Antonio M. Smith v. John Kind

Antonio Smith is asking the Supreme Court to review whether prison officials can avoid liability after he says they left him naked in an unheated cell for 23 hours during a hunger strike, with temperatures dropping to 25 degrees Fahrenheit. The petition says the Seventh Circuit found those conditions violated the Eighth Amendment but still gave the officials qualified immunity because no case "squarely governs" the facts.

The petition is pending, oral argument has not been scheduled, and no substantive justice or advocate reactions are available yet.

The case could affect how hard it is for prisoners to win money damages after severe mistreatment in custody. For example, a prisoner exposed to extreme cold could lose a claim if no earlier case involved nearly the same facts.

The petition asks whether qualified immunity can protect officials after a court found an Eighth Amendment violation without a nearly identical earlier case.

Prisoners bringing civil-rights suits could be most directly affected. The case could shape claims involving extreme cold or other harsh conditions in custody.

The justices must decide whether to grant certiorari (agree to hear the case) or take another scheduling step. No argument date is set.