Monday, February 7, 2022

Federal Judge Holds Hinds County in Contempt Over Jail

The Raymond Detention Center moved ever so closer to federal control after U.S. District Judge Carlton Reeves decreed Hinds County was in civil contempt of court last Thursday.  

Hinds County entered into a consent decree over the detention center in 2016.  Judge Reeves said for all of its so-called efforts, Hinds County is currently violating more than "two dozen provisions" of the consent decree.  

Judge Reeves issued a show cause order against Hinds County on November 23 - the day of the runoff election for Sheriff.   He gave Hinds County 21 days to explain why he should not place the jail into receivership.  

The Court noted the jail was born of the original sin of incompetent design and construction when it opened in 1994.  Locks were not powerful enough to keep doors locked.  Inmates repeatedly started fires in the facility yet there was no fire sprinkler system.  Riots plagued the jail for years.  Judge Reeves observed the facility was woefully understaffed at only 229 employees. Drugs, smartphones, and other contraband continue to increase at Raymond.  The Court said inmates ran the jail as guards all too often left them unsupervised.  Earlier post with more information.

Such conditions existed for many years, yea, even decades at the Raymond Detention Center. However, Judge Reeves said "the situation deteriorated significantly in 2021. "  Six deaths in 2021 finally broke the Court's back.  Suicides, overdoses, medical issues, and Covid-19 were responsible for five of the deaths.  However, the sixth death (in October) drew particular attention from the Court due to its gruesome nature.  Judge Reeves wrote: 

At about 0430 or 0500 in the morning, video footage showed the inmate being hit in the head by another inmate. A third inmate then stomped on his head several times. He was then dragged across the mezzanine. The video foot-age shows brief movement by the decedent and then none indicating that he was probably dead at that point but a time of death has not been established. He was eventually dragged back and propped in a sitting position and then later laid on a mat. He was not discovered by officers until 1:45, almost 9 hours later. 

Judge Reeves issued his show cause order after the six death.  

Hinds County asked the Court to give it one more chance.  The county argued there was literally a new Sheriff in town, new employees were being hired to work at the jail, and the warden who submitted her resignation was returning to the fold.  


 

Unfortunately for Hinds County, Judge Reeves said no dice.  Judge Reeves visited the jail two weeks ago and said it looked jut as bad as it did when he visited the facility three years ago.  

Judge Reeves ruminated on the case for 19 pages before opining: 

The remaining element asks whether Hinds County failed to comply with the Court Order. Based on the facts contained in the Fifteenth Monitoring Report, the answer is a resounding “yes.” 

 Some of the major violations were substantial understaffing, too little direct supervision, lack of cellphone jammers, lack of a gang program, proper use of force training, and the repeated failure to release prisoners who were acquitted or had their charges dismissed.  

Judge Reeves will hold an evidentiary hearing on February 14.  

Note: Posted below is the Contempt finding, County response to show cause order, show cause order, and November status report. 


32 comments:

Anonymous said...

Yes! Hold their feet to the fire. As high as the crime is in Jackistan, letting 'em all loose probably wouldn't even be noticed.

Anonymous said...

They will get right on the repairs as soon as they complete the sewage issues.

Anonymous said...

Get ready Hinds County taxpayers-

Anonymous said...

One day you’re hoping inmates rot in prison. The next day you’re posting about the violating of inmate rights. So, let me make sure I understand: You want inmates to rot in prison yet under full acknowledgment and protection of their rights?

See, this is why no one should ever take a copy and paste “journalist” serious.
Now do you see why Donna Ladd referred to Kingfish as a “gadfly.”

Anonymous said...

@8:14PM
The FBI is one of the finest law enforcement agencies in America.

Anonymous said...

Democrats in action!

Anonymous said...

Chill, 8:47. KF is just reporting the facts, which the other news media outlets will probably ignore or under report.

And being tough on crime and believing inmates shouldn’t have access to phones and drugs and be murdered in jail are not contradictory to each other.

Anonymous said...

Reeves knows the money will come from NE Jxn property owners.

Anonymous said...

Don't know where you come from Sparky troll but nobody gives a flying f*&k about anything Donna Ladd has to say. Except apparently your lame ass.

PittPanther said...

What exactly is the downside for Hinds County leadership of the jail goes into receivership? Does the Board of Supervisors get to wash their hands of the entire matter, and the feds become responsible?

