Name: Public defender reports alarming coronavirus issues in Broward County Jail
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Public defender reports alarming coronavirus issues in Broward County Jail

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Broward County Jail inmates diagnosed with COVID-19 are reporting alarming conditions, according to the county Public Defender’s Office. Among the allegations: Advertisement The issues were raised in a letter dated Friday night to Sheriff Greg Tony from Public Defender Howard Finkelstein and his chief assistant, Gordon Weekes. “We are in receipt of very disturbing information regarding the treatment of persons in the Broward County Jail who have been diagnosed with COVID-19,” Finkelstein and Weekes said in the letter to Tony in which they listed the series of issues. Given that there is “uncontroverted medical opinion that jails are incubators for COVID-19 because of the inability to socially isolate and provide adequate opportunity for handwashing,” they demanded that Tony arrange for testing for every jail employee and inmate. “Without testing, COVID-19 will quickly spread throughout the jail and your staff will become more fearful and less able to do their jobs,” the public defenders wrote. They also asked that inmates diagnosed with the virus or exhibiting symptoms be closely monitored by medical personnel “at least on an hourly basis.” They said inmates represented by the Public Defender’s Office have reported that they aren’t getting checked and said two inmates in a “COVID-19 unit” at the jail were “spitting up blood” and that “requests for water and care were ignored.” To get medical attention, they wrote, one inmate blocked a cell window to prompt a guard to come to the unit. Others caused toilets to flood to attract attention. When deputies finally entered the unit, Finkelstein and Weekes reported, guards were “physically and verbally aggressive and threatening.” They said they were told that one guard pointed a Taser toward the chest of an inmate known to have heart trouble and another pointed a Taser at a different inmate’s head. Gerdy St. Louis, public information officer at the Sheriff’s Office, said via email the agency follows guidelines from the Florida Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention about inmate testing. Inmates who test positive are medically isolated, treated and monitored according to those guidelines; inmates who show “signs of acute symptoms” are transferred to a hospital. Advertisement As of Saturday morning, St. Louis said, there were 14 inmates who have tested positive for COVID-19. Ten were in custody as of midday Sunday, two have been released, one is now negative, and . As it happens Get updates on the coronavirus pandemic and other news as it happens with our free breaking news email alerts. You are now following this newsletter. The jail population has been dramatically reduced as concerns over coronavirus have grown. As of Saturday, there were 2,860 inmates, down from 3,591 on March 1. St. Louis also said visitors and volunteers are banned from jails. Staff and inmates are screened before entering the facilities. All new inmates are screened for coronavirus risk factors. St. Louis said the agency hadn’t received the Finkelstein-Weekes letter. “It appears media received the letter before we did, as I am not aware of anyone who has received it. We have heard of similar allegations from the Public Defender’s Office that were looked into and found to be completely without merit. We will review the allegations outlined in the letter and provide the Public Defender’s Office with a response,” St. Louis said by email. The Finkelstein-Weekes letter said it was copied to county commissioners, the chief judge and the county administrator. Advertisement Finkelstein, who is serving his fourth term as the county’s elected public defender, , and is supporting Weekes as his replacement. The Public Defender’s Office has long been critical of the way various Broward sheriffs have run the jail and treated inmates. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Next Story Advertisement Advertisement

Broward County Jail inmates diagnosed with COVID-19 are reporting alarming conditions, according to the county Public Defender’s Office. Among the allegations: Advertisement The issues were raised in a letter dated Friday night to Sheriff Greg Tony from Public Defender Howard Finkelstein and his chief assistant, Gordon Weekes. “We are in receipt of very disturbing information regarding the treatment of persons in the Broward County Jail who have been diagnosed with COVID-19,” Finkelstein and Weekes said in the letter to Tony in which they listed the series of issues. Given that there is...

Public defender reports alarming coronavirus issues in Broward County Jail

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