TagDeclaration from Lawsuit

April 29, 2020

after surviving filthy cell, medical neglect, and no shower for 2 weeks, jail punishes covid-19 positive prisoner with solitary confinement for questioning placement in a non-covid housing unit due to assault threats from other prisoners who fear getting virus

Currently Incarcerated at SRJ

Ocie Johnson (HU7 —> HU8 —> HU7)

29April

On April 15, 2020, at 9:30am, the doctor came by to tell me that I would be finished quarantining that day. ...Around 11 a.m. or noon, staff let me out to shower, but the showers were still filthy — I considered them unusable. At this point, I had not showered since April 4, 2020. I also still had the same clothes and same underwear I had been wearing for over 10 days.

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April 21, 2020

prisoner is tested for covid-19 and moved into housing unit for positive prisoners, but not told the result of his test or given any other information

Currently Incarcerated at SRJ

Jose Alonzo Herrera (HU6 —> HU8A —> HU8C)

21April

...The jail moved me into Housing Unit 8C, which the other inmates tell me is for those inmates who have tested positive. The jail itself has told me nothing. No doctor, no nurse, no deputy has told me what is going on. No doctor, no nurse, no deputy has told me I have tested positive for the Coronavirus. No doctor, no nurse, no deputy has told me what will happen or how long I will stay here.

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April 21, 2020

prisoner reports extremely unsanitary conditions when moved to outpatient housing unit with cellmate who tests positive for covid-19

Currently Incarcerated at SRJ

Maria Moore (HU21)

The cot I was given had black mold on the cot and the mattress was stained and smelled of urine. I asked for something to clean with, and I was not given anything, so I ended up using a menstrual pad to wipe the mattress and the cot.

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April 20, 2020

prisoner with asthma fears contracting covid-19 due to lack of protective precautions by jail

Currently Incarcerated at SRJ

Lamont Williams

20April

Before going to court, I was placed in a dirty holding cell that was also holding six to seven other people. I believe I should have been held in a cleaner space either in isolation or in a space more conducive to social distancing guidelines.

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April 20, 2020

jail’s “cleaning service” is seriously inadequate, unsanitary and unsafe conditions persist

Currently Incarcerated at SRJ

Troy Powell (HU6D)

Neither the showers nor the day room appeared to have been cleaned–in fact, the showers hadn’t been cleaned in over a week and smelled like urine. There was still blood and various other stains on the day room carpet. I fear that Santa Rita Jail will tell the media that they are following all protocol by hiring this cleaning service, but I believe I could have cleaned the pod much better myself...

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April 20, 2020

prisoner reports horrific conditions after testing positive for covid-19

Currently Incarcerated at SRJ

Dwight Adams (HU7E —> 8A)

I have pressed the emergency button while I have been here, and tried to tell the technician that it was very hard to breathe. And after telling the technician I am having difficulty breathing, no one came with any medication or help for the difficulty I am having with my breathing.

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April 19, 2020

prisoner reports filth and dangerously unsanitary conditions despite jail’s statements to the contrary

Formerly Incarcerated at SRJ

Adam Nelson (HU31)

19April

After the corona virus, the jail made public statements that they were now providing inmates with soap and hand sanitizer. During the period of time I was in Santa Rita — a little over four months — I received one bar of soap and twice, and received two small packets of single use hand sanitizer.

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April 18, 2020

prisoner describes the horrors of conditions and treatment after testing positive for covid-19

Formerly Incarcerated at SRJ

Leonard Wakefield (HU7E —> HU8C)

18April

He immediately slapped hand cuffs on me, and twisted my arm, and dragged me to Housing Unit 8C, even though I was feeling so poorly. When I arrived at Housing Unit 8C, the first cell they put me in was so filthy, with garbage and dirt all over the cell that I told them if they forced me to be in that cell, they would have to put me on suicide watch.

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April 18, 2020

featured testimony: covid-19 positive prisoner put into solitary as punishment for questioning being moved back into housing unit while still symptomatic, reports rampant medical neglect: “This is torture”

Currently Incarcerated at SRJ

Cedric Henry (HU7 —> 8A)

I had not seen medical people or received medical attention since being placed here. I was having a hard time breathing. I had bad diarrhea, I had a shooting headache. I still had a bad cough. I had shivers and chills. One night, I had such trouble breathing I had a panic attack. I’m breathing but it did not feel like air was going on. And I can’t submit a medical request slip, I have no way of...

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April 17, 2020

prisoner details a wide range of horrific conditions: lack of sanitation, medical neglect, misinformation put out by jail, exposing covid-19 positive prisoners to others, and more

Currently Incarcerated at SRJ

Eric Wayne (BAK513, HU6D)

17April

Inmates often use their own body soap to clean the cell due to insufficient cleaning supplies. On April 20, 2020, the only supplies we received were a broom without the handle (just the bristles part) and a toilet brush. When we asked Deputy Whitlock for better supplies and a proper broom, he responded that we could "sweep on our knees" and did not provide us with additional supplies.

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April 17, 2020

Prisoners mixed with new books and then put back into housing units, risking spread of virus into the jail

Currently Incarcerated at SRJ

Jimmie Jones (HU31)

After 5 p.m., I was moved back to my original housing unit, 31, which is a dormitory style unit. If in fact, I was exposed to the corona virus in the dress out room, then when I was returned to Housing Unit 31, I was carrying it back and passing it on, potentially to everyone in my dormitory cell.

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