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.
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...
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.
Eric has not seen hand wipes in almost 2 weeks. Yesterday, deputies said they would hand out cleaning supplies but they never did. Eric hasn’t seen cleaning supplies since last Thursday. Inmates mostly have to try and use their own body soap to clean the cell.
Lamont has various health issues that put him at high risk for COVID-19....When he went to court on the 6th of April, he was given no mask or gloves and was in the dirty Santa Rita holding cell with 6 to 7 other people.
Neither the day room nor the showers appeared to have been cleaned at all. In fact, he notes that the showers have not been cleaned in about a week. Troy has not seen hand wipes, masks or soap passed out in two weeks (other than what they received for the outdoor showers).
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.
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.
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.
SRJ hasn’t handed out hand wipes, masks, or soap to his pod in over a week. Inmates have never received gloves. There is only one night deputy that comes around spraying the sink, toilet, and door handles of their cells with bleach, but that deputy had been away (either sick or on vacation) for a while and just came back.
He was starting to get a fever, chills, and body aches. He started losing his sense of smell and taste, which would continue for two weeks....He finally went to OPHU, where they put him in an isolation cell with a gurney set up on the floor. Peter was tested for COVID-19 on April 5 by taking a swab inside his nose, but the test came back negative. He was confused by this, as he had all the same...
They passed out disposable masks a week ago, but have not received new ones. Staff will come around offering cleaning supplies during pod time, but often, inmates don’t want to use them since they look very dirty and have just been used on plenty of other cells. Additionally, many folks are busy making calls during pod time, so they don’t get the chance to accept the cleaning supplies.
The showers remain very dirty, there is blood in the day room carpet, and staff haven’t passed out soap to him since last week. Even then, he had to share that bar of soap with his cellmate.
During split tier pod time, staying 6 feet away from everyone is not possible. During pod time, if anyone in his pod has to go to the bathroom, they are forced to urinate in the pod shower, as deputies lock the cell doors, which have the toilets. This has always been the case and creates highly unsanitary showers – someone even defecated in the shower back when he was in HU 7.
This was Elena’s second total time in the infirmary since arriving at SRJ and she said this time, the conditions were the same as the first: blood on the mattress, mucus on the walls, filthy floor, feces stain on blanket, etc. When she requested a new blanket or mattress, she was denied. The infirmary seemed especially crowded – Elena and Michelle had to share a room in there as well. Elena tried...
Amanda is HIV positive, and thus was on edge the entire time at SRJ – fearing she would contract COVID-19 due to SRJ’s protocol. When she arrived at HU24, it was already under yellow tagged quarantine. At one point, in her cell, she notes that a woman close to her was coughing hysterically, fueling Amanda’s concerns. When she went to court, staff combined hers and other units. Another inmate...
So it’s been a couple people, including myself in my pod, requesting to get tested and they just brush us off. They say oh we’re not testing everybody, you don’t show symptoms. Well I have a lung disease basically and I could die immediately maybe within a week or two of contracting Coronavirus. So if they want me to wait to show symptoms it’s gonna be too late.
I was at the hospital in 2019 and I recovered from stage 4 pneumonia which I’m experiencing side effects from. Heavy breathing, night tremors. I’m getting up in the middle of the night coughing bad, unable to breathe easy. I’ve put in 4 different medical slips in March. Neither of those times where I’ve been seen. I’ve also grieved them 2 times on that matter.