allegheny county jail complaints
In late October 2021, reports show that the jail has been on a 231 (23 hours in cells with 1 hour of time outside for hygiene or recreation) has been the regular at the jail since roughly the start of the pandemic. . Castaphany has been in the jail since May 2019 and has anxiety, depression and PTSD. On April 12, 2022, news broke that Warden Harper made decisions about Do Not Resusitate (DNR) orders without the family's knowledge for one of victims that had previously died. Some details about the man who died, 74-year old Roger Millspaugh, were later released. The jail is also consolidating folks held into a smaller number of pods rather than expanding to keep better distancing for Covid. On September 1st, Warden Harper responded to increasing criticism over these contracts and. Those interviews were conducted in-person, on the phone and through video conferencing, she said. 2. Review of the healthcare complaint will be based on the principles of adequate medical care, clinical guidelines, and established protocols. The lawsuit alleges denial of civil rights and due process, and seeks injunctive relief as well as monetary damages for illegal detention. A team of four people from the organization visited the jail from Nov. 1 to Nov. 3. 1. You will need to have some identifying information about the person you allege committed a crime (full name, date of birth, address, etc.). On April 7, 2023, at the monthly Jail Oversight Board meeting, Warden Harper confirmed that minors (under 18) are treated like adults and strip searched as if they were adults. The employees union representing staff at the jail then authorized a vote of no confidence against Warden Harper, which was calling for the resignation or removal of Warden Orlando Harper. During a recent meeting, the Allegheny County Jail Oversight Board voted against a motion . The complaint describes numerous assaults by [Sergeant John] Raible against people with disabilities involving the over use of pepper spray, tasers and placing people with disabilities in a restraint chair for hours without food, water, medicine, or breaks to relieve themselves. The lawsuit also alleges that [Warden] Harper, [Chief Deputy] Zewto, and [Deputy Chief of Operations] Beasom knew that ACJ officers routinely used excessive force on individuals with psychiatric disabilities and did not provide adequate supervision or training of jail staff. It further claims that the jail medical facilities have inadequate resources. in the last month at the Allegheny County 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. due to experiencing the 23-and-1 torture policy, long after getting out of jail. When local newspapers call on the jail. I am sadden[ed] to hear that the inmates are having to deal with these conditions but to me it sounds like a downstream issue after the service is delivered, OBrien wrote. by Allegheny County Controller Corey OConnor and Terri Klein, both members of the countys Jail Oversight Board, found numerous problems reported by folks held in the jail. He has also been placed in the restraint chair repeatedly, including once for 28 hours. and only received medical treatment after being transferred to Butler County Jail. Some formerly incarcerated people said the jails heat has been an issue for years. On September 7th, 2022, a new survey of those held at the jail showed widespread concerns about medical services, food quality at Allegheny County Jail. We provide the Jail a double feed system capable of delivering 2-3 times the actual building requirement, OBrien wrote in a Feb. 19 email to PublicSource. What hes doing there is torture. Deputy Warden Williams was also alleged to refuse to wear protective equipment while meeting with those held in the jail, and refusing to take action on their COVID concerns. After that, it continued, as Castaphany was being moved to solitary confinement, he asked for mental health care and was told that he could only be seen if he was suicidal. I had to sleep every day with a blanket over my head. She described people cutting the bottom of their socks to use them as sleeves. Last updated: March 17, 2023. Initiating custody complaints & modifying existing orders However, as he tried to return to his cell, a sergeant pointed a taser at his face and ordered him to the ground, the complaint said. Still cold, Arrington filed another complaint on Jan. 17. , despite knowing ACJ is not a place for treating mental health. Its terrible, he said. 