Friday
Jul092004
Attorney alleges conditions at Atlanta Jail -- "Cruel and Unusual Punishment"
Friday, July 9, 2004 at 03:36PM
Attorney alleges conditions at Atlanta Jail so bad they constitute "Cruel and Unusual Punishment"
A federal judge is expected any day now to take away control of the jail from the sheriff and turn it over to someone else because of widespread complaints that the place is overcrowded, understaffed and badly run. "This is as bad as it gets," said Stephen Bright, director of the Southern Center for Human Rights. "There are cells with toilets that don't work. There are people who are sleeping on floors of the jail - floors that flood for various reasons." Bright filed a lawsuit on behalf of an inmate alleging conditions at the jail - overfilled cells, broken laundry facilities, poor ventilation, seeping sewage - amount to cruel and unusual punishment. [more]
A federal judge is expected any day now to take away control of the jail from the sheriff and turn it over to someone else because of widespread complaints that the place is overcrowded, understaffed and badly run. "This is as bad as it gets," said Stephen Bright, director of the Southern Center for Human Rights. "There are cells with toilets that don't work. There are people who are sleeping on floors of the jail - floors that flood for various reasons." Bright filed a lawsuit on behalf of an inmate alleging conditions at the jail - overfilled cells, broken laundry facilities, poor ventilation, seeping sewage - amount to cruel and unusual punishment. [more]