Michigan inmate loses case over calls to overseas

KINCHELOE, Mich. (AP) -- A judge says there's nothing illegal about limiting international phone calls from Michigan prisons. Daulys Chico-Polo filed a lawsuit after he couldn't use a prepaid phone card to make Christmas calls to relatives in Nicaragua and Colombia. The 53-year-old is serving a life sentence at a prison in Kincheloe in the Upper Peninsula for drug crimes in the Flint area. The state Corrections Department only allows calls to North America and U.S. territories. Chico-Polo says his rights are being violated because other Spanish-speaking inmates can call Mexico or Puerto Rico. But federal Judge Patrick Duggan said Monday the policy doesn't discriminate against Chico-Polo because it applies to all prisoners. Published: Wed, Mar 9, 2011