Tenth Circuit Rules in Favor of Appellants in Case Supported by Jenner & Block Amicus Brief
News
July 5, 2024
On July 5, the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in favor of the appellants in Whitson v. Hanna, reversing a district court decision, and holding that the Sheriff’s Department and the County were responsible for the actions of a Sedgwick County Sheriff who sexually assaulted an intellectually disabled woman while transporting her between two jails.
Associate Mary Marshall, with supervision from Partner Jessica Ring Amunson, authored an amicus brief on behalf of Rights Behind Bars, National Police Accountability Center, the Southern Center for Human Rights, and MacArthur Justice Center, in support of the plaintiff. In the brief, they argued that trying to distinguish an assault based on whether it was done for personal gratification was an untenable and unconstitutional distinction. They also argued that incarcerated individuals who are assaulted by those responsible for their care deserve justice regardless of underlying motivations.
Former associate Danny Li also supported the project.
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© 2026 Jenner & Block LLP. Attorney Advertising. Jenner & Block LLP is an Illinois Limited Liability Partnership including professional corporations. This publication, presentation, or event is not intended to provide legal advice but to provide information on legal matters and/or firm news of interest to our clients and colleagues. Readers or attendees should seek specific legal advice before taking any action with respect to matters mentioned in this publication or at this event. The attorney responsible for this communication is Brent E. Kidwell, Jenner & Block LLP, 353 N. Clark Street, Chicago, IL 60654-3456. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Jenner & Block London LLP, an affiliate of Jenner & Block LLP, is a limited liability partnership established under the laws of the State of Delaware, USA and is authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority with SRA number 615729. Information regarding the data we collect and the rights you have over your data can be found in our Privacy Notice. For further inquiries, please contact dataprotection@jenner.com.
News
July 5, 2024
On July 5, the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in favor of the appellants in Whitson v. Hanna, reversing a district court decision, and holding that the Sheriff’s Department and the County were responsible for the actions of a Sedgwick County Sheriff who sexually assaulted an intellectually disabled woman while transporting her between two jails.
Associate Mary Marshall, with supervision from Partner Jessica Ring Amunson, authored an amicus brief on behalf of Rights Behind Bars, National Police Accountability Center, the Southern Center for Human Rights, and MacArthur Justice Center, in support of the plaintiff. In the brief, they argued that trying to distinguish an assault based on whether it was done for personal gratification was an untenable and unconstitutional distinction. They also argued that incarcerated individuals who are assaulted by those responsible for their care deserve justice regardless of underlying motivations.
Former associate Danny Li also supported the project.
Related Attorneys
Related Locations
© 2026 Jenner & Block LLP. Attorney Advertising. Jenner & Block LLP is an Illinois Limited Liability Partnership including professional corporations. This publication, presentation, or event is not intended to provide legal advice but to provide information on legal matters and/or firm news of interest to our clients and colleagues. Readers or attendees should seek specific legal advice before taking any action with respect to matters mentioned in this publication or at this event. The attorney responsible for this communication is Brent E. Kidwell, Jenner & Block LLP, 353 N. Clark Street, Chicago, IL 60654-3456. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Jenner & Block London LLP, an affiliate of Jenner & Block LLP, is a limited liability partnership established under the laws of the State of Delaware, USA and is authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority with SRA number 615729. Information regarding the data we collect and the rights you have over your data can be found in our Privacy Notice. For further inquiries, please contact dataprotection@jenner.com.
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