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Court Says This Lawsuit May Have Some Teeth

MARQUETTE (AP) - An inmate who blames Michigan prison officials for gum disease is getting his day in court.

Jerry Flanory's lawsuit against three people is going to trial Monday in federal court in Marquette.

He claims he lost a tooth in 2006 and suffered gum disease because he was denied toothpaste as a punishment for not attending prison classes.

The state says the 60-year-old Flint man has no one to blame but himself - he had plenty of access to toothpaste and his tooth was already loose.

Flanory's lawsuit alleging cruel punishment was dismissed as frivolous in 2009 but an appeals court reversed that decision. He was freed from prison in 2009 but is now back behind bars.

 (Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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