TBA Law Blog


Posted by: Kate Prince on Jan 26, 2021

An agreement has been reached in a federal lawsuit filed against Shelby County officials for failure to address the spread of the COVID-19 virus, the Daily Memphian reports. The lawsuit, filed in May on behalf of a dozen inmates, claimed that conditions at the jail were putting medically vulnerable and disabled detainees at risk of contracting the virus. Both parties have agreed to a proposed consent decree that would provide guidelines for the jail on how to curb COVID-19 numbers. Under the consent decree, the jail must be inspected by an independent inspector every 90 days, improve its ventilation and air flow system, provide COVID-19 tests to those with symptoms, provide access to cleaning supplies and more. U.S. Judge Sheryl Lipman must approve the proposed consent decree, which would remain in place for the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic.