For the first time, a public court proceeding is shedding at least some lightThursday on the alleged abuses of juvenile offenders at Lincoln Hills.
The American Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit on behalf of the teenage inmates -- and it seeks to end the use of pepper spray and solitary confinement at the Lincoln Hills' boys facility and a similar one for girls, both at Irma in Lincoln County.
U-S District Judge James Peterson of Madison could decide soon whether to stop the pepper spraying and other actions while he considers the merits of the lawsuit.
Thursday, Petersen turned down a request by the state and the A-C-L-U to remove spectators when videos of the alleged abuse are shown. Peterson decided to make spectators sign pledges that they won't disclose names or other details of the inmates shown.