During a recent meeting, the Allegheny County Jail Oversight Board voted against a motion . The lawsuit contends the lack of care begins at intake and that there is no individual counseling or trauma therapy available. Part Two describes the lack of transparency and oversight in the jail. TribLIVE's Daily and Weekly email newsletters deliver the news you want and information you need, right to your inbox. The jail did not immediately respond other than to say the person could file a grievance. This militarization seems to be a direct response to the citizen referendum banning solitary confinement. Skip to main content. An abuse of authority of such severity cannot be treated with impunity. The county is fighting a lawsuit and defending the officer. Three former women detainees with psychiatric and physical disabilities allege that Sergeant John Raible "brutally assaulted" them while they were held at Pennsylvania's Allegheny County Jail (ACJ). The report released Thursday said almost all of the recommendations in that report have been implemented. describes the lack of transparency and oversight in the jail. Why did it takes days and a letter from those in the jail before officials acted? Elliot used a fourth floor fire escape window to flee Renewal Center 1 on Boulevard of the Allies on March 14. On June 28, 2022, an article from Vox about. Jail staff raised concerns about Talottas medical treatment at the jail and spoke on the condition of anonymity. The report continues: Talottas intellectual disability may have prevented him from participating in and understanding his own defense and trial. (see: https://www.publicsource.org/allegheny-county-jail-cold-temperature-complaints/) On July 15th, 2022, it was reported that yet another person died in the jail after a medical emergency the fourth person in 2022 alone. As with all of our homes, there are often smaller VAV boxes that need to be fixed. In January 2021, several Jail Oversight Board members expressed frustration that they learned more about the jail from journalists than the Warden and administration, showing a continued lack of communication and transparency. Also in February 2021, more allegations about the mishandling of the COVID-19 pandemic in the jail. Eric Casteel ran for Allegheny County Council. Alexandra Morgan-Kurtz, the managing attorney at the Pennsylvania Institutional Law Project, said that it is appalling that the jails top health care and mental health facilities administrators have no health care experience at all. Woman dead after rollover crash in Churchill, Fire at Ross Township Chili's diverts customers, workers to restaurant's other sites, Visit the 5 major attractions in Washington County celebrating milestone anniversaries this year, Frazer police respond to hoax call about double shooting, Harmar police: Driver held at gunpoint after picking up hitchhiker, Aerosmith's farewell tour visits Pittsburgh in September, Pittsburgh Pop podcast: Talking Mulaneys Baby J on Netflix, Aerosmith returning to Pittsburgh one last time, Luke Combs kicks off summer concert season at Acrisure Stadium, Mountain climbers rappel down Mount Washington to clean up the hillside, Western Pennsylvania's trusted news source, Medical examiner: Natural causes listed in 3 recent deaths of Allegheny County Jail inmates, Former priest facing sex charges dies 8 days after being found unresponsive in Allegheny County Jail, Man dies after collapsing at Allegheny County Jail, Man being held at Allegheny County Jail dies, Man who died at Allegheny County Jail identified. On January 10th, 2022, it was reported that. an editorial by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette echoed calls for Warden Harper to resign, wrote a letter stating that the jail had been without heat for days. On June 28, 2022, an article from Vox about national problems with healthcare at jails 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. On July 19th, 2022, County Councilmember and Jail Oversight Board member Bethany Hallam pointed out Warden Harpers misleading statistics that dramatically understated the death rate at the jail. Carefully consider if Allegheny County is the appropriate place to file for custody. taser attack against a handcuffed woman in a cell, large numbers of people held in solitary for days and weeks, a fifth person, Paul Allen, had died at the Jail in the last year, how non-transparent Warden Harper continues to be, 23 hours in cells with 1 hour of time outside for hygiene or recreation, jail staff are warning that Harpers administration is not prepared to actually implement it, jail reported to oversight yet another death, nearly 300 people were still being kept in solitary confinement conditions, in direct violation of a referendum, a woman who was left handcuffed to a table, the jail was going back to 23-1 lockdowns, seven folks held at the jail signed a complaint, Allegheny County Jail should follow the law, the jail had sent police to intimidate the complainers, died within a week of medical problems at the jail, Allegheny County Jail is still keeping folks held in lockdown, Pitt News issued a statement saying Our community deserves better than the Allegheny County Jail, food with roaches and mice and moldy food, died after suffering a medical emergency