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. The Jail Oversight Board was not informed of the incident prior to his death, as required, and the unresponsive description of course obscures the details of what happened. In July, the Post-Gazette called for Mr. Harpers resignation, as have the employees union and many members of the public.. On August 3rd, 2022, Pittsburgh City Paper started a new Jail Watch that covered a review of recent jail statistics and events, including that the jail has faced over 162 health code violations since 2014, with a quote from a kitchen worker stating: One former ACJ kitchen worker described rodents and pest infestations as a daily problem and recalled a layer of black slime covering the kitchen floor and pooling in a clogged drain and raw sewage where we were preparing food.. On June 2, 2022, the Abolitionist Law Center held a rally outside of the Jail Oversight Board monthly meeting to ask , The Jail has so far refused details about the deaths that have occurred in the jail and families are demanding answers. Inmates at Allegheny County Jail sue over dangers to their mental taser attack against a handcuffed woman in a cell, large numbers of people held in solitary for days and weeks, a fifth person, Paul Allen, had died at the Jail in the last year, how non-transparent Warden Harper continues to be, 23 hours in cells with 1 hour of time outside for hygiene or recreation, jail staff are warning that Harpers administration is not prepared to actually implement it, jail reported to oversight yet another death, nearly 300 people were still being kept in solitary confinement conditions, in direct violation of a referendum, a woman who was left handcuffed to a table, the jail was going back to 23-1 lockdowns, seven folks held at the jail signed a complaint, Allegheny County Jail should follow the law, the jail had sent police to intimidate the complainers, died within a week of medical problems at the jail, Allegheny County Jail is still keeping folks held in lockdown, Pitt News issued a statement saying Our community deserves better than the Allegheny County Jail, food with roaches and mice and moldy food, died after suffering a medical emergency at the Jail, were not properly treated at Allegheny County Jail, the entire jail was on lockdown for the entire month of March, Warden Harper made decisions about Do Not Resusitate (DNR) orders without the family's knowledge, detailing the on-going use of solitary confinement, Jerry Lee Ross, Jr., had died after being detained in the Allegheny County Jail, leaving him to purchase pizza for the officers, he Warden but also Judge Anthony Marianis unjust rulings as resulting the in the death of Thomas, motion to release details about the food service in the jail failed, a new lawsuit alleging brutal treatment, filed a lawsuit against the county and ACJ Warden Harper for not receiving adequate medical attention, national problems with healthcare at jails, filed a lawsuit against the county in federal court, reported rats and roaches in the jail kitchen and food storage, another person died in the jail after a medical emergency, pointed out Warden Harpers misleading statistics, The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette confirmed the misleading statistics, Brian Englert cited understaffing and deteriorating mental health, Pittsburgh City Paper started a new Jail Watch, a fifth person has died at the jail this year, putting out a contract to hire someone to investigate the deaths, widespread concerns about medical services, food quality at Allegheny County Jail, full report from the Inmate Welfare Fund Subcommittee, another person had died after being held in the jail, challenging the pervasive use of probation detainers in Allegheny County. Jail | Contact | Allegheny County To View Election Voter Information Click Here. According to one person, , . Deputy Warden Williams was also alleged to refuse to wear protective equipment while meeting with those held in the jail, and refusing to take action on their COVID concerns. The team also analyzed the circumstances around the 27 deaths and how they were reviewed afterward. ACJ is failing to provide any meaningful mental health care to those in its custody, and in many cases is actually punishing individuals for seeking help, says Alexandra Morgan-Kurtz of the PILP [Pennsylvania Institutional Law Project]. Surprise inspections led by two Jail Oversight Board members raise new. It can lead to adverse psychological symptoms and is exacerbated in people with mental health problems, the lawsuit continued. , including shortages of medical staff. It also cites statistics showing that an estimated 64% of people in jail have a mental health condition. Preliminary Arraignment 7. Can you spare 10 minutes to help improve the site? 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 . 