Long Awaited Lawsuit Against the Maricopa County Jail Finally Begins Today

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LanceOregon

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This long anticipated lawsuit finally begins today, alleging that prisoners inside the infamous Maricopa County jail are treated inhumanely. The suit alleges that the constitutional rights of prisoners are being severely violated. That they are not properly fed, are denied housing ( forced instead to live in tents ), and are denied medical care.

"What we're actually looking for is an order from the court that would require Sheriff Joe Arpaio to change the conditions in the jail," said Debra Hill, an inmates' attorney.

The Maricopa County Sheriff's Office denies the claims, maintaining that the jails are run constitutionally.

"It's way beyond constitutional minimums,'' County Attorney Jack Macintyre said. "The jail in this county is not punishment. But it sure is not a free ride either.''

What do you think? Should Maricopa County make life easier for their inmates?? Have they gone too far in making their jail not a nice place to live???

Here is a news report all about this:

http://ktar.com/?nid=6&sid=930773&r=1

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I don't think there is anything cruel or unusual about the conditions in the Maricopa County jail. Jail should be a place you do not want to return to, not one where you get better food and entertainment, than you do being an unemployed bum.
 
I believe that they have no stance in this argument.

They get a place to sleep. It may be a tent or an actual building.

I do not remember what they get fed but I think once a day its a bologna sandwich.
 
After rereading the article a few times.

The lawsuit is for those that are awaiting trial.

Not the ones that we said your trash and did something wrong.
 
I eat bologna, salami and cheese and other sandwhiches for lunch during the week. So fooey on them. As a Soldier I slept in tents in various weather conditions. So my heart doesnt bleed for them. This lawsuit began in 1977 according to the article. Unless the judge is a bleeding heart type I dont think the inmates are going to win this one.
 
The lawsuit is for those that are awaiting trial.

Not the ones that we said your trash and did something wrong.
Click to expand...

Well, the question is whether the fact that they are in jail constitutes "punishment".

Would it be feasible for the county to have two separate jail systems? Treating one class of prisoners one way, and another group a different way?

Of course not. This is just a legal argument to try to force the county to change conditions for everyone inside the jail.

If their bail is set so high that they cannot post it, then there are probably good public safety reasons for keeping them locked up.

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I dont think it should be a country club but making them live outside in the hot AZ sun is cruel.
Also the tents are right next to the humane society and it smells of burning dogs.
Bad food and pink boxers aint the problem, Its like a concentration camp IMO
 
"What do you think? Should Maricopa County make life easier for their inmates?? Have they gone too far in making their jail not a nice place to live???"

No and no.
 
“No” and “no”.

Like Sheriff Joe once said: “It these tents are good enough for our soldiers they’re good enough for prisoners.”

As far as the heat is concerned, I lived in the Arizona desert back when air conditioning in homes was not a common thing. They’ll survive.
 
Knowing the Sheriff in Maricopa county I bet the araignment time is pretty short. If they were given the options of bail and couldnt make it they were given due process.

feed them MRE three times a day and they would be glad to have sandwhiches.

When I was deployed it got to be 126 degrees in the shade..the troops survived
 
Found this article in the "related articles" box on the same page...

"An alleged home invader was killed and a homeowner left fighting for his life after a shootout at a west Valley home Sunday night.

The homeowner, whose name was not released, shot and killed one of the suspects, but he also was shot and was taken to the hospital with a collapsed lung.

Romi Hernandez lives next door, in the area of 91st Avenue and Lower Buckeye Road, and heard 15 to 20 shots fired.

Hernandez thought the sounds were firecrackers at first, then decided they were gunshots.

``So I grabbed my fiance, grabbed my son, threw them on the ground. I tried to crawl to the hallway, waited until the shots had stopped for, maybe two minutes."

He said he was scared.

``That was close, that was too close. Being from this side of town, gunshots, whatever (are sometimes heard). But, in your backyard, thinking it is in your backyard, no, that's really close."

Neighbors said the suspects were wearing full body armor and armed with AK-47 assault rifles. Police have not confirmed that.

Neighbors also said two men were seen leaving the area in a gray or silver P.T. Cruiser, with a personalized Arizona Diamondbacks license plate. The partial on that plate is TMO.


Two other suspects fled the shooting scene. Police have not released information about the suspects of the victims yet."
 
No and No.

I would certainly hope jail would be a not nice place to live. Hell, we don't want 'em coming back, do we? As noted, our Marines and soldiers sometimes fare far worse. Burning dogs? How 'bout rotting human flesh?
 
"When I was deployed it got to be 126 degrees in the shade..the troops survived"

That's been one of Sheriff's Joe's main rejoinders.

US troops are living in conditions similar to these, so they should be more than good enough for people who detract from society.
 
I have no problem with Sheriff Arapio's treatment of prisoners.
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How about those who have not yet been convicted of any crime? How many hours can he hold someone without even charging them with a crime? (I don't know the answer to this, probably a couple of days, maybe 3 or 4 on a holiday weekend)
 
I don't know if the OP was looking for sympathy for the prisoners, but if he did, I think he came to the wrong place, I agree with everybody else, it's not a country club it's a jail, and those tents were good enough for our service men and women in Saudia Arabia so I think alittle time in the Arizona desert won't hurt them.
 
Jail isn't really about punishment, its more of a separation tool between those in it and the rest of society.

If you want punishment you could always go back to whipping people..............
 
Good old Sherriff Joe.

Tent City ain't going anywhere anytime soon. It'd cause a voter rage just based on the referendum to build a "nice" jail, if nothing else.

Most of us in Phoenix are kinda proud of Tent City and the implications it carries. Though, not necessarily of the tenants themselves.:p
 
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