The jail did not immediately respond other than to say the person could file a grievance. , showing further that Harper is aware of the conditions yet continues to downplay and ignore the issues at Jail Oversight Board meetings since the new year. Shortly after, the county announced it was putting out a contract to hire someone to investigate the deaths. Still, West said its hard to stay warm in the Allegheny County Jail. Those interviews were conducted in-person, on the phone and through video conferencing, she said. Please try to log in again or use the forgot your password link, Main Jail Phone: 412-350-2000 Other Phone Numbers, Allegheny County Jail A local man who officials said has been on the run since mid-March is behind bars. 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. 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. In December 2022, an unannounced jail inspection 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. Eventually, Mr. Castaphany was placed on suicide watch. Also in August 2021, a report issued by Warden Harper dated for July 2021 on work toward implementing the solitary confinement ban voters approved in the municipal election was called into question by oversight board members. On January 6th, 2022, the first Jail Oversight Board meeting of the new year saw Warden Harper admitting that nearly 300 people were still being kept in solitary confinement conditions, in direct violation of a referendum that passed in May 2021 with 70% of the countys voters in support. Shortly after, the county announced it was, On September 7th, 2022, a new survey of those held at the jail showed , 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. Part Two describes the lack of transparency and oversight in the jail. Its long overdue, said Bret Grote, the legal director for the Abolitionist Law Center, one of the organizations that filed the complaint. 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. The county says there is no issue with the heat and that maintenance issues are quickly addressed. 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. Comments on mental health included The place is very punitive mental torture. Once cuffed on the ground, the sergeant and two other correction officers continued to tase, punch, and mace him in the face.. Castaphany has been in the jail since May 2019 and has anxiety, depression and PTSD. For anyone to say that this jail is normal is absolutely outrageous, said Susan McCampbell, president of Center for Innovative Public Policies. , which the jail describes as found unresponsive. It further claims that the jail medical facilities have inadequate resources. 2 0 obj Jaquan Steadman, 24, is charged with fleeing, evading arrest, and multiple counts each of gun, drug possession and driving charges after Pittsburgh police say he fled a traffic stop. Part Three 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. , despite the Allegheny County Jail having the most use of force incidents in the whole state in 2020. Lawyers allege he has not received needed hormone therapy and care for recent surgery wounds. 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. 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. The complaint alleges that corrections officers discouraged her from requesting mental health treatment, calling her crazy, and told her to suck it up.. Police File Complaint 5. Long wait times for healthcare and generally understaffed with overworked staff. due to continuing severe staff shortages. Allegheny County Communications Director Amie Downs said the county does not comment on pending litigation. Those entering the jail with substance abuse disorder should be started on detoxification immediately and managed, the report said. From the article: Patients are ignored unless they express suicidal ideation, and if they do express such thoughts, they are mocked., At the March 2, 2023, Jail Oversight Board meeting, numerous issues were again raised, including concerns about changes to healthcare staffing that were not reported to the board. 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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. 1 0 obj The report also dealt with the relationship between the jail administration and jail staff and said the relationship between the administration and Jail Oversight Board is strained. On July 21st, 2022, ACJ staff union president Brian Englert cited understaffing and deteriorating mental health among the staff due to the lack of leadership and action from Warden Harper and the administration. featured the story of Clayton McCray, who lost his leg after being held in the Allegheny County Jail on drug posession charges without proper care for his chronic condition. The understaffing has many concerned it is putting both staff and incarcerated folks at risk. It is unclear at this time if those held in the jail received the required food and nutrition since the food service was not happening. In another case, the report said officers found a person hanging in a cell and instead of immediately initiating CPR, they called medical staff and waited for them to arrive. x[Yo~7@>\i%( On July 28th, 2022, photos were shared of the food being served in the jail. The jails energy plant is expected to be completed by the end of the year, Caponi wrote. on March 30. In other words, Thomas was only in jail, without the healthcare that could have saved his life, because of a simple traffic violation. Regarding the board, the report said the problem seems to be driven more by one member of that board than the process itself. PITTSBURGH A year after he was found unresponsive in the Allegheny County Jail, Martin Bucek's ex-wife, Dolly Bucek, filed a civil rights lawsuit against the county in federal court. The Allegheny County Jails use of 231 lockdowns is highly unusual and puts it as an outlier compared to other jails. . Later in August 2021, incarcerated individuals signed affidavits alleging that. The federal, ordered that no child is to be held in an adult jail unless in the interests of Justice. Carefully consider if Allegheny County is the appropriate place to file for custody. She can be reached at juliette@publicsource.org or on Twitter @JulietteRihl. On February 17th, 2022, the Pitt News issued a statement saying Our community deserves better than the Allegheny County Jail that lists numerous problems with the jail over the last few years, similar to this list. Another caller complained about being unnecessarily quarantined after testing negative for Covid. Al Caponi, the countys director of facilities management, said each time the department has received a complaint about temperatures in the jail, it has taken readings on all levels. 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. . . The complaint alleged other officials and guards at ACJ were aware of Raible's "excessive history of assaulting . Police Investigate 4. 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. People are always cold in the jail. Harper claimed that internal investigation showed that the complaints were incorrectly reported publicly. Another caller complained about being unnecessarily quarantined after testing negative for Covid. 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. As far as the temperatures in the cell blocks, I walk the cell block frequently, and it is very comfortable in the cell block. Details were not immediately released to the public. 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. 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. The lawsuit contends the lack of care begins at intake and that there is no individual counseling or trauma therapy available. that a recent jail inspection on October 26th disclosed that rat droppings were still found in the jail kitchen and food storage area.