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    more sheriff bill prummell jail violations in the paper

    Woman, 69, begs for mask at jail, gets none

    She was put in a cell with two other women; no masks were given

    By ELAINE ALLEN-EMRICH

    ENGLEWOOD COMMUNITY EDITOR

    Frances Lopez says Charlotte County Jail officers refused to give her a mask while she was in custody, even though she asked several times.

    The 69-year-old Port Charlotte woman said she had masks in her purse when she was arrested Oct. 22 but was not allowed to use them.

    “I’ve never been arrested before,” she said. “I’m a longtime hairdresser. At work, we wear masks, because we are in close proximity to our customers. When I was booked at the jail, they took my purse. I asked for a mask. They said they didn’t have any. I said I have three

    in my purse, can I have one of them? They said no. I asked again at least 100 times. I was so scared. When I was released, my boss told me not to come to work.”

    SEE JAIL, 4A

    Frances Lopez, 69, said

    Charlotte County Jail officers refused to give her a mask after she repeatedly asked for one while she was in custody. She fears she may have been exposed to COVID-19.

    PHOTO PROVIDED


    JAIL

    FROM PAGE 1A

    Lopez’s daughter, Jessica, called the jail shortly after Frances was booked on one count of battery and one count of aggravated assault for an alleged altercation in her home with a relative’s girlfriend. Jessica asked them to give her mother a mask because she’s in the high-risk category for COVID-19.

    “I was told she would be put in a jail cell alone, so she wouldn’t need a mask,” Jessica said. “I wanted her to be safe while I was trying to post her bond overnight.”

    Frances said that’s not what happened.

    “I was put in a cell with two others,” she said. “The one girl must have been detoxing, because she fainted. I checked her because I thought she might have had a heart attack. The other girl and I was banging and screaming to get this woman help. No one came. The woman woke up and fell on the ground again. We screamed even louder and banged even harder on the cell window until someone came.

    “We were together without masks screaming for help,” she said. “These were total strangers and we were in close proximity screaming and hitting the window to get help.”

    After the sick inmate returned from the medical unit, Frances gave up the cot to her and slept on the concrete floor.

    “There were bugs, some crawled on me, it was filthy,” she said.

    According to Capt. Melissa Turney, assistant jail commander, new inmates are held in intake for 24 hours and are medically cleared.

    “The jail continues to utilize best practices on managing the facilities response to viruses, and CDC guidelines for cleaning,” she wrote in an email to

    the Sun.

    Frances said she continued to ask for a mask during her 18-hour stay.

    “I never received one,” she said. “I walked out of that place and my body

    temperature was 94 degrees. I was so cold in there, but was more worried about being exposed to COVID. I had three masks that they locked away. I could have given them to the two girls in the cell with me.”

    When asked about inmates wearing masks, the Charlotte County Health Department referred to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention COVID-19 protocol for jail and correctional institutions.

    According to those guidelines, “Masks are recommended as a simple barrier to help with source control to prevent respiratory droplets from traveling into the air and onto other people when the person wearing the mask coughs, sneezes, talks, or raises their voice. If everyone wears a mask in congregate settings, the risk of exposure to COVID can be reduced.”

    Turney added that anyone who is arrested and has signs or symptoms of flu-like items or answer protocol questions that make them of high concern are moved to the infirmary area in isolation. Once medically cleared, inmates may be in the open population housing unit with up to 64 inmates.

    “I explained that I had walking pneumonia in February, which could have been COVID, but they weren’t testing for it at the time,” Frances said. “I told them (intake staff) I was afraid, because I may have had the virus and know now that even if you had it, you can get it again. I asked for a mask.”

    Turney wrote, “Jail staff, as well as all visitors, have been mandated to wear masks.

    Inmate workers are also required to wear masks when at outside unit assignments.”

    However, two other longtime inmates say CDC guidelines aren’t followed.

    “I’ve asked for masks repeatedly, and the only response I get from administration is that ‘we are currently not giving out masks,’ and they also state that soap and cleaning materials are available. This is not entirely true as the soap we are given is not antibacterial,” wrote inmate James Scholtz to the Sun.

    “I’ve been to outside medical several times over the last couple months

    and I receive a mask when I enter into the medical building and then it is immediately taken from me upon transport back to the jail. I’m sorry to say that I’ve pretty much given up on sending grievances or arguing with staff because they do what they want and our grievances are useless.”

    Turney wrote the inmates with suspected respiratory problems are housed alone in the medical unit and required to wear a mask at any time they are outside the cell.

    “The jail currently has disposable surgical masks available and cloth masks have been provided to staff and inmate workers,” she wrote. “We also provide face shields for use by certain inmate workers and staff. The cloth masks currently issued were purchased or donated by vendors to the CCSO.”

    Masks for inmates can be donated; however, they must be sent from the manufacturer directly to the facility, Turney wrote.

    Frances said many jail staffers didn’t wear masks, including the ones who checked on her cellmate.

    Inmate Melissa King said guards don’t wear masks during their entire shift.

    “We watch them put their masks up when they pass by their supervisors and then pull them down,” King wrote to the Sun. “We also haven’t had hot water in a week. We can’t properly clean ourselves or anything. We grieve it (to jail staff), but nothing happens.”

    Turney wrote there are times when staff doesn’t wear masks.

