Also in July 2021, questions arose about the death of a man held in the jail. Last updated: March 17, 2023. People are always cold in the jail. Some members of the Allegheny County Jail Oversight Board and other community members worry the jail could be in violation of a voter-approved referendum banning the use of solitary . <>>> In another case, the report said officers found a person hanging in a cell and instead of immediately initiating CPR, they called medical staff and waited for them to arrive. On April 10, 2022, the jail workers union was reported as having asked jail administration for further lockdowns due to continuing severe staff shortages. As far as the temperatures in the cell blocks, I walk the cell block frequently, and it is very comfortable in the cell block. Also in February 2021, more allegations about the mishandling of the COVID-19 pandemic in the jail. Warden Harpers response: I do not intend to follow it. Private Complaint Filed 6. In January 2021, several Jail Oversight Board members expressed frustration that they learned more about the jail from journalists than the Warden and administration, showing a continued lack of communication and transparency. In early December 2021, days before a voter referendum banning solitary confinement is to go into effect, jail staff are warning that Harpers administration is not prepared to actually implement it. In incidents where staff were found to have violated policy, ACJ administration took timely disciplinary action against involved staff who violated policy and held the employees accountable, the report said. The liaison will provide the JOB monthly reports of complaints regarding ACJ and all other alternative housing facilities. 'No heat in cells': complaints allege cold temperatures at jail She can be reached at juliette@publicsource.org or on Twitter @JulietteRihl. When a corrections officer learned that she was attempting suicide, he threatened to tase Ms. Cohen if she did not cease her suicide attempt, the complaint said. On January 10th, 2022, it was reported that the jail was going back to 23-1 lockdowns due to shortstaffing over three dozen jail staff tested positive for COVID, and there is only one nurse each shift for the ENTIRE jail population during a deadly pandemic. Warden Orlando Harper has also said there is no issue with the heat at the jail. The 60-page filing, which seeks class-action status, lays out in detail allegations of excessive use of solitary confinement for mentally ill individuals; the use of a restraint chair for hours at a time; implications by officers that inmates ought to kill themselves and punishment following suicide attempts. Deuerling was limited in the time she was allowed to hold her infant, he said, and she was not allowed to shower for two days., In May 2019, lawyer Bret Grote wrote about the travesty of the Allegheny County Jail, describing to the Trib: As a civil rights attorney, I have had, . % "We have seen evidence that people incarcerated at ACJ have suffered as the staff at best turned a blind eye and at other times assaulted individuals for manifestations of their mental illness. There were also concerns that the jail was violating a voter referendum that had banned solitary confinement by the repeated, On January 18, 2023, it was reported that Denzelle Kendrick was, by the jail and suddenly taken off several medications theyve been on since birth without explanation. 90.5 WESA. Lawyers allege he has not received needed hormone therapy and care for recent surgery wounds. Lack of access to nutritious food and hygiene products (commisary being too expensive). Alexandra Morgan-Kurtz, the managing attorney at the Pennsylvania Institutional Law Project, said that it is appalling that the jails top health care and mental health facilities administrators have no health care experience at all. Warden Harper uses the term thug life when talking about the 100% Black group of kids currently in the Allegheny County Jail. The on-going nature of these problems and attrition of staff show that there cannot be change in jail procedures and policies without a change in jail leadership. Its ridiculous, and if there werent people suffering and dying every day as a result of their incompetence and cruelty, I would maybe even laugh about the absurdity of it all.. 90.5 WESA. In February 2021, more allegations came out about torture at the jail by excessive and punitive use of restraint chairs. 4 0 obj due to shortstaffing over three dozen jail staff tested positive for COVID, and there is only one nurse each shift for the ENTIRE jail population during a deadly pandemic. It may continue to be edited to add any future complaints until Harper is removed and conditions in the jail change. he has also alienated his staff and the public, and lacks the management skills to direct the jails 560 employees. The jails energy plant is expected to be completed by the end of the year, Caponi wrote. The federal Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 2018 ordered that no child is to be held in an adult jail unless in the interests of Justice. Video of Harper responding to questions is available on YouTube. The family of Gerald Thomas in particular demanded change at the jail, citing both t. , leading to more questions about the jails food service contract. It alleges that there was not a full-time psychiatrist from February to August 2020 and that as of Aug. 6, there were 49 health care vacancies at the jail, making up approximately 40% of the total health care staff. In September 2020, a class-action lawsuit was filed against the jail and top officials at the jail including the Warden, alleging inadequate treatment and dehumanizing and unlawful conditions. On January 27, 2023, it was reported that. Shortly after, the county announced it was, On September 7th, 2022, a new survey of those held at the jail showed , of the Allegheny County Council provided further details; comments included that Theyve sent up roaches with the food 3 times in 5 months, Food comes up hours late, if it comes at all, and Also, there would be roaches in our food and rock like materials in there as well and the jail expects us to eat such a thing. Comments also complained of extraordinarily high cost for commisary