CINCINNATI — On May 4, a three-judge panel on the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled unanimously denying the Bureau of Prisons request to stay enforcement of the district court order to begin transfer and release of 837 medically-vulnerable prisoners from Elkton FCI. The ACLU of Ohio and the Ohio Justice and Policy Center brought this class action on April 13, and as of last week, seven prisoners died from COVID-19.
"Today’s decision again confirms the urgent need to respond to the crisis unfolding at Elkton. Lives of prisoners, prison staff, and the community depend on swift action to move the most vulnerable people away from the COVID-19 outbreak before it is too late," added David Carey, Senior Staff Attorney for the ACLU of Ohio.
"We applaud the Sixth Circuit’s order," added David Singleton, Executive Director of the Ohio Justice & Policy Center. "The court's ruling is grounded in precedent and allows this litigation to proceed with the urgency that this life-and-death situation demands."
Per the court’s order, “The district court found that Elkton’s dorm-style structure rendered it unable to implement or enforce social distancing. The COVID-19 virus, now a pandemic, is highly contagious…Older individuals or those who have certain underlying medical conditions are more likely to experience complications requiring significant medical intervention, and are more likely to die.”
