Those suffering from mental illness are at greater risk of contracting and spreading the disease, according to the suit, because "people living with mental health conditions may be less likely to appreciate their symptoms, understand what to do if they become ill, or respond appropriately if isolated or quarantined." "Each day that passes when the Governor and Secretary of DOC fail to use their authority to reduce the prison population brings us one step closer to a COVID-19 crisis within DOC - a crisis that the prison system is ill-prepared to handle." "Time is of the essence," their brief states. "The lawsuit is requesting much, much more than that," Kaholokula said.Ĭolumbia Legal Services is asking the Supreme Court to order Inslee and Sinclair to release any inmate over age 50, any inmate with an underlying health issue including those who are pregnant or mentally ill, or anyone with 18 months or less left on their sentence. His order was narrow in scope - only those who were already scheduled for release by June 29 and who had not been convicted of a violent, serious or sex offense. Inslee ordered Corrections on April 15 to release about 1,100 inmates statewide. As of April 20, 12 inmates from Monroe Correctional Complex and 13 staff members at various state prisons had tested positive for COVID-19, according to Corrections. The first positive COVID-19 case in a state prison was documented on April 5. "I am concerned about some of the victims who have expressed concern that they would need to move immediately should these defendants be released." "I am concerned about any possibility of some of these very dangerous individuals being released," Kaholokula said. People on both sides of the issue, including victims and their families, are waiting and wondering whether the court will order releases due to the pandemic and if so, who that might include.
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"But to think that the person who killed the father of my children could go free because of it is something that never, ever crossed my mind." "The impact of COVID-19 is devastating," Kennedy wrote.
JoAnn Kennedy, whose ex-husband Greg Gillum of Mount Vernon was killed by Zamora, is one of many who have submitted victim impact statements to the high court in advance of the hearing. "The counties' best efforts will be undone if thousands of felons return to the community," the brief states. Counties throughout Washington have so far managed caseloads during the crisis well, but that could change, the association argues. There is also concern about how the release could affect the justice system at the county level. In its "friend of the court" brief, the Washington Association of Prosecuting Attorneys wrote that not only would public safety be put at risk by mass releases of prisoners, many inmates would quickly find themselves homeless and without means to care for themselves. "We're not talking about low-level druggies and low-level property crimes," Skagit County Chief Deputy Criminal Prosecutor Rosemary Kaholokula told the Skagit Valley Herald Tuesday.
It contends that what the lawsuit seeks could result in the release of almost 12,000 inmates, possibly even "Green River Killer" Gary Ridgway and Isaac Zamora, who killed six people and injured four others in a shooting spree in Skagit County in 2008. The response to the lawsuit by the state Office of the Attorney General notes that the request doesn't account for severity of crimes. Jay Inslee's emergency declaration for the public and said inmates legally should have the same safety opportunities.Ĭolumbia Legal Services asked the state's highest court to force Inslee and Department of Corrections Secretary Stephen Sinclair to reduce crowded situations it says make social distancing now impossible. The lawsuit filed in late March by Columbia Legal Services on behalf of five inmates seeks their release and requests the state "reduce" the prison population to ensure inmates' safety from the spread of COVID-19.
The court is scheduled to hear arguments Thursday. But prosecutors throughout Washington say the lawsuit's demands could force the release of two-thirds of the prison population, including some of the state's most notorious offenders. By Kera Wanielista / Skagit Valley HeraldĪ lawsuit that has fast-tracked its way to the state Supreme Court argues that the state is failing to protect inmates from the COVID-19 pandemic and should quickly reduce the prison population as a remedy to get a handle on the situation.
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