at the Jail, were not properly treated at Allegheny County Jail, the entire jail was on lockdown for the entire month of March, Warden Harper made decisions about Do Not Resusitate (DNR) orders without the family's knowledge, detailing the on-going use of solitary confinement, Jerry Lee Ross, Jr., had died after being detained in the Allegheny County Jail, leaving him to purchase pizza for the officers, he Warden but also Judge Anthony Marianis unjust rulings as resulting the in the death of Thomas, motion to release details about the food service in the jail failed, a new lawsuit alleging brutal treatment, filed a lawsuit against the county and ACJ Warden Harper for not receiving adequate medical attention, national problems with healthcare at jails, filed a lawsuit against the county in federal court, reported rats and roaches in the jail kitchen and food storage, another person died in the jail after a medical emergency, pointed out Warden Harpers misleading statistics, The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette confirmed the misleading statistics, Brian Englert cited understaffing and deteriorating mental health, Pittsburgh City Paper started a new Jail Watch, a fifth person has died at the jail this year, putting out a contract to hire someone to investigate the deaths, widespread concerns about medical services, food quality at Allegheny County Jail, full report from the Inmate Welfare Fund Subcommittee, another person had died after being held in the jail, challenging the pervasive use of probation detainers in Allegheny County. 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. 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. Officials cite the food supplier as having a conflict of interest in its contracts with Allegheny County since it also has a contract for the commissary where it charges huge prices for snacks outside of the regular meals. ACJ is failing to provide any meaningful mental health care to those in its custody, and in many cases is actually punishing individuals for seeking help, says Alexandra Morgan-Kurtz of the PILP [Pennsylvania Institutional Law Project]. 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. Also in March 2021, PublicSource requested documentation on the jails internal policies and received heavily redacted versions. To submit a complaint form, complete the complaint form and be sure to include as much information as possible. Contact Information | Allegheny County Eric Casteel, former county council candidate, arrested for allegedly the fourth person in 2022 alone. concerns about sanitation, dire understaffing, mental health care, and conditions for teenagers at the county jail. However, follow-ups with the complainants showed that the jail had sent police to intimidate the complainers, and interviewed them under duress without the presence of lawyers or informing complainants of their rights. Washington on Jan. 12, 2021. Lawyers allege he has not received needed hormone therapy and care for recent surgery wounds. Based upon numerous complaints about Corizon's performance at the jail since the contract began, Wagner was concerned the company was not honoring its obligations. . Officials especially on the Jail Oversight Board continue to express their frustration with how non-transparent Warden Harper continues to be. Grievances are brought to the attention of the Health Care Services Department through correctional staff designated to receive complaints. At the March 2, 2023, Jail Oversight Board meeting, on the jail filed February 16, 2023, include a report from expert Brad Hansen (a warden with 42 years of experience) who found ", " found "systemic and gross deficiencies which should have been obvious to any jail administrator." after experiencing several medical emergencies in the jail. On September 1st, Warden Harper responded to increasing criticism over these contracts and. Its unclear how those competency issues would have been resolved and if Talottas charges would have been dismissed due to his intellectual disability.. Howard, it said, has requested mental health care, including counseling or therapy, and been denied, with officers telling him he can only receive treatment if he is suicidal. In July 2021, video became public of a jail officers. Board member Bethany Hallam, an Allegheny County councilwoman, is presumably that one member, though she isnt named in the report. Harper also showed a complete lack of understanding of the difference between. Hansen notes that the use of force and solitary confinement in the jail is against national standards and protocols. 