TBA Law Blog


Posted by: Stacey Shrader Joslin on Aug 7, 2020

Federal District Court Judge Sheryl H. Lipman has denied the release of "medically vulnerable" detainees awaiting trial inside the Shelby County jail, the Commercial Appeal reports. The ruling recognized "grave areas of concern” at the jail but found that problems could be “cured." Based on that finding, Lipman declined to rule whether detainees' rights had been violated by the county. The suit was brought by detainees over age 55 and those with chronic conditions. In June, a court-appointed inspector said procedures at the jail were "inadequate to protect the vulnerable inmates." The county says its response to the pandemic is "evolving." The ACLU represented the plaintiffs and had this response.