Anonymous said...

@8:47AM
Ladd is the epitome of journalist integrity.

Anonymous said...

Funny how a majority of the deaths happened under Kathryn Bryan. Guess that shows her true leadership and from what I'm hearing she is friends with the DOJ monitors that are suppoused to be "checking" on RDC.

Someone that is an expert didn't make any noticeable changes in 8 months? The judge saying the place is even worse is a sign of what little the county's $114,000 a year is getting them. She couldn't even get the staff to fill out reports correctly and completely? The county spent a lot of money to bring in more incompetence.

Anonymous said...

9:16 AM
I'm not sure how much money is left in NE Jackson now days. Last I drove through didn't look like much. Mostly middle and lower middle class these days.

Anonymous said...


Feds in charge and call the shots, HindsCo taxpayers pay for whatever the Feds say needs to be funded. There is no denying it, HindsCo has been kicking the can down the road on this jail fiasco for a long time. The bill for the avoidance has come due.

Anonymous said...

And ? Just a little more smoke blow up our asses that will cost us on the tax card.

Anonymous said...

Just let the Feds take it over and be done with it.

Anonymous said...

Why don't the politicians go ahead and make it a law that all people in Ms. will pay Hinds county taxes? We are all going to have to pay for all of the theft of tax money collected in Hinds county. It is just a fact. For a politician to get elected in Hinds county they have to be a thief. There are very few working people left in Jackson.
Go ahead and start those checks going to Jackson. You are a racist if you don't.

Anonymous said...

11:03 AM
“Why don't the politicians go ahead and make it a law that all people in Ms. will pay Hinds county taxes?”

Stop leaving comments until you begin making sense.


Anonymous said...

9:18PM
What’s the difference between a troll like yourself and a Sparky troll like myself?

Anonymous said...

The downside to a federal takeover of the Raymond Detention Center is that Hinds County finally will have to pay for all improvements the federal receiver decides to make. All are long overdue, expensive & will divert huge amounts of money the Board of Supervisors would rather misspend on the county Election Commission & providing permanent employment to hacks like failed interim sheriff Marshand Crisler & the Canton crook county administrator.

Anonymous said...

yep, but a lot of that money will come from the sheriff's budget, which is chock full of political appointments. BOS will take what was allocated to the sheriff for the jail and give it to the receiver to help pay for running the jail. HCSO about to find some efficiencies quick.

Anonymous said...

On a similar note, is the downtown Hinds County jail behind the Courthouse open? Word on the street is that none of the 200 cells are being used.

Anonymous said...

If Feds take over the Hinds County tax payer will lot and lots of money to fix and maintain the jail. Lots !

Anonymous said...

Was there much white-flight in Raymond 40-50 years ago? Or maybe Judge Reeves is a racist.

Anonymous said...

Need somewhere else to send the inmates that are causing problems. I’ll bet them fools will not cause problems anywhere else except Hinds County. Too many bleeding heart cowards just drawing a check!

Anonymous said...

Are they going to have to contract Richard’s Construction to build a new jail that will be perfect??

MeNot KNOWNas said...

I sold my Hinds County residence 3 years ago. Thank goodness.

Anonymous said...

Prison is horrible. County jails can be much worse. Holding someone who cannot make bail for trial, longer than any sentence they will receive plays into the 'no bail fee movement.' So if Hinds (Jackson) does not provide clean water to drink, pick up trash, maintain schools, humane animal control, police the streets, what do the elected officials and Congressman Thompson really do to make society at least third world? One Jackson politician was white flight, has a point, never ask why? also it is rather racist to say a majority minority area cannot govern itself. end of meaningless rant.

Anonymous said...

The voting property owners of Hinds County deserved to be brutalized by unmerciful taxes for electing incompetent leadership in all positions. They deserve bankruptcy for their complacency.

Anonymous said...

And just this morning one of the snake oil errrrr supervisors all but admits that expensive ass jail can't be fixed but he has a great idea to build a new one. And this one will be built to specs by the lowest minority bidder. Wink fugging wink baby !

Anonymous said...

Feb 8 @ 1:29............

Wanna bet Drake-Way has family in the jail building business????

Anonymous said...

How much longer is Tyree’s election honeymoon? So he’s just gonna get a pass for the next two years?


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