights.”

http://www.newsandtribune.com/local/x1724068185/Charges-to-be-dropped-in-Clark-County-jail-case-lawsuit-moving-forward

[Comrade Grumpy]

1. That drug court judge apparently needs some judicial review himself.

Enjoy your payday, Ms. Hoffman, you earned it.

[sharp_stick]

2. What kind of jail

requires a judge to notify them to release a prisoner after completion of a sentence? Shouldn't the intake form have had a release date on it?

[muriel_volestrangler]

3. You'd think there'd be some bureaucracy demanding it, just for planning

They can't just say "send us anyone, and get back to us on the day you want them released"; they need to think about capacity.