Cook County Jail in Chicago still under fire for handling of pandemic

By Tariqah Shakir-Muhammad -Staff Writer- | Last updated: Apr 29, 2020 - 9:59:33 AM

(L) Lasonya Alexandar holds a photo of her son, Kheenan Alexander who is a detainee at Cook County Jail. Photos: Haroon Rajaee (R) Protestor Tearane Johnson, holds a sign supporting the release of detainees.

CHICAGO—The Cook County Jail and Sheriff’s Office is under fire as activists and families demand conditions improve for inmates and detainees who are at an increased risk of contracting and dying due to Covid-19.

Cook County correctional officers are even suing the county and Sheriff Tom Dart for their working overtime sanitizing themselves and personal protective equipment.

As of April 22, Cook County Jail said 217 detainees and 173 correctional officers had tested positive for Covid-19. Six detainees who tested positive have died.

Nickolas Lee was one of those detainees. His wife, Cassandra Greer-Lee, called Cook County Jail 132 times for help but he was transferred to the ICU of John Stroger Hospital too late.

He passed away April 12.

“Cook County found my husband guilty and gave him a death sentence. That’s not fair,” she said in an interview with a local TV station. “All I can do now, because I didn’t win the battle for my husband, all I can do now is try to help the others that’s here, that’s still alive.”

“It’s the Black and Brown people that are dying,” said LaSonya Alexander, mother of 27-year-old Kheenan Alexander, who has been awaiting trial at Division 11 in Cook County for six months. “It’s some Black and Brown people that are not getting sufficient care at Cook County and that’s a problem. Kheenan shared last night; the recorder asked him ‘what’s your biggest fear’ and he said, ‘that I won’t live to see my court date. ’”

Mr. Alexander now must wait until late May instead of April 9 to see a judge.

Community activist, Carolyn Ruff protested April 15-16 in support of detainees.

While fighting charges him and his family say are false, M.r Alexander told his mother over the phone that every day is a fight for his life.

“Ultimately all of those inmates feel like they’re waiting to die or at the very least get sick because it’s spreading so bad and we don’t know how a person’s immune system is going to fight it so it’s not fair,” she continued. “Release them and put them on home monitoring, give them a chance. They are innocent until proven guilty—I know some of them have done wrong but there’s a select few in there and they shouldn’t be.”

The Cook County Sheriff’s department told The Final Call that the office created an off-site, 500-bed isolation and care facility for detainees and has been rigorous in their cleaning and sanitizing measures.

“As an additional effort to combat the virus, medical staff recently started testing all incoming detainees, including those not exhibiting symptoms, as well as select groups of asymptomatic detainees in the jail. Due to this expanded testing of detainees who are not showing symptoms, the number of positive results is expected to rise in the near term,” Matt Walberg, deputy press secretary for the Cook County Sheriff’s office wrote in an email.

He also said Sheriff Dart “long supported bond reform, and early on called on our partners in the criminal justice system to review their files and recommend bond review when appropriate in light of this unprecedented global pandemic.”

However, some residents are not convinced the sheriff’s department is doing all it can.

“The ones who have lighter sentences, they should let them out to their families. Their family members are devastated. They don’t want their sons, daughters, grandsons or whatever dying of this Covid virus. They want them protected too and they have not been protecting them,” said community activist Carolyn Ruf.

“They don’t pay attention to the inmates; they throw them in jail and they forget about them. They’re human just like we are. Even if they’re sick like my girlfriend’s husband; she was trying to call someone to look after her husband, but they didn’t and he ended up dying Easter Sunday,” she continued.

Mrs. Ruff continues to regularly protest in front of Cook County Jail with activist Antoine Westside, also known as “Brother Westside.” He was mortified by what he saw after protesting in front of Cook County Jail April 15-16.

“I was about to have a stroke because those brothers were alive, he had his hands at the bottom of the window and he goes, ‘thank you, for being concerned,’ ” Mr. Westside said. “The prisoners didn’t have masks and gloves on, it’s filthy. They’re not walking six feet apart because they’re in a 5 by 10 cell, it’s just like our washroom—that’s how small it is, it’s unsanitary. It’s ridiculous!”

Mr. Westside said because detainees and inmates can’t practice social distancing or maintain good hygiene, they should be sent home.

“Ain’t nobody supposed to be able to die in vain if they’re doing their time; you do the crime; you do the time and you go home where you belong. It’s as simple as that,” he continued.

As of April 22, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle was working with correctional offices as well as the Cook County Department of Public Health and Emergency Management and Regional Security to create refuge housing for suburban Cook County health care professionals, first responders and correctional officers.

Ms. Preckwinkle said in late March during a press conference, “we’ll continue to have cases at the jail, and it will continue to be the biggest health problem in the country.”

The Final Call