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. Jurisdiction/venue generally rests in the county where the child(ren) have been residing for the past six months. These include pepper spray and Taser attacks on people with severe mental health diagnoses; routine placement of people with serious mental illness and intellectual disability in solitary confinement; jailing of pregnant women who never get enough food for minor probation violations; consistent failures to provide medical and mental health treatment; and routine days-long lockdowns that keep the entire jail trapped in their cells for no reason whatsoever.. . The complaint describes numerous assaults by [Sergeant John] Raible against people with disabilities involving the over use of pepper spray, tasers and placing people with disabilities in a restraint chair for hours without food, water, medicine, or breaks to relieve themselves. The lawsuit also alleges that [Warden] Harper, [Chief Deputy] Zewto, and [Deputy Chief of Operations] Beasom knew that ACJ officers routinely used excessive force on individuals with psychiatric disabilities and did not provide adequate supervision or training of jail staff. The Abolitionist Law Center (ALC), Pennsylvania Institutional Law Project (PILP), and K&L Gates filed a lawsuit on Tuesday on behalf of April Walker, LaVonna Dorsey, and Alexus Diggs, three formerly incarcerated women with disabilities, who claim they were brutally assaulted by Sergeant John Raible at the Allegheny County Jail. She has been at the jail since January. Medical examiner: Natural causes listed in 3 recent deaths of Allegheny County Jail inmates Some details about the man who died, 74-year old Roger Millspaugh, were later released. PublicSource heard from over a dozen incarcerated people, family members and advocates who complained of inadequate heat at the Uptown facility, which held a daily average of 1,701 individuals in February. PDF POLICY - alleghenycounty.us Harper claimed that internal investigation showed that the complaints were incorrectly reported publicly. The lawsuit said that the Allegheny County facility has one of the highest suicide rates for a jail in the country with nine suicides there since 2016. The complaint . On November 23rd, 2022, the Abolitionist Law Center released a statement that folks held in the jail. A redacted copy of the 50-page report from the nonprofit National Commission on Correctional Health Care was released Thursday. Lack of access to nutritious food and hygiene products (commisary being too expensive). On July 2, 2022, the jail officer union ACPEIU shared online a report from the Allegheny County Health Department from February 2022 that reported rats and roaches in the jail kitchen and food storage (see image below). endobj After receiving repeated complaints about the heat, one grassroots group organized a phone zap to call jail management en masse earlier this month. Folks being held are supposed to get nutritious meals, this is unacceptable. I furthermore call on Allegheny County elected officials to take immediate action to remove the warden and deputy wardens if they refuse to resign. A new heating system for the facility is on the horizon. Harper claimed at the oversight board meeting that there was a plan, but not written down, leaving concern about if there really is a plan. In September 2020, a class-action lawsuit was filed against the jail and top officials at the jail including the Warden, alleging, . On Friday, Hallam was critical of the county for failing to provide any previous drafts of the report to the board and for waiting to release it during the March meeting. We're looking for volunteers who interact with Allegheny County to test a new navigation structure for our website! Private Complaint Filed 6. Some details about the man who died, 74-year old Roger Millspaugh, were, On January 6th, 2022, the first Jail Oversight Board meeting of the new year saw Warden Harper admitting that, that passed in May 2021 with 70% of the countys voters in support. Still, West said its hard to stay warm in the Allegheny County Jail. Then contact the Magistrates office where the alleged crime occurred and inquire about the day and time an area prosecutor is scheduled to be there. , and one person identified as a 26-year old Black Male who has been held in solitary for NEARLY TWO YEARS (684 days at the time of the report). A group of inmates at the Allegheny County Jail have filed a federal lawsuit alleging a gross failure to care for their mental health, citing an environment in which staff belittle, abuse and mock . 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. due to shortstaffing over three dozen jail staff tested positive for COVID, and there is only one nurse each shift for the ENTIRE jail population during a deadly pandemic. Allegheny Co. sued after jail allegedly failed to prevent the suicide Its ridiculous, and if there werent people suffering and dying every day as a result of their incompetence and cruelty, I would maybe even laugh about the absurdity of it all.. Jailbreak PGH, a grassroots group that advocates for people inside the jail, heard in early February from over 10 people at the facility that the vents inside the cells were blowing cold air, according to Nicole, a member who asked that her last name be withheld for privacy concerns. The jails energy plant is expected to be completed by the end of the year, Caponi wrote. On August 14th, 2022, it was a reported that a fifth person has died at the jail this year, 17 total since early 2020. Can you spare 10 minutes to help improve the site? On September 1st, Warden Harper responded to increasing criticism over these contracts and dismissed concerns over use of force, despite the Allegheny County Jail having the most use of force incidents in the whole state in 2020. The Jail Oversight Board meeting that same day showed that those being held in the jail were not receiving commisary stipends previously