prisoner describes medical neglect and denial of testing for people with covid-19 symptoms, torturous conditions of infirmary and other abuses

I was booked on February 28, 2020, when the pandemic was first starting. They were bringing people in off the streets without screening any of them and people were flowing in and out at such a high influx. I was put in building 6 West, C Pod, cell 13. My cellmate was shivering and looked ill, but he told me he was “just kicking dope” and was not sick. He was taken from our cell very soon, and that’s when I began to feel very sick. I was freezing, even when I was fully clothed and trying to cover myself with a blanket, and I completely lost my appetite. I told the deputy how I was feeling and that I wanted to talk to a nurse because I was very concerned and knew these were COVID-19 symptoms. I was taken to the nurse’s office and was questioned on my symptoms. After I explained them, I was merely taken back to my pod. After waiting there for a bit, I was transferred to the hole.

At the hole, the air conditioning was on at full blast and it was absolutely freezing. I could not stop shivering and asked for a blanket, but I was denied one. The hole was disgusting and dirty and looked like it hadn’t been cleaned in ages. I asked for some medicine to help ease my pain, but was denied any. The guards told me I had to ride the fever out. I was not even given a COVID-19 test after I continuously asked for one, instead the guards took my temperature. In order to do so, I had to bend down and put my forehead against their machine. Not only was this dehumanizing, but it was extremely painful for me because I have knee issues. I had knee surgery a while ago and now have a titanium rod in my leg so I cannot bend it correctly. I told the guards this and tried to express my discomfort, but they told me if I didn’t do as they said I would not have my temperature taken.

Everyone in the hole had COVID-19. We know we did, even though we were all denied tests. They brought someone to the hole one day, and then took him back to his pod later that same day. But having come to that area where everyone else was infected, he was obviously exposed. Two days later, he was returned to the hole, showing symptoms of COVID-19. Who knows who else he may have spread it to.

Everyone in the hole had COVID-19. We know we did, even though we were all denied tests. They brought someone to the hole one day, and then took him back to his pod later that same day. But having come to that area where everyone else was infected, he was obviously exposed. Two days later, he was returned to the hole, showing symptoms of COVID-19. Who knows who else he may have spread it to.

For two days I did not eat lunch. The guards brought us meals that had ham both those days. But I am Muslim and cannot eat ham. I told the guards this, expressing that it was against my religion, and instead they gave me two servings worth. I told them again that the issue was I could not eat any of it, and they said it was not their problem. I had to just set aside the food and was left hungry.

I was eventually taken back to general population. In my housing unit, there was someone who had underlying heart issues. He got COVID-19 and began experiencing some bad complications. He said he could not breathe and felt like his chest hurt so much, he thought he might even be having a heart attack. He started pushing the emergency button inside his cell and did not get any response. He kept pushing it repeatedly. Sometime later, which felt like an eternity, guards finally sauntered over. They did not seem to be in any rush whatsoever. One of us could literally be dead or dying and no one would have been there to help.

He started pushing the emergency button inside his cell and did not get any response. He kept pushing it repeatedly. Sometime later, which felt like an eternity, guards finally sauntered over. They did not seem to be in any rush whatsoever. One of us could literally be dead or dying and no one would have been there to help.

The man who had been pressing the emergency button was taken to the infirmary. He was returned to his pod quite quickly though. I questioned him and he said the infirmary was unbearably cold and he felt he literally could not stand it. It felt torturous and he chose to return to his pod and deal with his complications rather than stay because of how bad it was. It was also quite dirty. Going to the infirmary felt like a punishment.

We don’t have our cells professionally cleaned. We are given a single set of cleaning supplies for the entire housing unit and must pass it on from person to person. Anything could easily spread there. For example, we literally only have one toilet brush. By the time I got it, it was covered in feces. But if I don’t use that, then I don’t have any other method to clean my cell. It’s putrid and disgusting, but we have no choice. Cleaning supplies were given to us by the guards, who were not wearing gloves or masks. We were also given bars of soap that do not work. It is clear when we use them, that they don’t do anything and leave me feeling just as dirty as before I used it.

For example, we literally only have one toilet brush. By the time I got it, it was covered in feces. But if I don’t use that, then I don’t have any other method to clean my cell. It’s putrid and disgusting, but we have no choice.

I was in jail for three extra months because COVID-19 delayed procedures. When I was finally released, it was done so in the middle of the night and I was left stranded outside the jail around midnight. All the property I had been booked with had been “lost” by the jail. I had no phone, no money, not even shoelaces. Someone outside of the jail was nice enough to lend me their cell phone and gave me water and a granola bar. But I was so unprepared for the world outside – it had changed drastically between the time I was booked and the time I was released. There was now stay-at-home orders and places were shut down, public transportation was not an option, and I could not even get my food stamps. Inside the jail, we had not been told about how the outside world was being affected. It was like stepping out into a new, unsettling world and there was no way I could support myself.

I missed a meeting I was required to go to for probation and was booked again on June 12th. When I was taken back, the jail had “updated procedures” regarding COVID-19. They now take everyone first to 22 East if they are taken off the streets. They are kept there for 14 days and are given temperature checks, but not any COVID-19 tests. The pods inside 22 East are disgusting and aren’t cleaned either. After those 14 days are up, everyone is just taken to general population – still having not received a COVID-19 test.

The jail is still not disinfecting anything. Guards are still not wearing masks, despite clearly having them. They walk freely between pods – even from ones known to have an outbreak of covid, to ones that do not. They clearly are exposed and have no regard for the safety of the other prisoners. I was taken to jail for a probation violation and I am terrified that I am getting a death sentence in here. I don’t know what the life-long effects of COVID-19 are either or if I can get it a second time, but the jail is negligent and does not care at all for our lives.

They clearly are exposed and have no regard for the safety of the other prisoners. I was taken to jail for a probation violation and I am terrified that I am getting a death sentence in here. I don’t know what the life-long effects of COVID-19 are either or if I can get it a second time, but the jail is negligent and does not care at all for our lives.

The jail also does not clean our food trays. Most of the time, it is nearly impossible to tell what we are eating anyway because the food is always overcooked and dry. But when you can tell what you are eating, it is never healthy. It is often beans, potatoes, and some sort of mystery meat. We might be served something and five days later, there is still residue from that meal on the trays. It is nauseating.

Our only distraction is an extremely old TV. We only get one hour out of our cells every day. For 23 hours, we’re trapped in a tiny cell and I feel like I’m losing my mind. If you have the money, you can pay for apps on a table for some entertainment; but most of us cannot afford to do that. I don’t even have books to read anymore. We have to pay to download books on these tablets. I cannot even educate myself during this time. It is unfair and genuinely feels like we are being treated like animals. It makes it impossible for the majority of the people inside, to better themselves and prepare for the world outside. We do not deserve this treatment and we do not deserve to constantly feel worried for safety and health.

Learn how you can take action to demand more releases from Santa Rita to protect the health and safety of our community

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