foods. At the same meeting, a motion to release details about the food service in the jail failed, leading to more questions about the jails food service contract. On October 5th, 2022, it was reported by PINJ that Wilson Bernales, one of two medical doctors currently employed at the Allegheny County Jail, has had his medical license suspended, revoked or denied in at least eight different states. Yet Bernales can still practice in Pennsylvania and was hired by the jail despite this resume. This comes shortly after the Oversight Board meeting where Warden Harper admitted that the jail is not properly staffed with medical staff and that sometimes medications are late to folks being held. Howard, it said, has requested mental health care, including counseling or therapy, and been denied, with officers telling him he can only receive treatment if he is suicidal. Blind spot: How Allegheny County Jail fails to prevent sex assault Jurisdiction/venue generally rests in the county where the child(ren) have been residing for the past six months. (see: https://www.publicsource.org/allegheny-county-jail-cold-temperature-complaints/) The county says there is no issue with the heat and that maintenance issues are quickly addressed. Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), The Allegheny County Jail. On July 15th, 2022, it was reported that yet. The NCCHC said documentation received by its team reviewing in-custody deaths was inconsistent and made it difficult to get a clear picture of each incident, the persons behavior and activities. featured the story of Clayton McCray, who lost his leg after being held in the Allegheny County Jail on drug posession charges without proper care for his chronic condition. They have to know that its cold and not a comfortable temperature because thats why they use the Inmate Welfare Fund to buy thermals and long underwear, Bethany Hallam, a member of the Jail Oversight Board, told PublicSource in January. An advocacy group has filed more than 60. It was marked valid by a correctional officer on Jan. 12. , the 6th in 2021. She called the findings of the audit "damning.". On July 21st, 2022, ACJ staff union president Brian Englert cited understaffing and deteriorating mental health among the staff due to the lack of leadership and action from Warden Harper and the administration. Complaint Form Allegheny County District Attorney's Office Complaint Report Please be advised that a person who knowingly makes any written false or fictitious statement or files a false or fictitious report to law enforcement authorities is subject to criminal prosecution. one woman held while pregnant who was forced to give birth in the jail, an intimate view of the atrocities that make up daily life in the Allegheny County Jail, how the jail was using the Inmate Welfare Fund, the jail was profiting from a new phone contract, the jails commissary contract was intentionally providing inadequate meals, inadequate treatment and dehumanizing and unlawful conditions, inadequate mental health care and treatment, couldnt retain medical staff and ultimately quit, lawsuit was filed against the jail on behalf of 3 people with disabilities who faced brutality, some baloney in some applesauce with a small 1oz bag of teddy grahams, a continued lack of communication and transparency, torture at the jail by excessive and punitive use of restraint chairs, The warden needs to be addressed. Among the techniques used, the complaint said, are OC spray, tasers, stun shields, extraction teams, forced nudity and immobilization in a restraint chair, which immobilizes a persons arms and legs and then attached to the floor facing a blank wall, is common and often lasts for hours. The Allegheny County Jail is looking for experienced, dynamic, and diverse employees. In May, the lawsuit said, Byrd attempted to kill himself by overdosing on medications three times. On May 30, 2022, the jail staff union president posted on Twitter that Summit Foods was not fulfilling its contract for food service in the jail. When local newspapers call on the jail. The Allegheny County Jails use of 231 lockdowns is highly unusual and puts it as an outlier compared to other jails. Carefully consider if Allegheny County is the appropriate place to file for custody. , reversing its decision only after public outcry. While some complaints are from the current winter, others have said this has been a common issue for years. Eric Phillip Casteel, 62, was arrested at his Plum home Thursday and charged with three misdemeanor counts each of endangering another person, terroristic threats and simple assault. endobj . Oh, Christmas Tree. . Also during that time, correctional officers have used force on Byrd more than 20 times. Family now wants to know why Harper was making DNR decisions without attempting to first contact or consult them. , despite the Allegheny County Jail having the most use of force incidents in the whole state in 2020. During a news conference on Tuesday morning, attorneys for the plaintiffs demanded a leadership change at the jail. Even though Mr. Castaphany complied, he was tased before he could get on the ground, the complaint said. Inmates at Allegheny County Jail sue over dangers to their mental the fourth person in 2022 alone. Porter was approved for surgery to resolve his vision problems, the complaint said, but accuses Williams of cancelling the procedure and refusing to reschedule it. They basically tell you, this is jail. What did you expect to happen?. This is against the law voters passed. Its terrible, he said. A recent video from December 2020 shows the dinner given to folks being held in the jail: it consisted of some baloney in some applesauce with a small 1oz bag of teddy grahams. Jail Oversight Board members cited that the learned about this incident from folks in the jail, not from the warden, continuing a pattern of secrecy by jail leadership including the warden. The family of Gerald Thomas in particular demanded change at the jail, citing both the Warden but also Judge Anthony Marianis unjust rulings as resulting the in the death of Thomas. Juliette Rihl is a reporter for PublicSource. And if the inmates are complaining, we know the corner cells are colder, well move the inmate from the corner cell, Harper