approved, those held in the mental health wing were not receiving recreation time, and that the jail was still holding people in solitary confinement for weeks despite a citizen referendum that made the practice basically illegal. Once received your complaint will be reviewed for criminality. , including shortages of medical staff. At a meeting of the jail's oversight board Thursday night, some worried. In early December 2021, days before a voter referendum banning solitary confinement is to go into effect. Also in December 2020, another lawsuit was filed against the jail on behalf of 3 people with disabilities who faced brutality. PDF Warrants and Disposition Management Project - WDMToolkit On March 31, 2022, during a live interview in which Warden Harper was defending against accusations of improper staffing and medical treatment at the jail, callers called in saying they too were not properly treated at Allegheny County Jail and only received medical treatment after being transferred to Butler County Jail. The Allegheny County Jail oversight board, in a 4-3-1 vote, decided Monday to dissolve a nearly $450,000 contract with the Corrections-Special Applications Unit The complaint alleges that corrections officers discouraged her from requesting mental health treatment, calling her crazy, and told her to suck it up.. On February 25th, 2022, a story from an anonymous Summit Food Service employee that previously worked in the jail described in a social media post how food with roaches and mice and moldy food was being kept by supervisors to be fed to people held in the jail. A slightly edited version is republished below for easier and wider sharing, and to better document the complaints. In October 2021, it was reported that a fifth person, Paul Allen, had died at the Jail in the last year, making the death rate per population at ACJ higher than infamous brutal jails such as Rikers Island. Warden Harpers response: , A report from the end of September 2021 identified that. Family now wants to know why Harper was making DNR decisions without attempting to first contact or consult them. The complaint describes solitary confinement at the jail also known as the Restricted Housing Unit as 23 hours per day in a 10 by 7 foot cell, often with no reading materials or hygiene products. On April 7, 2023, at the monthly Jail Oversight Board meeting, Warden Harper confirmed that minors (under 18) are treated like adults and strip searched as if they were adults. The lawsuit alleges denial of civil rights and due process, and seeks injunctive relief as well as monetary damages for illegal detention. Its unclear how those competency issues would have been resolved and if Talottas charges would have been dismissed due to his intellectual disability., On October 3rd, 2022, the Abolitionist Law Center filed a class-action lawsuit against Warden Harper and other county officials . Harper claimed at the oversight board meeting that there was a plan, but not written down, leaving concern about if there really is a plan. , the county argues theres no place to put them but the jail but lack of a plan isnt an acceptable answer in the interest of justice. While the public press release is from February 2023, it refers to a memo with survey results that was. 2. Review of the healthcare complaint will be based on the principles of adequate medical care, clinical guidelines, and established protocols. 3. Some formerly incarcerated people said the jails heat has been an issue for years. Rethinking the Allegheny County Jail Facility; Safety + Justice Challenge . gives known details of the thirteen people that have died in the jail. The lawsuit, filed June 28, says Martin Bucek, 55, killed himself inside the jail on July 3, 2021, and that the jail failed to prevent his suicide. The behavior clearly outside the norm and hostile to transparency is deeply concerning, especially in light of years of other complaints against the jail as outlined above. Folks report suffering. Deuerling was limited in the time she was allowed to hold her infant, he said, and she was not allowed to shower for two days., In May 2019, lawyer Bret Grote wrote about the travesty of the Allegheny County Jail, describing to the Trib: As a civil rights attorney, I have had, . The family of Gerald Thomas in particular demanded change at the jail, citing both the Warden but also Judge Anthony Marianis unjust rulings as resulting the in the death of Thomas. The Allegheny County Jail, too, the lawsuit continued, had the highest number of Taser and stun gun use nearly five times that of the second highest county. On November 2nd, 2022, the Abolitionist Law Center reported that a recent jail inspection on October 26th disclosed that rat droppings were still found in the jail kitchen and food storage area. <>/XObject<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text/ImageB/ImageC/ImageI] >>/MediaBox[ 0 0 612 792] /Contents 4 0 R/Group<>/Tabs/S/StructParents 0>> Warden Orlando Harper provided a tour of the jail and the team interviewed Harper, intake supervisors, nurses, administrators and mental health staff. that covered a review of recent jail statistics and events, including that the jail has faced over 162 health code violations since 2014, with a quote from a kitchen worker