Prison Reform: Ruiz v. Estelle (continued)
A 1986 proposal by then-Governor Mark White to house 300 prisoners in Fort Wolters National Guard barracks for 6 months to diminish overcrowding without releasing prisoners was rejected by Judge Justice due to failure to meet TDC requirements for educational and recreation facilities. Denunciations against the judge’s decision came from around the state.
- Letter from Darrell Horn to William Wayne Justice, September 16, 1986.
- Letter from George D. Schultz to William Wayne Justice, November 25, 1986.
Judge Justice, Special Master Vincent Nathan, and others involved in the case toured TDC prisons, Beto I and Eastham, in March of 1987.
In 1987, in response to Judge Justice’s rulings addressing conditions in Texas prisons, Texas State Representative Sam Johnson launched “Citizens for the Resignation of William Wayne Justice.” Johnson was elected to Congress in 1991.
Judge Justice, then-Governor William Clements, Attorney General Jim Mattox, and other pivotal figures in the lawsuit met in Judge Justice’s chambers in April 1988.Judge Justice’s role as judge precluded him from speaking on Ruiz in this meeting; however the two parties participated in negotiations on a settlement.
The parties submitted a proposed Final Judgment in August 1992.
- Proposed Final Judgment, August 13, 1992.
- Notice to the Plaintiff Class, August, 20, 1992.
- Memorandum Opinion, December 11, 1992.
- Letter from Vincent Nathan to William Wayne Justice, April 26, 1993.
- Letter from Vincent Nathan to William Wayne Justice, March 26, 1994.
Throughout the litigation, letters from the public decrying the Judge’s mandated changes to Texas prisons arrived at Judge Justice’s chambers.
- Letter from Bexar County Grand Jury to William Wayne Justice, February 29, 1988.
- Letter from Mike Grimes to William Wayne Justice, December 12, 1994.
- Letter from 12 citizens to William Wayne Justice, April 27, 1994.
- Letter from Al Havenstrite to William Wayne Justice, May 25, 1994.
- Letter from Charles F. Nawrocki to William Wayne Justice, June 6, 1994.
- Letter from Richard Hammel to William Wayne Justice, undated.
- Letter from James M. Bacon to William Wayne Justice, undated.
- Letter from Tammy Nelson to William Wayne Justice, undated.