Federal trial to begin over allegations of prolonged isolation and torturous conditions in Virginia’s prison system
September 28, 2026 2:57 pm
Media Advisory
Monday, October 5: Federal trial begins over allegations of prolonged isolation and torturous conditions in Virginia’s prison system.
FOR PLANNING PURPOSES ONLY
WHAT: Opening statements in Thorpe et al. v. Virginia Department of Corrections et al., a federal class action challenging a system that has held people in solitary confinement for years, sometimes decades in Red Onion State Prison. The ACLU of Virginia, Covington & Burling LLP, & Ali & Lockwood LLP will ask the court to find that The Virginia Department of Corrections (VDOC) "Step-Down Program" violates the constitutional rights of those who are placed in long-term “restorative” housing and award damages to people subjected to its conditions.
WHEN: Monday, October 5, at 9:00 a.m. ET.
WHERE: U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia
180 W Main St #104
Abingdon, VA 24210
WHO: Counsel in Thorpe et al. v. Virginia Department of Corrections et al. will present opening statements on behalf of the plaintiffs.
MEDIA AVAILABILITY: ACLU of Virginia Legal Director Eden Heilman will be available for interviews following the conclusion of the day’s proceedings. Interviews can be coordinated with Jojo LeBlanc (she/her), jleblanc@acluva.org (804) 584-8224.
BACKGROUND: Thorpe et al. v. Virginia Department of Corrections et al. is a class action lawsuit with hundreds of plaintiffs who have been held in solitary conditions in Red Onion State Prison. Under international standards keeping someone in solitary conditions beyond 15 consecutive days can amount to torture — yet plaintiffs in this case had already spent between two and 24 years in solitary conditions at the time of filing in 2019.
Plaintiffs describe physical abuse, racist harassment, invasive cavity searches, recreation in feces-covered cages, and denial of food, showers, exercise, and mental healthcare. The class action lawsuit alleges that the “Step-Down Program,” a system supposedly designed to help people leave solitary conditions, instead keeps them trapped there through arbitrary requirements that offer no meaningful opportunity to end their confinement. Minor infractions, such as failure to shower or stand for count, can extend isolation, while people experiencing mental illness can remain confined for behaviors that isolation itself worsens.
LOGISTICS: Photo ID and security screening are required for courthouse entry. Photography and video recording are prohibited inside the building. Visitors can enter the courthouse with mobile devices, but they must be turned off, and security will place them in a locked pouch until the visitor exits the building.
MEDIA CONTACTS: Jojo LeBlanc (she/her), jleblanc@acluva.org (804) 584-8224
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