A federal judge in Washington, D.C., has blocked the Trump administration from moving 20 former death row inmates to the nation’s most restrictive “supermax” prison, ruling that the transfer process appeared to be a “sham” designed to punish them.
The decision, handed down late Wednesday by U.S. District Judge Timothy J. Kelly, grants a preliminary injunction for the prisoners. They will remain at the federal penitentiary in Terre Haute, Indiana, while their lawsuit against the government proceeds.
The case centers on 37 federal prisoners whose death sentences were commuted to life in prison by then-President Biden in December 2024. Under standard Bureau of Prisons (BOP) policy, such inmates undergo individualized assessments to determine where they should serve their life terms.
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Early in January 2025, BOP officials indicated that most of these men were unlikely to be sent to ADX Florence—the high-security facility in Colorado known for extreme social isolation. However, the situation changed abruptly when President Trump took office.
On his first day, the President issued an executive order directing the Attorney General to ensure these “monsters” were housed in conditions matching the “monstrosity of their crimes.” Shortly after, Attorney General Pam Bondi issued a memorandum to implement that directive. Within weeks, the BOP’s previous recommendations were scrapped, and all 20 plaintiffs were ordered to ADX Florence.
Judge Kelly, an appointee of President Trump’s first term, wrote that the evidence suggests the outcome was “predetermined.” He noted that the Constitution requires a meaningful process when the government deprives a person of liberty, even for those convicted of “horrific” crimes.
The court pointed to several factors suggesting the process was biased:
- Unprecedented Oversight: The Deputy Attorney General’s office became involved in individual prison assignments, a move described by a former BOP veteran as unheard of in 14 years of service.
- Uniform Results: Despite having vastly different disciplinary records and health needs, nearly all of the 37 commutees were suddenly slated for the supermax facility.
- Public Statements: Attorney General Bondi publicly stated that the inmates would spend the rest of their lives in supermax conditions before their administrative appeals were even finished.
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“The Constitution requires that whenever the government seeks to deprive a person of a liberty… the process it provides cannot be a sham,” Judge Kelly wrote.
Conditions at ADX Florence
The ruling highlighted the intense nature of ADX Florence. Often called the “Alcatraz of the Rockies,” the prison is designed for inmates who are too dangerous for high-security penitentiaries. Inmates there are often held in small cells for 23 hours a day with almost no human contact.
For the plaintiffs, some of whom have serious mental illnesses or physical health conditions, the judge found that a transfer would cause “irreparable harm” by violating their due process rights.
What Happens Next
The injunction is a temporary measure. It does not mean the inmates will never be moved, but it prevents the government from transferring them to ADX Florence until the court can fully hear the merits of the inmates’ claims.
The judge ordered the plaintiffs to post a nominal $1.00 bond to finalize the injunction. For now, the group will stay in the Special Confinement Unit at Terre Haute, where they have been held for years.
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