The new Wayne County Criminal Justice Center is now facing legal scrutiny due to allegations of unlawful detainment of inmates. A class action lawsuit has been filed, claiming that inmates have been held past their court-ordered release dates, highlighting systemic issues within the facility. According to a statement by attorney Kevin Carlson of Pitt, McGehee, Palmer, Bonanni & Rivers, this problem extends back to the days of the old facility, asserting that "Wayne County has long known that people get lost in detention while awaiting their release date and that it takes up to two weeks sometimes at the old facility even," as reported by CBS News.
The lawsuit emphasizes operational distress at the new facility, citing "non-detention grade sprinklers being broken and flooding, the facility's communication system being down, inmates not being able to meet with their attorneys in a closed confidential setting, inmate suicides which is a horrifying condition," Kevin Carlson told CBS News. These concerns add to the gravity of the situation, where, detainees, were expected to be reintegrated into society yet find themselves confined beyond the adjudicated time.
One of the plaintiffs, 22-year-old Liam West-Campau, has been highlighted by multiple sources, including MetroTimes and WXYZ. West-Campau experienced an extended stay in custody for six days beyond the date a judge ordered his release. His situation was aggravated by a non-functional computer system that left his whereabouts within the facility unrecorded.
Further issues cited in the lawsuit involve dayslong lockdowns in crowded cells due to staffing shortages, leading to fights and damaged property, as noted by Allen Cox, president of the Wayne County Deputy Sheriff's Association, who said some deputies have resigned in frustration. Moreover, the lawsuit, also against unnamed jail employees, brings to light the harrowing reality of inmates facing dangerous conditions, including two recent suicides within the institution.
The Wayne County Sheriff's Office has yet to issue a formal statement regarding the lawsuit, pending its receipt.
