A class action lawsuit filed Wednesday against the Michigan Department of Corrections alleges conditions of “degradation, filth, and inhumanity” in the state’s prison for women.
The lawsuit claims the state’s Huron Valley Correctional Facility for Women has subjected inmates to unhygienic conditions including leaky roofs, improper ventilation, and toxic mold.
Plaintiff attorney Jonathan Marko said there have been complaints about the prison for decades.
“This is just the latest in a long line of unconstitutional practices and barbaric conditions at the prison,” he said.
In particular, Marko said the toxic mold posed a serious risk to inmate health. “This mold causes neurological problems, it causes respiratory problems, it shuts down your immune system,” he said. “This is not your garden variety mold in your basement corner. This is toxic, poisonous mold.”
The lawsuit names three current inmates of the Huron Valley Correctional Facility as plaintiffs but says it is on behalf of “former, current, and future” inmates of the prison.
Marko said the state has long ignored problems at the prison.
“The first part in dealing with an issue is recognizing there is one. They’ve failed again and again to be candid and recognize issues. Not just at this facility but across.”
A spokesperson for the Michigan Department of Corrections said they disagree with the claims of the lawsuit but do not comment on pending litigation.
You can read their full statement below:
The staff at Women’s Huron Valley Correctional Facility work hard every day to better the lives of the women there and take seriously that responsibility and duty. From the officers, to the maintenance staff, to the warden, everyone understands their critical role in not only public safety, but in the health and safety of the prisoners and staff inside the facility. We disagree with the claims in the lawsuit, but we do not comment on pending litigation.