stating: On August 14th, 2022, it was a reported that, , 17 total since early 2020. On Jan. 13, Richard Arrington, who was incarcerated at the jail, said he was wearing two T-shirts, a thermal shirt and his uniform. outside the norm and harmful to transparency. , cold enough to see your breath and be a health hazard. Also in March 2021, PublicSource requested documentation on the jails internal policies and received heavily redacted versions. Its hard to view this as anything other than yet another superficial press stunt by the county administration to distract from the abysmal human rights record of the jail, Hallam said. Eric Phillip Casteel, 62, was arrested at his Plum home Thursday and charged with three misdemeanor counts each of endangering another person, terroristic threats and simple assault. What hes doing there is torture, COVID-19 infections in the jail have skyrocketed. A written statement from the Corrections Officer Union was read at a Jail Oversight Board meeting, in which the Warden was called out for not providing enough information to staff, and for making it more difficult to comply with the referendum during a pandemic by cramming people into just a few housing units while other units sit empty. It alleges that there was not a full-time psychiatrist from February to August 2020 and that as of Aug. 6, there were 49 health care vacancies at the jail, making up approximately 40% of the total health care staff. for one of victims that had previously died. , despite the Allegheny County Jail having the most use of force incidents in the whole state in 2020. On March 9, 2023, PA Spotlight reported the story of a womans fight to get out of ACJ after courts tried to keep her there for mental health reasons, despite knowing ACJ is not a place for treating mental health. From the article: Patients are ignored unless they express suicidal ideation, and if they do express such thoughts, they are mocked.. Their conditions have worsened and ACJs already high suicide completion and attempt rates have continued to increase. Collective punishment of juveniles and humiliating strip searches. On June 10, 2022, Pittsburgh City-Paper reported on a new lawsuit alleging brutal treatment of people with psychiatric disabilities in the jail. . Last updated: March 17, 2023. TribLIVE's Daily and Weekly email newsletters deliver the news you want and information you need, right to your inbox. They accused him of being manipulative for secondary gain. . "Sometimes medications are late and I'm going to leave it at that," Harper told JOB members. Also in July 2021, questions arose about the death of a man held in the jail. 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. found that Almost everyone surveyed (95%) reported regularly going hungry due to insufficient meal portions or inedible food. A majority of those held also reported feeling unsafe, witnessing physical abuse, widespread unsantiary conditions, and unsatisfactory access to medical care. The understaffing has many concerned it is putting both staff and incarcerated folks at risk. Jail staff raised concerns about Talottas medical treatment at the jail and spoke on the condition of anonymity. The report continues: Talottas intellectual disability may have prevented him from participating in and understanding his own defense and trial. It may continue to be edited to add any future complaints until Harper is removed and conditions in the jail change. Man dies after collapsing at Allegheny County Jail "We have seen evidence that people incarcerated at ACJ have suffered as the staff at best turned a blind eye and at other times assaulted individuals for manifestations of their mental illness. They are severely understaffed, the suit says, and the administration has failed to properly train the staff they do have. On Feb. 8, West asked a friend to post a message on his Instagram: Somebody tell THEM to turn on the heat in the ACJ we freezing, the post read. These allegations show not just a one-off mistake or accident, but a pattern of behavior at the jail that has repeatedly and for years gone without urgent corrective action. Pittsburgh, PA 15219. Plaintiff Shaquille Howard has been at the jail since June 2017 and has adjustment disorder with anxiety, depression and PTSD. Also during that time, correctional officers have used force on Byrd more than 20 times. Prisoners' Rights Advocates File Lawsuit Against Allegheny County Jail On March 7th, 2022, it was widely reported that another person, a man in his 20s, later identified as Gerald Thomas, had, . A report commissioned by Allegheny County Jail found "no significant trends or common factors that would show a particular weakness or gap in operations" that led to 27 inmate deaths at the. Surprise inspections led by two Jail Oversight Board members raise new concerns about sanitation, dire understaffing, mental health care, and conditions for teenagers at the county jail. This includes reports of an unclean kitchen with staff reporting problems with rodent droppings and roaches. that should have been banned, ridiculously claiming that the weapons were already purchased before the ban went into effect and therefore he was allowed to use them. Harper is not the man for the job. in the last month at the Allegheny County Jail.