Judge Tosses Ebola-Quarantined Nurse's Civil Rights Claims

NEWARK, N.J. (CBSNewYork/AP) -- A federal judge has dismissed claims that New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and state health officials violated the constitutional rights of a nurse quarantined because she had contact with Ebola patients in West Africa.

U.S. District Judge Kevin McNulty agreed with state lawyers that Christie and the other officials are immune from the federal civil rights charges brought by Kaci Hickox.

But McNulty ruled in the decision published last week that Hickox can move forward with the parts of her lawsuit alleging false imprisonment and invasion of privacy.

Hickox was working with Doctors Without Borders in Sierra Leone during the deadly Ebola outbreak in 2014. She was stopped when she arrived at Newark Liberty International Airport and questioned before being quarantined. She tested negative for Ebola and was later allowed to return home to Maine.

"I think this is an extreme that is really unacceptable, and I feel like my basic human rights have been violated," Hickox said from a tent at University Hospital back in 2014.

Hickox called her hospital conditions deplorable – with only basic facilities and accommodations.

"There's a hospital bed. They're bringing me food," Hickox told CNN at the time. "I have a porta-potty-type restroom. No shower facilities."

She slammed New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie for the decision.

"If he knew anything about Ebola, he would know that asymptomatic people are not infectious," she said.

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