Stephen Slevin: Two Years Forgotten in Solitary Confinement

In 2005, a man named Stephen Slevin from New Mexico found himself in a nightmare that lasted nearly two years. Arrested for a suspected DUI, he was thrown into solitary confinement and left there without ever facing a trial. Prison officials later said they had simply “forgotten” about him. What happened to Stephen during those 22 months is a story of neglect, suffering, and a fight for justice that still echoes today. At Phacts, we’re diving deep into this shocking case to bring you all the details—because the truth matters.

Stephen’s story isn’t just about one man’s pain. It’s about a system that failed him in the worst way possible. From losing weight to pulling out his own tooth, his time in isolation left scars that money could never fully heal. Let’s walk through what happened, step by step, and see how this one case changed lives and laws.

The Day It All Began

It was August 24, 2005, when Stephen Slevin’s life took a sharp turn. He was 57 years old, driving through Dona Ana County, New Mexico, in a car he had borrowed from a friend. Stephen wasn’t in the best place mentally—he had a history of depression and was feeling lost. That day, police pulled him over, suspecting he was driving under the influence (DUI). They also thought the car might be stolen, though it wasn’t. Stephen was arrested and taken to the Dona Ana County Detention Center.

At first, it seemed like a routine arrest. But things quickly went off the rails. When Stephen arrived at the jail, staff noticed his mental health struggles. They labeled him a suicide risk because of his depression. Instead of getting him help, they decided to isolate him. He was put in a padded cell for three days, then moved to solitary confinement. No one told him why, and no one seemed to care what happened next.

What Solitary Confinement Looked Like

Solitary confinement means being locked alone in a small cell for 22 to 24 hours a day. For Stephen, it was a concrete box with no windows, no company, and almost no human contact. He got one hour out of his cell each day—if he was lucky. Often, he didn’t even get that. Guards slid food through a slot, but that was it. No conversations, no fresh air, no hope.

Stephen started out as a healthy man. He wasn’t skinny or sick when he walked into that jail. But solitary confinement changed everything. With no one checking on him, his body and mind began to fall apart. The jail didn’t just lock him up—they forgot him.

A Body Breaking Down

Imagine being stuck in a tiny room for months with no doctor, no dentist, and no one to help. That’s what Stephen faced. Over time, his health crumbled. He wasn’t eating enough, and the food he got wasn’t good. Malnutrition set in, and he started losing weight fast. By the end, he had dropped from a healthy weight to just 133 pounds—a third of what he used to be.

His skin suffered too. Without showers, fungus grew on his body. Bedsores—painful sores from lying on a hard surface too long—formed on his back and legs. His toenails grew so long they curled under his feet, making every step hurt. But the worst came when a tooth started aching. Stephen begged for a dentist, but no one came. In desperation, he pulled the tooth out himself. Can you picture the pain? That’s what neglect did to him.

A Mind Slipping Away

Stephen’s body wasn’t the only thing breaking. His mind took a beating too. He had depression before, but solitary confinement made it so much worse. Alone with his thoughts for months, he started to lose touch with reality. He rocked back and forth in his cell, trying to cope. By January 2006, just three months in, he was delirious—confused and unable to think straight.

His letters from that time show how bad it got. At first, he wrote to his sister and the jail staff, asking for help. He said he couldn’t sleep, that he was having panic attacks, that he needed a doctor. His handwriting was shaky, a sign of how weak he’d become. But no one listened. As the months dragged on, he stopped writing. He just sat there, rocking, lost in his own head.

Forgotten by the System

How does someone stay locked up for two years without a trial? That’s the question at the heart of Stephen’s story. After his arrest, he never saw a judge. The charges—DUI and receiving a stolen vehicle—never went anywhere. There was a brief competency hearing a year into his time, but it didn’t lead to a trial or a release. The case just stalled, and Stephen stayed in his cell.

Prison officials later claimed they “forgot” about him. It’s hard to believe, but the evidence backs it up. Stephen wasn’t hidden—he was right there, in plain sight. Guards walked by every day, bringing him food, seeing him waste away. Yet no one asked why he was still there. No one checked his file. He was a pretrial detainee, not even convicted, but the system let him rot.

A Brief Escape, Then Back Again

In May 2007, after 21 months, something finally happened. Stephen was sent to the New Mexico Behavioral Health Institute for a psychiatric review. When he arrived, he was a mess—smelling bad, with long hair and a beard, and a fungal infection covering his skin. Doctors treated him for two weeks, but then sent him back to the jail. Instead of freedom, he went right back to solitary confinement. His nightmare wasn’t over yet.

