Verkkomany speculate that solitary confinement is a safe form of punishment for prison inmates as it has been used for inmates to learn and understand their. Verkkoin 1890, james medley, a man awaiting the death penalty for murdering his wife, took his case to court after being held in solitary confinement for. Verkkothe history of the relationship between the use of solitary confinement and its potential violation of the constitutional protection against cruel. Verkkoin part, america’s addiction to solitary remains incurable because the doctrine governing whether a particular punishment practice is constitutional—that. Verkko“confinement itself may amount to cruel and unusual punishment prohibited by the constitution where confinement is characterized by conditions and practices so. Verkkosnyder charges that the treatment of mentally ill prisoners at tamms amounts to cruel and unusual punishment, a violation of their eighth amendment rights.