Dorsey v. State

In Dorsey v. State (1977), 32 Ill. Ct. Cl. 449, the Court held that the State is not an insurer of the safety of persons under its control. In Dorsey, the Claimant was seriously injured by being struck by another inmate with a baseball bat in an area used for recreational purposes. In Dorsey the record was devoid of any indication of a dispute between the individuals involved in the matter, and no evidence of any kind to show that there had been an argument or previous fight between the two men. In Dorsey, neither of the individuals involved had shown any propensity for violence or causing trouble. The circumstances present in the Dorsey case show that there were between 100 and 125 inmates assigned to the area where the assault took place, and that there were approximately eight guards.