Columnist Jamala Rogers
Many times I get asked about my passion for insuring the safety and humanity of any citizen who enter the doors of the judicial system, which includes the courts and prisons. My response is generally the same: We are all a step away from that door and if we ever have to enter, a citizen should expect to have all of his or her human and civil rights respected and protected.
I reflected on this system as I read the recent report by the American Civil Liberties Union of Eastern St. Louis entitled “Suffering in Silence: Human Rights Abuses in St. Louis Correctional Centers.”
The case of Lavonda Kimble was one of the tragedies that sparked the ACLU-EM’s investigation. Kimble, a beautiful young woman and mother of a daughter, died allegedly as a result of a series of reckless, irresponsible acts by this system.
In 2007, Kimble was erroneously transferred to the City Justice Center for a Bel-Nor warrant on a traffic ticket. The ticket was paid by a friend but the notification was sent to the county jail instead of the city jail. When Kimble’s mother brought the receipt to the CJC some five hours later, the Center refused to accept it. The timing here is crucial, because had Kimble been released then she might well still be alive today.
The Kimble case embodies a number of the claims in the ACLU report, such as false reporting, medical neglect and systemic cover-ups,. Kimble disclosed to intake personnel that she had asthma and sickle cell anemia. After allegedly being refused her asthma medication, she went into cardiac arrest and paramedics were called. First responders found the nurse doing CPR on Kimble’s stomach instead of her chest. Paramedics were kept waiting outside the facility for several minutes as precious time evaporated.
Most black folks have known for years that the Medium Security Institution, aka The Work House, is a hell hole. There was some arousal of hope when plans were unveiled for a new facility to replace the 80-year-old Downtown jail. The construction included the involvement of African-American groups like Kwame Construction and Kennedy Associates. We hoped that the shiny new building would be devoid of the alleged ugly practices and susected unwritten policies of sanctioned abuse of the notorious Work House.
Several corrections officers were interviewed as part of the ACLU-EM’s 18-month investigation, as were a number of inmates. The ACLU-EM was told of assaults on inmates, assaults on inmates by other inmates directed by corrections officers (kinda like cockfighting or dog fighting), sexual assaults, failure to make reports and failed oversight.
While the report focused mainly on the (mis)treatment of inmates, I couldn’t help but wonder about the staff who worked in that kind of intimidating, abusive environment – staff who victimized and those who were victimized. Like the report of Abu Ghraib prison, there seemed to be personal gratification in the mental, sexual and physical abuse of others. Here there was no distinction between the despicable behavior of male and female officers. I wondered what happened to their humanity.
We must bring some real justice to the situation and seek consequences for those who are guilty. These are tax-supported City facilities whose operations are the ultimate responsibility of Mayor Francis G. Slay.
I think justice should include the following:
* Eugene Stubblefield, superintendent of both facilities, must be fired.
* Charles Bryson, director of Public Safety who oversees Stubblefield, must be fired.
* Mayor Slay should make a public acknowledgment of the gross mismanagement and incompetence within these facilities. He should apologize to the citizens of St. Louis, to the staffers trying to do the right thing and to the victims. He should be voted out of office of April 7.
* Where staff has been found guilty of violating department rules, the appropriate consequences must be applied;
* Where staff is found guilty for violating laws, criminal charges must be applied.
* The $5 million annual contract of Correctional Medical Services must be terminated.
* Extensive staff training must be implemented with emphasis on dealing with the special needs of the disabled and the mentally ill.
* And finally, whatever entities take up further investigations must assure the protection of cooperating staffers whose experiences and insights are invaluable to documenting the scope of abuse. A number of inmates and staffers have contacted the ACLU since the report went public, and most have expressed concern about retaliation. The community appreciates their cooperation and they should be treated as heroes.
If on a given day, a clerical snafu lands you at the so-called Justice Center, you want to be treated with dignity and professionalism. More importantly, you want to come out alive. That is what’s at stake here.