With the number of COVID-19 cases zooming past 350 in a population of 1,100 inmates and a backed-up sewer system, Cameron County's locked-down Rucker-Carrizales county jail has become a "lepers' colony."
This according to lawyers, probation officers and other officials who have been turned away from its gates.
They were instructed to communicate with their clients or wards through telephones available to inmates withe a charge card purchased at the jail through its commissary.
On Wednesday, Cameron County officials confirmed the latest report from the Texas Commission on Jail Standards that 354 inmates have tested positive for COVID-19. The remaining 739 inmates in county jails have been placed into quarantine.
Additionally, 33 staff members have tested positive for COVID-19 and the remaining 45 jailers are in quarantine. The Sheriff’s Department reported to the Texas Commission on Jail Standards on July 1 that 45 inmates had tested positive at the Ruben M. Torres Detention Center, causing medical staff to begin mass testing.
And just how do you place 739 people in jail cells in quarantine? They report doesn't say.
With the facility in lock down, sources say that the administration cannot find someone to come in and fix the back-up sewer system because they fear infection. These conditions – total isolation, a rampant contagion of CODIV-19, a lack of medical personnel or facilities to treat the growing number of positive cases and the backed-up sewers to add to the misery – may lead to an explosion, they say.
"How are you going to isolate the inmates in the cells," asked a lawyer? "If you make a segregated population and establish a COVID-19 section, how are you going to make sure that you don't include different gang members from the different gangs like the Valluco, La Eme, El Syndicato, Texas Mafia, etc., in the same section together or with sexual offenders, for example? You'd be asking for trouble."
The lockdown announced yesterday did not mention the size of the problem, only that some positive cases had been detected. But numerous attorneys and county and state officials who do business with the inmates say that they had been turned away and told it would be in lockdown for at least 15 days.
The Brownsville Herald's Erin Sheridan reports that District Attorney Luis V. Saenz expressed concern for inmates inside the jail whose cases are being prolonged due to the spread of the virus, particularly those who remain incarcerated for nonviolent offenses because they can’t afford bond.
Sheridan reported that Saenz he assured those with loved ones inside the facilities that the office is working with defense attorneys to facilitate plea agreements that will potentially see the release of more nonviolent offenders after July 27, the date Jail Administrator Joe Elizardi has said inmates can be transported to Zoom hearings again.
Even if the county was to start liberating non-violent offenders who had not tested positive for the virus, some of them might be asymptomatic and could pose a danger to the community where they will go.
"This situation is going to explode," one said. "It's not a good situation. I can see how this could become a huge liability to the county."
6 comments:
Prisoners are there for a reason, Montoya. Too bad.
" Anonymous Anonymous said...
Prisoners are there for a reason, Montoya. Too bad.
July 16, 2020 at 4:07 PM"
Such as awaiting trial.
With that mentality, why bother with due process?
Even if they were sentenced, what's the point of a sentence if anything goes?
What does justice mean to you?
some are waiting for trial and may be innocent moron
juan though omar lucio and reyna boys had everything under control over at the sheriff dept and jails? what happen?
And I let Brownsville herald know.channel 5 and 4. And they just ignored me. I was in there in June. No soaps no showers 12 people per cell. In humane, no.masks. Inmates sick with fever and not being seen till 4 days later. You don't know what it's like until you choose to serve your time. Inmates being extradited for misdemeanors from Dallas Houston And Liberty county which are huge Covid epicenters. CRDC failed inspection 2 years in a row.
I was in there no soaps no showers no phone calls. Inmates with fever sick not being seen by nurse till 5 days later. No masks twelve inmates per cell.Yet I called the Herald,Channel 5,and 4.Inmates were extradited from Houston Dallas and Liberty county for misdemeanors just to collect money on there jail time. In humane
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