    “Staff are authorized to remove masks when properly social distanced away from others (such as at their desk) or when eating,” she wrote. Email: elaine.allen@yoursun.com

    Copyright (c)2020 Sun Coast Media Group, Edition 11/2/2020
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    Another term...Losers...Try again

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    Quote Originally Posted by unregistered View Post
    woman, 69, begs for mask at jail, gets none

    she was put in a cell with two other women; no masks were given

    by elaine allen-emrich

    englewood community editor

    frances lopez says charlotte county jail officers refused to give her a mask while she was in custody, even though she asked several times.

    The 69-year-old port charlotte woman said she had masks in her purse when she was arrested oct. 22 but was not allowed to use them.

    “i’ve never been arrested before,” she said. “i’m a longtime hairdresser. At work, we wear masks, because we are in close proximity to our customers. When i was booked at the jail, they took my purse. I asked for a mask. They said they didn’t have any. I said i have three

    in my purse, can i have one of them? They said no. I asked again at least 100 times. I was so scared. When i was released, my boss told me not to come to work.”

    see jail, 4a

    frances lopez, 69, said

    charlotte county jail officers refused to give her a mask after she repeatedly asked for one while she was in custody. She fears she may have been exposed to covid-19.

    Photo provided


    jail

    from page 1a

    lopez’s daughter, jessica, called the jail shortly after frances was booked on one count of battery and one count of aggravated assault for an alleged altercation in her home with a relative’s girlfriend. Jessica asked them to give her mother a mask because she’s in the high-risk category for covid-19.

    “i was told she would be put in a jail cell alone, so she wouldn’t need a mask,” jessica said. “i wanted her to be safe while i was trying to post her bond overnight.”

    frances said that’s not what happened.

    “i was put in a cell with two others,” she said. “the one girl must have been detoxing, because she fainted. I checked her because i thought she might have had a heart attack. The other girl and i was banging and screaming to get this woman help. No one came. The woman woke up and fell on the ground again. We screamed even louder and banged even harder on the cell window until someone came.

    “we were together without masks screaming for help,” she said. “these were total strangers and we were in close proximity screaming and hitting the window to get help.”

    after the sick inmate returned from the medical unit, frances gave up the cot to her and slept on the concrete floor.

    “there were bugs, some crawled on me, it was filthy,” she said.

    According to capt. Melissa turney, assistant jail commander, new inmates are held in intake for 24 hours and are medically cleared.

    “the jail continues to utilize best practices on managing the facilities response to viruses, and cdc guidelines for cleaning,” she wrote in an email to

    the sun.

    Frances said she continued to ask for a mask during her 18-hour stay.

    “i never received one,” she said. “i walked out of that place and my body

    temperature was 94 degrees. I was so cold in there, but was more worried about being exposed to covid. I had three masks that they locked away. I could have given them to the two girls in the cell with me.”

    when asked about inmates wearing masks, the charlotte county health department referred to the centers for disease control and prevention covid-19 protocol for jail and correctional institutions.

    According to those guidelines, “masks are recommended as a simple barrier to help with source control to prevent respiratory droplets from traveling into the air and onto other people when the person wearing the mask coughs, sneezes, talks, or raises their voice. If everyone wears a mask in congregate settings, the risk of exposure to covid can be reduced.”

    turney added that anyone who is arrested and has signs or symptoms of flu-like items or answer protocol questions that make them of high concern are moved to the infirmary area in isolation. Once medically cleared, inmates may be in the open population housing unit with up to 64 inmates.

    “i explained that i had walking pneumonia in february, which could have been covid, but they weren’t testing for it at the time,” frances said. “i told them (intake staff) i was afraid, because i may have had the virus and know now that even if you had it, you can get it again. I asked for a mask.”

    turney wrote, “jail staff, as well as all visitors, have been mandated to wear masks.

    Inmate workers are also required to wear masks when at outside unit assignments.”

    however, two other longtime inmates say cdc guidelines aren’t followed.

    “i’ve asked for masks repeatedly, and the only response i get from administration is that ‘we are currently not giving out masks,’ and they also state that soap and cleaning materials are available. This is not entirely true as the soap we are given is not antibacterial,” wrote inmate james scholtz to the sun.

    “i’ve been to outside medical several times over the last couple months

    and i receive a mask when i enter into the medical building and then it is immediately taken from me upon transport back to the jail. I’m sorry to say that i’ve pretty much given up on sending grievances or arguing with staff because they do what they want and our grievances are useless.”

    turney wrote the inmates with suspected respiratory problems are housed alone in the medical unit and required to wear a mask at any time they are outside the cell.

    “the jail currently has disposable surgical masks available and cloth masks have been provided to staff and inmate workers,” she wrote. “we also provide face shields for use by certain inmate workers and staff. The cloth masks currently issued were purchased or donated by vendors to the ccso.”

    masks for inmates can be donated; however, they must be sent from the manufacturer directly to the facility, turney wrote.

    Frances said many jail staffers didn’t wear masks, including the ones who checked on her cellmate.

    Inmate melissa king said guards don’t wear masks during their entire shift.

    “we watch them put their masks up when they pass by their supervisors and then pull them down,” king wrote to the sun. “we also haven’t had hot water in a week. We can’t properly clean ourselves or anything. We grieve it (to jail staff), but nothing happens.”

    turney wrote there are times when staff doesn’t wear masks.

    “staff are authorized to remove masks when properly social distanced away from others (such as at their desk) or when eating,” she wrote. Email: elaine.allen@yoursun.com

    copyright (c)2020 sun coast media group, edition 11/2/2020
    powered by tecnavia

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