PASCAGOULA, Miss. (AP) - Inmates in a south Mississippi jail say they are sleep-deprived because the lights in their cells have remained on constantly for the past four months.
The Sun Herald reported that the problem started in late November in the Jackson County Jail.
“It’s the lights in the cells. They are all run by a computer board, and we can’t turn them off,” Capt. Tyrone Nelson said. “It’s not as simple as an on-off switch. A control board that controls all the lights burned out. It’s like the brain of a car - if that goes out, nothing works.”
Four inmates have filed federal lawsuits saying their civil rights are being violated because they are being subjected to substandard conditions leading to sleep deprivation.
They are seeking unspecified monetary damages in the suits against Jackson County Sheriff Mike Ezell, Lt. Mitchell McMillian, Nelson and Jackson County.
Each inmate filed a grievance at the jail kiosk, but McMillian told them that the jail staff was waiting on parts to fix the problem.
Nelson said when the control board malfunctions, the system is set up for the lights to automatically shift on as a safety measure.
“The lights in the cells are on, but it’s not that bright,” Nelson said. “It’s not to the point like its a bright flashing light that’s keeping them up and causing discomfort. But we’ve done our part and we are just waiting on this company to fix the problem. We are really at their mercy.”
Nelson didn’t know the full name of the company, but said the staff calls it Douglas. Ezell said there is nothing his staff can do besides wait on the company to rectify the problem.
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