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→Corrections secretary, 1988-1992
After his legislative service, Lynn was the director of the Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections from 1988 to 1992, under appointment from then Governor Buddy Roemer, a Democrat-later-Republican.
After his legislative service, Lynn was the director of the Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections from 1988 to 1992, under appointment from then Governor Buddy Roemer, a Democrat-later-Republican.
In his capacity as corrections secretary, Lynn was sued by an inmate who claimed invasion of privacy during a body search carried out on all convicts at the Louisiana State Penitentiary in Angola in West Feliciana Parish. Under orders from Lynn, David Keith Elliott submitted to a visual body cavity search. The searches were conducted in the general presence of other inmates, guards, and three bystanders. The U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana granted Lynn's motion for summary judgment and dismissed Elliott's suit.
In his capacity as corrections secretary, Lynn was sued by an inmate who claimed invasion of privacy during a body search carried out on all convicts at the Louisiana State Penitentiary in Angola in West Feliciana Parish. Under orders from Lynn, David Keith Elliott submitted to a visual body cavity search. The searches were conducted in the general presence of other inmates, guards, and three bystanders. The U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana granted Lynn's motion for summary judgment and dismissed Elliott's suit.
==Death and legacy==
Elliott then filed suit before the [[New Orleans]]-based United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit in the case ''Elliott v. Lynn.'' Elliott claimed that the search violated his [[Fourth Amendment|Fourth]] and [[Fourteenth Amendment]] rights under the [[United States Constitution]].
The three-judge appeals court panel held that, while the Constitution protects against "unreasonable search and seizure," Elliott was not deprived of a "state created liberty interest without due process of law." Elliott had also claimed that Lynn was not entitled to the protection provided by qualified immunity.The court found that during the period "preceding June 9, 1989, an extraordinary number of [[murder]]s, [[suicide]]s, stabbings, and cuttings occurred within the Louisiana State Penitentiary. These circumstances created an emergency situation, and the defendant Lynn ordered an institution-wide shakedown … All 3,164 prisoners, including Elliott, were subjected to a visual body cavity search over a period of two and one-half days. To facilitate this massive search effort, Lynn brought in additional correctional officers." The court hence found in Lynn's favor.
==Death and legacy==
Upon Lynn's death in 2016 at the age of ninety-one, memorial services were held at the First Presbyterian Church of Shreveport.<ref name=lynnobit/> Jack Dillard, the long-term farm correspondent for KWKH radio and ''The Shreveport Times'' recalled the former legislator, accordingly:<blockquote>
Upon Lynn's death in 2016 at the age of ninety-one, memorial services were held at the First Presbyterian Church of Shreveport.<ref name=lynnobit/> Jack Dillard, the long-term farm correspondent for KWKH radio and ''The Shreveport Times'' recalled the former legislator, accordingly:<blockquote>
With the passing of Bruce Lynn of Belcher on September 28, farmer, family man, politician and a tremendous voice for agriculture, we will always have a void to fill as Bruce represented our part of Louisiana and agriculture in his positive and honest way. When I came to KWKH Radio and ''The Shreveport Times'' in the fall of 1959, KWKH’s Jack Timmons took me to meet Mr. Lynn and advised [that I] get to know him and follow his leadership. That I have done. He led in many ways with many phases of life and was always a person available to counsel with. In recent years as both of us backed away from present tasks, I had not shared time with him. When it was appropriate he always had a positive word that benefited. As president of the National Cotton Council of America, when cotton was king, he was at his best. We extend our sympathies to the family and as he has now moved to a "much higher" area of service. Bruce Lynn will be a leader.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.shreveporttimes.com/story/life/2016/10/09/jack-dillard-passing-lynn-leaves-void-louisiana-agriculture/91727534/|title=Passing of Lynn leaves void in Louisiana agriculture|author=Jack Dillard|publisher=''The Shreveport Times''|date=October 9, 2016|accessdate=January 18, 2017}}</ref></blockquote>
With the passing of Bruce Lynn of Belcher on September 28, farmer, family man, politician and a tremendous voice for agriculture, we will always have a void to fill as Bruce represented our part of Louisiana and agriculture in his positive and honest way. When I came to KWKH Radio and ''The Shreveport Times'' in the fall of 1959, KWKH’s Jack Timmons took me to meet Mr. Lynn and advised [that I] get to know him and follow his leadership. That I have done. He led in many ways with many phases of life and was always a person available to counsel with. In recent years as both of us backed away from present tasks, I had not shared time with him. When it was appropriate he always had a positive word that benefited. As president of the National Cotton Council of America, when cotton was king, he was at his best. We extend our sympathies to the family and as he has now moved to a "much higher" area of service. Bruce Lynn will be a leader.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.shreveporttimes.com/story/life/2016/10/09/jack-dillard-passing-lynn-leaves-void-louisiana-agriculture/91727534/|title=Passing of Lynn leaves void in Louisiana agriculture|author=Jack Dillard|publisher=''The Shreveport Times''|date=October 9, 2016|accessdate=January 18, 2017}}</ref></blockquote>