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. x[Yo~7@>\i%( They basically tell you, this is jail. Lawsuit: Allegheny County Jail staff beat, restrained women inmates Compared with other counties, PublicSource noted that Correctional experts PublicSource spoke to described Allegheny Countys redactions, which were made by Warden Orlando Harper, as outside the norm and harmful to transparency. The behavior clearly outside the norm and hostile to transparency is deeply concerning, especially in light of years of other complaints against the jail as outlined above. Once cuffed on the ground, the sergeant and two other correction officers continued to tase, punch, and mace him in the face.. There is 24/7 maintenance at the facility and as soon as notification is made that there is an issue, it is repaired, Downs wrote. The complaint describes numerous assaults by [Sergeant John] Raible against people with disabilities involving the over use of pepper spray, tasers and placing people with disabilities in a restraint chair for hours without food, water, medicine, or breaks to relieve themselves. The lawsuit also alleges that [Warden] Harper, [Chief Deputy] Zewto, and [Deputy Chief of Operations] Beasom knew that ACJ officers routinely used excessive force on individuals with psychiatric disabilities and did not provide adequate supervision or training of jail staff. In July, the Post-Gazette called for Mr. Harpers resignation, as have the employees union and many members of the public.. This militarization seems to be a direct response to the citizen referendum banning solitary confinement. The understaffing has many concerned it is putting both staff and incarcerated folks at risk. On July 28th, 2022, photos were shared of the food being served in the jail. Comments on mental health included The place is very punitive mental torture. Complaints, she said, went unaddressed. Allegheny Courts - Fifth Judicial District of Pennsylvania On September 1st, Warden Harper responded to increasing criticism over these contracts and dismissed concerns over use of force, despite the Allegheny County Jail having the most use of force incidents in the whole state in 2020. 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. On June 29, 2022, it was reported that Dolly Bucek, ex-wife of Martin Bucek who died in the jail one year ago, has filed a lawsuit against the county in federal court. On July 19th, 2022, County Councilmember and Jail Oversight Board member Bethany Hallam. On April 27, 2022, a letter was published. Inmate dies at Allegheny County Jail Paula Reed Ward is a Tribune-Review staff writer. None of the deaths resulted from the use of force by jail personnel or violence from others incarcerated there, the report found. Note: this was initially published as part of an Action Network petition in late December 2020, then published on Medium. The jail eventually dismissed the misconduct charge. Also in July 2021, questions arose about the death of a man held in the jail. Pod temperatures each time have registered at approximately 74 degrees, he wrote in a Feb. 25 email to PublicSource. A report from the end of September 2021 identified that at least 3 people have died in the last month at the Allegheny County Jail. The phone zap had to happen because there was no awareness of what was going on, and if we dont advocate for them in these situations, theres no one who will. Nicole said jail administrators did not respond to the groups calls, but that individuals inside the jail have told Jailbreak PGH that the vents were no longer blowing cold air, though they said the heat was still not functioning. . Its hard to view this as anything other than yet another superficial press stunt by the county administration to distract from the abysmal human rights record of the jail, Hallam said. A January 5, 2023, Jail Oversight Board meeting discussed the jail inspection report and revealed that school students were touring the jail bringing questions of privacy and humiliation of those being held at the jail. The plaintiffs include five people who are current residents of the jail who have been subjected to solitary confinement, OC spray, tasing, restraint chair and physical assault. While in the strip cage, he was given a smock to wear, which wraps around the torso, is secured by Velcro, and is colored green like a Christmas tree, the lawsuit said. Allegheny County and the administration of the ACJ have implemented significant changes to the physical structure, staffing and training within the facility to enhance efforts to protect the lives of patients housed within their facility, the report said. Police Investigate 4. On December 11th, 2020, 15 former Allegheny County Jail, , describing impossible workloads, insufficient staffing, being directed to do tasks that they worried threatened their medical licenses and management they denounced as hostile and underqualified., In April 2019, Representative Summer Lee and others spoke out about the treatment of people with drug addictions, including the experience of, . A separate energy plant in the County Office Building will supply the jails hot water. , despite the Allegheny County Jail having the most use of force incidents in the whole state in 2020. On June 10, 2022, Pittsburgh City-Paper reported on a new lawsuit alleging brutal treatment of people with psychiatric disabilities in the jail. PITTSBURGH A local public interest law firm has filed 62 complaints against a county judge, who it accuses of "impatient, undignified, and discourteous" behavior and bias against Black men, older people, and people with mental or behavioral health