November 2nd 2023.
The US Justice Department has announced on Thursday that they are launching civil rights investigations into two South Carolina jails. This news comes after the death of Jamal Sutherland in one of these jails. Kristen Clarke, the head of the Civil Rights Division, said that people who are in jails do not lose their constitutional rights.
The investigations will look into access to medical and mental healthcare, use of force by jail staff and protection from violence. The Sheriff Al Cannon Detention Center in North Charleston, South Carolina, is one of the jails being investigated. Sutherland died after being tased and pepper sprayed in his cell when he refused to leave it for a bond hearing. His death sparked comparisons to the murder of George Floyd in 2020.
The Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center in Columbia, South Carolina, is the other jail being investigated. There have been six inmate deaths since February 2022. Local officials have promised to cooperate with the Justice Department and if any violations of constitutional rights are found, they will work together to come up with reforms.
The death of Jamal Sutherland highlights the need for reform in jails and prisons. The Justice Department's investigations will hopefully provide some insight into the conditions in these South Carolina jails and lead to positive changes.
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