Freedom at Last

On June 25, 2007, Stephen walked out of the Dona Ana County Detention Center. After 22 months, the charges against him were dropped. He was free, but he wasn’t the same man. Photos from before and after tell the story. In 2005, he was clean-shaven, with neat hair and a full face. In 2007, he had a long, messy beard, wild hair, and a thin, pale face. He looked broken—and he was.

Stephen had lost so much—his health, his weight, his sanity. He was deemed unfit to stand trial because of how much he’d deteriorated. The jail had taken everything from him, and now he had to figure out how to live again.

Fighting for Justice

Stephen didn’t just fade away after his release. With help from a lawyer named Matthew Coyte, he decided to fight back. In December 2008, they filed a lawsuit against Dona Ana County, the jail, and two staff members—the jail director, Christopher Barela, and the medical director, Daniel Zemek. The lawsuit said Stephen’s rights were violated. He hadn’t gotten a hearing before being put in solitary, and he’d been denied basic care. It was a bold move, and it paid off.

The trial started in January 2012 in a federal court in Santa Fe. Stephen’s story shocked the jury. They saw the before-and-after photos. They heard how he’d pulled his own tooth and lost a third of his body weight and also learned that Zemek, the medical director, couldn’t even remember seeing Stephen in his cell. The county tried to settle for $2 million, but Stephen and Coyte said no. They wanted the truth to come out.

A Historic Win

On January 24, 2012, the jury made its decision. They awarded Stephen $22 million—one of the biggest civil rights payouts ever for a prisoner in the U.S. The money broke down like this: $15.5 million in compensatory damages from all the defendants, $3.5 million in punitive damages from Zemek, and $3 million from Barela. It was a huge victory, but Stephen said it wasn’t about the cash.

Outside the courthouse, he spoke in a shaky voice. “This was never about the money,” he said. “We made a statement about what happened to me.” He wanted people to know how he’d been treated—and to make sure it didn’t happen to anyone else. The county appealed, saying the amount was too high. In March 2013, Stephen settled for $15.5 million to end the fight. It was still a massive win.

The Aftermath for Stephen

The money helped Stephen, but it couldn’t fix everything. His mental health was shattered. He had post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) from his time in solitary, and he’d need depression medication for life. Then, during the trial, he got more bad news: he had late-stage lung cancer. It wasn’t caused by the jail, but it made his recovery even harder.

Stephen fought the cancer with the same strength he’d shown in court. His lawyer said he stayed optimistic, even through tough treatments. Sadly, he passed away a few years later. His story didn’t end with a happy ending, but it left a mark that’s still felt today.

Changes in New Mexico

Stephen’s case didn’t just win him money—it sparked change. The $15.5 million came mostly from taxpayers, with $9.5 million from county funds and $6 million from insurance. That hit Dona Ana County hard, and they promised to do better. They said they’d improved the jail—more staff, better training, and new rules for treating mentally ill inmates.

But the impact went bigger. Stephen’s lawyer, Matthew Coyte, kept fighting. He took on more solitary confinement cases, winning millions more. In 2019, New Mexico passed a law to limit solitary confinement. It banned the practice for kids, pregnant people, and people with mental illness—people like Stephen. Jails now have to report how they use it. Advocates say Stephen’s case helped make that happen. At Phacts, we see this as proof that one person’s story can shift the world.

Why This Matters Today

Stephen Slevin’s two years in solitary confinement show what happens when a system fails. He wasn’t a criminal—he was a man who needed help. Instead, he got neglect. His story reminds us to ask hard questions: How do we treat people in jail? What happens when no one’s watching? At Phacts, we believe knowing the facts is the first step to fixing things.

Solitary confinement is still used across the U.S., even though studies say it hurts more than it helps. It can cause mental health problems, self-harm, and even shorter lives after release. Stephen’s case is a warning—a call to keep pushing for fairness and care, not just punishment.

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Stephen Slevin’s story is one you won’t forget, and at Phacts, we’re here to keep bringing you the truth. Want more real, no-nonsense stories like this? Subscribe to phactsblog.com for updates straight to your inbox. Share this article with your friends—let’s get people talking about what matters. Got thoughts on Stephen’s case? Drop a comment below. Together, we can shine a light on the facts and make a difference. Stay curious, stay informed, and stick with Phacts!

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