issues. On November 2nd, 2022, the Abolitionist Law Center reported that a recent jail inspection on October 26th disclosed that rat droppings were still found in the jail kitchen and food storage area. The lawsuit alleges that the jails policies under Warden Harper do not properly treat folks suffering from mental health issues and suicidal depression, leading directly to Buceks death. The jail did not immediately respond other than to say the person could file a grievance. She can be reached at. a pattern of policy violations and failure to protect people held in the jail, there are systemic and gross deficiencies in ACJs mental health care system, reported that the last medical director at ACJ has resigned, PA Spotlight reported the story of a womans fight to get out of ACJ after courts tried to keep her there for mental health reasons, American Bar Association considers strip searching of minors to be state-imposed trauma, a large number of folks held in the jail are held for technical violations. Nate Smallwood | Tribune-Review . At the March 2, 2023, Jail Oversight Board meeting, on the jail filed February 16, 2023, include a report from expert Brad Hansen (a warden with 42 years of experience) who found ", " found "systemic and gross deficiencies which should have been obvious to any jail administrator." The complaint . ALLEGHENY COUNTY JAIL, 2:17-cv-01398 Brought to you by Free Law Project, a non-profit dedicated to creating high quality open legal information. There is an urgent need to reduce the population for safety during COVID-19, but even beyond the pandemic we must reduce the jail population. Even though Mr. Castaphany complied, he was tased before he could get on the ground, the complaint said. Allegheny County Jail Warden Harper Should Resign Or Be Removed From Office A redacted copy of the 50-page report from the nonprofit National Commission on Correctional Health Care was released Thursday. Folks being held are supposed to get nutritious meals, this is unacceptable. pDQeCS-_n5ti>k{] il.[>BqXP_jE'uMfxb0#kATC= u [QIYw% 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, . This is clearly a failure of oversight and leadership by top jail staff, including Warden Orlando Harper. Either way, a new heating system is on track to be finished by the end of the year. The report also recommended that a nurse at the jail should conduct a thorough assessment of those entering the facility and be trained to recognize abnormal vital signs, evidence of detoxing and a history of suicide attempts. In late September 2021, after repeatedly refusing to give the Jail Oversight Board more information on Garcia and C-SAU training, the JOB voted to end the contract and ban Garcia from providing any further training to the county. There were also concerns that the jail was violating a voter referendum that had banned solitary confinement by the repeated use of lockdowns through the month of December. Group files 60-plus misconduct complaints against Allegheny County Later in August 2021, incarcerated individuals signed affidavits alleging that the jail is not providing adequate food. prior to a trial versus actual serving a sentence. ACJ is failing to provide any meaningful mental health care to those in its custody, and in many cases is actually punishing individuals for seeking help, says Alexandra Morgan-Kurtz of the PILP [Pennsylvania Institutional Law Project]. "Damning" Audit Sharply Criticizes Corizon in Allegheny County Skip to main content. . was being kept by supervisors to be fed to people held in the jail. The full report from the Inmate Welfare Fund Subcommittee 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. While some complaints are from the current winter, others have said this has been a common issue for years. Additionally, Harper admitted to the use of shotgun weapons that should have been banned, ridiculously claiming that the weapons were already purchased before the ban went into effect and therefore he was allowed to use them. In August 2021, it came to light that Warden Harper was negotiating contracts for military-style training for jail staff, as well as purchasing more less-lethal weapons such as so-called rubber bullets (which can actually cause serious injury and even death in many circumstances, such as direct fire and close quarters that would be the case inside the jail). A maintenance form has been filed for this issue, the officer wrote. Shortly after, the county announced it was putting out a contract to hire someone to investigate the deaths. Board member Bethany Hallam, an Allegheny County councilwoman, is presumably that one member, though she isnt named in the report. Among them, it said people identified with poorly controlled chronic conditions should be treated within seven days of incarceration, and medical providers should adopt evidence-based clinical protocols in their treatment. describe that [Warden] Harper treats us like animals, describing incidents where folks were put under solitary as punishment