said at the Jail Oversight Board meeting in January in response to a public comment alleging the facility had no heat or hot water. We're looking for volunteers who interact with Allegheny County to test a new navigation structure for our website! It further claims that the jail medical facilities have inadequate resources. The jail is also consolidating folks held into a smaller number of pods rather than expanding to keep better distancing for Covid. No details were given by the jail. On Friday, Hallam was critical of the county for failing to provide any previous drafts of the report to the board and for waiting to release it during the March meeting. . Its absolutely intolerable and inhumane., On June 23, 2022, lawyers representing a trans-man. Either way, its another example of his penchant for dismissing problems instead of fixing them.. A separate energy plant in the County Office Building will supply the jails hot water. On May 30, 2022, the jail staff union president posted on Twitter that Summit Foods was not fulfilling its contract for food service in the jail, leaving him to purchase pizza for the officers. We're looking for volunteers who interact with Allegheny County to test a new navigation structure for our website! On June 10, 2022, Pittsburgh City-Paper reported on, of people with psychiatric disabilities in the jail. You will need to have some identifying information about the person you allege committed a crime (full name, date of birth, address, etc.). On June 28, 2022, an article from Vox about national problems with healthcare at jails featured the story of Clayton McCray, who lost his leg after being held in the Allegheny County Jail on drug posession charges without proper care for his chronic condition. Juliette Rihl is a reporter for PublicSource. , county council member and jail oversight board member, ACJ has had 13 deaths since the beginning of Covid up to the time of this writing. 2023 Trib Total Media | All Rights Reserved, Woman dead after rollover crash in Churchill, Fire at Ross Township Chili's diverts customers, workers to restaurant's other sites, Visit the 5 major attractions in Washington County celebrating milestone anniversaries this year, Frazer police respond to hoax call about double shooting, Harmar police: Driver held at gunpoint after picking up hitchhiker, Aerosmith's farewell tour visits Pittsburgh in September, Pittsburgh Pop podcast: Talking Mulaneys Baby J on Netflix, Aerosmith returning to Pittsburgh one last time, Luke Combs kicks off summer concert season at Acrisure Stadium, Mountain climbers rappel down Mount Washington to clean up the hillside, Western Pennsylvania's trusted news source. Melissa Behanna, 35, of Washington County said jail officials knew Joshua Reber was sexually assaulting inmates when he worked as a corrections officer at the jail in 2015 . The lawsuit alleges denial of civil rights and due process, and seeks injunctive relief as well as monetary damages for illegal detention. On October 3rd, 2022, the Abolitionist Law Center filed a class-action lawsuit against Warden Harper and other county officials challenging the pervasive use of probation detainers in Allegheny County. Harper claimed at the oversight board meeting that there was a plan, but not written down, leaving concern about if there really is a plan. The Jail Oversight Board meeting that same day showed that those being held in the jail were not receiving commisary stipends previously approved, those held in the mental health wing were not receiving recreation time, and that the jail was still holding people in solitary confinement for weeks despite a citizen referendum that made the practice basically illegal. Surprise inspections led by two Jail Oversight Board members raise new. It may continue to be edited to add any future complaints until Harper is removed and conditions in the jail change. concerns about sanitation, dire understaffing, mental health care, and conditions for teenagers at the county jail. Still cold, Arrington filed another complaint on Jan. 17. Its absolutely intolerable and inhumane.. among the staff due to the lack of leadership and action from Warden Harper and the administration. Food at Allegheny County Jail falls under scrutiny at latest oversight Those control the heat in a few cells. Barbara Hulcha, who was at the jail from November 2014 to June 2016, agreed. The fact that there has not been any administrative changes at the jail, he continued, shows an appalling lack of concern for the conditions there and the communities in the jail on the part of our county executive.. Allegheny County Communications Director Amie Downs said the county does not comment on pending litigation. . Castaphany has been in the jail since May 2019 and has anxiety, depression and PTSD. Those entering the jail with substance abuse disorder should be started on detoxification immediately and managed, the report said. On February 25th, 2022, a story from an anonymous Summit Food Service employee that previously worked in the jail described in a social media post how food with roaches and mice and moldy food was being kept by supervisors to be fed to people held in the jail. The liaison may also receive complaints for follow-up through a JOB member and shall investigate and report directly back to the JOB with any findings, observations, and/or resolutions. The lawsuit, filed June 28, says Martin Bucek, 55, killed himself inside the jail on July 3, 2021, and that the jail failed to prevent his suicide. With the Shuman Center closed, the county argues theres no place to put them but the jail but lack of a plan isnt an acceptable answer in the interest of justice. Christopher West sleeps in two thermal shirts and two pairs of socks. Criminal Procedure Allegheny County District Attorney's Office Possibly as a result of this poor policy, it was reported on March 1st, 2021, that COVID-19 infections in the jail have skyrocketed. On June 2, 2022, the Abolitionist Law Center held a rally outside of the Jail Oversight Board monthly meeting to ask Are we running a jail or a cemetery? The Jail has so far refused details about the deaths that have occurred in the jail and families are demanding answers.
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