Wayne County Jail Facing Lawsuit Over Coronavirus Response

Wayne County law enforcement and jail officials have exposed inmates to an unnecessary risk of infection, illness, or death during the coronavirus pandemic, says a new lawsuit filed by inmates. 

“For the medically vulnerable, continued confinement is effectively a death sentence.” — Allison Kriger, attorney

Inmates, attorneys and civil rights organizations are suing county officials over conditions in Wayne County jail facilities.

Listen: Wayne County jail officials under fire for unsafe facility conditions. 

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Allison Kriger, attorney with the Detroit-based law firm LaRene & Kriger, which has filed a lawsuit against Wayne County officials over conditions in the county jail during the coronavirus pandemic, says interviews with detainees from the Wayne County jail do not match the version of events communicated by jail officials.

She says while conditions vary unit-to-unit and division-to-division, those inside the jail say there is a lack of hygiene products, laundry has been delayed and social distancing protocol is not being practiced. She says these firsthand accounts coupled with the high infection rate inside the jail and an inspection of the facilities showed urgent measures need to be taken.

“For the medically vulnerable, continued confinement is effectively a death sentence,” says Kriger. She says their request for relief demands implementation of basic protective measures and a decrease in the jail population to ensure social distancing can be practiced. 

Nicholas Buckingham is the campaign director at Michigan Liberation, a criminal justice reform organization that is partnering on the lawsuit against Wayne County officials.

“When we look at the county jails and the prisons here in Michigan, one thing that we’re seeing is that there is overcrowding. We can’t socially distance.” — Nicholas Buckingham, Michigan Liberation

He says that there are simply too many people in county jails and prisons, making health and safety protocols nearly impossible to enact.

“When we look at the county jails and the prisons here in Michigan, one thing that we’re seeing is that there is overcrowding. We can’t socially distance,” says Buckingham. He says even after the coronavirus pandemic subsides, legislators need to think about the laws in place, changing legislation that puts too many people behind bars for too long.