for minor infractions (against the law set by a citizens referendum last May), threatened at gunpoint while showering, and all are concerned about COVID. Community members and Allegheny County Jail employees say the county jail is dealing with severe staffing issues. Several alleged that while the common areas of the jail are warm, some cells are so cold that individuals can see their breath or have ice on the floor. Recently, when his requests to speak with someone from mental health continued to be ignored, he told medical staff that he was feeling suicidal. , the 6th in 2021. On March 28, 2022, it was reported that the jail is, alleging that their failure to treat a wound on his heel while he was incarcerated there led to him having his right leg amputated below the knee., On March 31, 2022, during a live interview in which Warden Harper was defending against accusations of improper staffing and medical treatment at the jail, callers called in saying they too. In February 2021, more allegations came out about torture at the jail by excessive and punitive use of restraint chairs. Man being held at Allegheny County Jail dies The federal, ordered that no child is to be held in an adult jail unless in the interests of Justice. With the. 90.5 WESA. People are always cold in the jail. 2023 Trib Total Media | All Rights Reserved. Law firm accuses Allegheny Co. judge of misconduct in 62 complaints There was an error in the login information you submitted. Medical staff alerted the mental health department, and when mental health staff arrived, Mr. Porter explained that he was not really suicidal but said so because that was the only way he could actually speak to someone. Human Services and Care Health Department Real Estate Transportation Education Elections Records, Permits and Licenses Parks Special Events Public Safety Get Involved Mobile and Online Apps Live Work Economic Development Businesses Residents Economic Growth Economic Development Doing Business Equity and Inclusion Open Solicitations In August 2021, it came to light that Warden Harper was negotiating contracts for, , as well as purchasing more less-lethal weapons such as so-called rubber bullets (which can actually cause serious injury and even death in many circumstances, such as direct fire and close quarters that would be the case inside the jail). Lack of access to nutritious food and hygiene products (commisary being too expensive). On April 29, 2022, it was reported that Jerry Lee Ross, Jr., had died after being detained in the Allegheny County Jail, now the 14th death at the jail since early 2020. , which the jail describes as found unresponsive. On January 10th, 2022, it was reported that. Warden Harper and Deputy Warden Williams appear to have known about this use of the chairs. Part Two describes the lack of transparency and oversight in the jail. The county says there is no issue with the heat and that maintenance issues are quickly addressed. Harper claimed that internal investigation showed that the complaints were incorrectly reported publicly. While some complaints are from the current winter, others have said this has been a common issue for years. Levi Molyneaux, who was incarcerated at the jail five times between 2013 and 2020, equated the facility to a refrigerator.. "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. (see image below). TribLIVE's Daily and Weekly email newsletters deliver the news you want and information you need, right to your inbox. . Allegheny County Common Pleas Judge Anthony Mariani facing over 60 describes how Allegheny County is one of only two counties in Pennsylvania in which autopsy reports are not made public automatically, and the jail fights Right to Know requests to open up that information. On Feb. 8, West asked a friend to post a message on his Instagram: Somebody tell THEM to turn on the heat in the ACJ we freezing, the post read. . 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. From PublicSource: The lawsuit claims the jail does not provide meaningful treatment for individuals with mental health diagnoses and instead uses solitary confinement, irritant spray, a restraint chair and other forceful tactics.. 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. An abuse of authority of such severity cannot be treated with impunity. The county is fighting a lawsuit and defending the officer. , 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. A referendum passed in spring 2021 limits solitary confinement at the Allegheny County Jail. Allegations of unsafe food and health conditions have been going around for a long time yet the Warden and Jail Oversight Board have done nothing. Hallam has been outspoken about issues at the jail during her time on the board and has been particularly focused on health care and mental health care, along with violations of a ban on solitary confinement, inadequate food and incarcerated individuals being forced to work without pay.
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