Cuyahoga County Jail and Your Cleveland Mayor

I've heard many times that the local jail in Cuyahoga county had issues ranging from brutality to inhumane conditions, but I was appalled to learn that there have been 9 deaths occur in the past year. We are all very aware of police brutality and the shootings of innocent black people at the hands of officers, but we are often denied the truth about how often people die once in police custody. Sadly, we know that in the United States of America at least 12 people die per day in jail or prison. These facilities nationwide have little to no transparency about what goes on behind their walls. There is literally no system in place that mandates them be transparent or provide information to the public. In the case of Cuyahoga County jail, there are hundreds of documented accounts of abuse, torture, neglect, and officer incompetent behavior.

This facility has a capacity of 1700 and was most recently reported to be housing 2420 people. Aside from over occupancy. Inmates are regularly treated like animals. They are denied food, sometimes for days as a form of punishment and pregnant woman forced to sleep on the floor. People are locked in their cells with no toothpaste, tooth brush, or toilet paper, while on 27 hour lock down. Many of the people enduring these conditions are not even convicted of a crime. But sitting in jail solely because they could not afford bail. They are often arrested for nonviolent, low level drug offenses and even traffic violations. Between 2016 and 2018 the number reported on attempted suicide has tripled.

Children between the ages of 12 and 17 have also become victims to the Cuyahoga County jail. Despite the county having a facility for juveniles, over 30 children have been sent to this adult only jail for outrageous reasons such as skipping school, vandalism, and being disruptive. Ohio law states that a minor can be sent to an adult jail if the transfer is in the child's best interests. Which in this case, NO child, nor adult should experience these conditions. Many of the youth sent there suffer from learning disabilities, depression, or problems at home. This adult facility is no place for a suffering child.

The U.S. Marshals conducted a thorough inspection that uncovered inhumane conditions and the public now knew that inmates in the overpopulated jail were regularly denied access to medical care l, food, and supply. There was a Criminal investigation by the Ohio Attorney General’s Office into civil rights violations. No more than two inmates died in the county jail in any single year in the 10 years prior to 2018. And the question remains why there was such a spike in death in the past year. The attorney general’s investigation has initiated multiple indictments, including of the former jail director Ken Mills and former warden, now an associate warden, Eric Ivey, along with seven corrections officers accused of various crimes. Officers pepper sprayed a woman in a restraint chair who was in jail for missing court about a traffic violation and other officers neglected a man dying of a drug overdose.

It's reported that Metro Health officials, who oversaw the medical operations at the county jail, requested to top Cuyahoga County and jail officials for changes to be made to jail protocol after the first seven deaths. Of the eight deaths in 2018, four came from suicide, three from drug overdoses and one from cancer. The latest death as called for federal oversight of the unfit correctional facility. A county spokeswoman spoke to FOX 8 news reporters and stated that jail officials are working with Metro and corrections officers to prevent future deaths. But what does that do about the unsanitary conditions and torture? The jail had failed to comply with 84 state standards. Inmates had been denied hygiene products, clean linens and visitation hours, according to the state’s report.

When interviewed about these issues, the Governor of Ohio Mike Dewine stated “While we do not have any power or authority to run the jail and we do not desire to run the jail, by keeping the spotlight on the jail with these frequent inspections, we are hopeful it will lead to a permanent change in the culture…". But there has to be more than just a spotlight placed on this. Change has to occur because lives are being lost and it is disproportionately affecting black lives. Like I stated before, many of these people jailed are only there because they cannot afford their bail. Not because they actually committed a crime. The money bail system, a system banned in dozens of countries, only exist to make people rich. Not to protect. Forcing people to sit in jail for petty arrest for days, weeks, months, and many times years, jeopardizes their livelihood, their job, home, children, and even their health. If these people were wealthy they wouldn't spend a day in jail.

The one man who has the most control of choosing who goes to jail and why, is the County prosecutor, Mike O'Mally. He has publicly admitted to supporting Non Cash bail non violent felony cases, but for whatever reason continues to send people to jail with cash bond, which is the equivalent of sending them to their deaths or to a torture facility. I myself have reached out to his office to demand that the cash bail system be removed and that he begins to take accountability in his role in people's deaths and torture, for his lack of compassion, morality, and humanity when sending people to jail. Changing this policy will result in only good outcomes. It will not decrease the number of people who come to court and it does not increase crime. I will continue reaching out to his office until change occurs along with many others who seek justice and reform in the county jail.

Although Cuyahoga County has a make up many cities, Cuyahoga County jail is located in one city and that is Cleveland. And one man more than any other person should care about the reputation and integrity of the City and that is its Mayor Frank Jackson. Mayor Jackson took office January 2nd 2006. There are currently a lot of activist and community organizers fighting for his resignation due to his lack of accountability. No person in this city has more power than the Mayor. While this is the case, we continue to see police brutality and misconduct under his watch. He allows the jail in his jurisdiction to be plagued with death and torture. I am in the process of reaching out to him to find out what changes are being done to ensure civilian safety from officers and police accountability. Myself or a member of my Non Profit United Urban Renewal Committee will be attending the State of the City event hosted by Mayor Frank G Jackson on October 10th 2019. At this event it will be his responsibility to tell the citizens what's happening in the city and what we have to look forward to.

There is far too much corruption being displayed in his administration. While he has been Mayor he has had multiple family members arrested and never convicted of crime due to their relation to him which is unfair and biased. Most recently his grandson was accused of beating a woman and there were no consequences. The Mayor as well as the attorney who refused to charge him both need to answer questions about this biased injustice.

We don't demand change we'll never get it.