Morris Co. Inmates 'Sheeps For Slaughter' Prisoner's Wife Says

Editor's Note: This story is being told anonymously because the woman who told her story is afraid of reprisals. The author knows her name, verified her identity and gave specific questions to the authorities to respond to.

MORRIS TOWNSHIP, NJ - Celia read an article about a guard at the Morris County Correctional Facility testing positive for the new coronavirus, or COVID-19, to her inmate husband and he was stunned because this was all new information to him.

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She said the only reason her husband has any idea what is going on is because she has been reading him news stories. Otherwise, she maintains that the Morris County Correctional Facility is not informing inmates or protecting inmates from coronavirus spread.

"The Morris County Jail not protecting inmates," Celia said. "In fact, they are purposely and willfully creating a 'sheep for the slaughter' environment by having inmates openly congregate on the floors and inside cells with another inmate."

Indeed, as of Wednesday, nine Morris County Correctional Facility inmates have tested positive for COVID-19, which reflects 6.3 percent of the inmate population. There are several other inmates who are awaiting test results, officials said.

The facility inmate population as of Monday is 141, and the first inmate-related coronavirus case was confirmed on March 24. Inmates were informed of the changes through tier-representatives, officials said. Tier representatives are elected to represent each tier in communicating information to their fellow inmates.

But Celia said all of the information was not being shared, as more than one officer tested positive. "They told the inmates nothing," she said.

Morris County Sheriff James Gannon told Patch last week they are closely monitoring the health and safety of the Sheriff’s Office family and the inmate population.

"We are continuing to follow the expert advice from the CDC, our County Health Officer, and Municipal Health Officer. We will maintain order, remain calm, and follow the science,” he said.

But Celia said those precautions are not enough, noting that social distancing was non-existent. And only new inmates were temperature checked and the facilities are only cleaned once a week which creates a heightened risk.

Officials at the Correctional Facility said on a daily basis they have re-evaluated sanitation and social distancing policies, with the lockdown the most extreme measure to date. Their response timeline was as follows:

• A month ago, the healthcare providers conducting medical screenings of all new admission inmates started assessing inmates for COVID-19 by asking whether they had traveled to China or other outbreak areas within the past 14 days; whether they had contact with a person under investigation for the virus; whether they have a cough, shortness of breath or a fever. If the inmate answered yes to any of the above, the Facility Medical Director was consulted.
• On March 5, the Correctional Facility increased already-stringent cleaning methods to include daily sanitization of all commonly-touched areas, such as elevator doors, doorknobs, TV remotes, railings, faucets, desks, tables and chairs. Housing units were sanitized thoroughly twice a week, a schedule increased to sanitizations every other day.
• On March 16, the Correctional Facility suspended visits between family members and inmates. Non-contact visits through a glass partition were permitted between attorneys and inmates but have now been halted, except for emergencies. Inmates and attorneys now communicate via videoconferencing.
• On March 17, prior to the first confirmed coronavirus case involving an Officer, the Facility mandated that all Officers and non-sworn staff undergo a temperature check before starting work. This precaution alerted multiple Officers that they were symptomatic and they did not enter the Facility after registering elevated temperatures.
• Housing units were sanitized thoroughly twice a week, a schedule that was increased to every other day. As of April 1, a thorough cleaning of all commonly touched areas have been conducted a minimum of four times daily on all housing units. The Medical Isolation Units undergo a deep cleaning and disinfection daily.
• In addition, the temperatures of inmates on all new intake housing units have been taken on a daily basis. All other inmates have daily, 24-hour access to the Facility’s Medical Unit to report symptoms or other health concerns.
• As of mid-March, the temperatures of all new admitted inmates have been taken and a series of questions asked about symptoms, travel and contact with symptomatic or people who have tested positive.

10 Percent Of Staff Infected

According to authorities, about 10 percent of the Morris County Correctional Staff – a combination of 20 Corrections Officers and Non-Sworn Staff – have tested positive for the virus, the first on March 22. One officer returned to work Monday, while other officers also are expected to start returning to work this week.

The inmates affected by the coronavirus, all in stable condition, are being cared for in two housing units designated for medical isolation, one for males and one for females. They are receiving care from Facility nurses and the medical director who, like the Officers, wear surgical masks and personal protection gear when in close contact with the patients to provide maximum protection to themselves and the inmates, authorities said.

Lockdown Initiated

Specific disinfection and social distancing rules were immediately implemented at the Correctional Facility on March 5 and steadily strengthened.

“I, along with Command Staff at the Correctional Facility, have been in constant contact with local and county health officials and instituted the sanitation and social distancing protocols advised by the Centers for Disease Control and state Department of Corrections,” Gannon said.

Gannon said the agency is working daily with the Morris County Health Officer and Morris Township Health Department, which reports to the New Jersey Department of Health. The agency also reports to the New Jersey State Police on daily Law Enforcement Readiness.

“The positive cases at the Correctional Facility were inevitable, given the population and turnaround of inmates; however, the numbers are being managed extraordinarily well and we are heartened by the recovery and return of the first Corrections Officer to contract the virus,” Sheriff Gannon said. “The men and women of the Morris County Correctional Facility are true soldiers. When one temporarily falls from the line, two more step up. I’m now seeing some previously ill staff returning to replace those who replaced them.”

Gannon shared a video update on social media:

The decision Sunday night was to put the Correctional Facility on lockdown, which involves, in part, the following:

• Inmates will be permitted outside their cells for a half-hour per day to take a shower and/or make a telephone call. A maximum of two inmates may be out of their cells at one time to shower and/or make calls.
• All inmates are being fed in their cells instead of the dayroom. Preparation and serving of staff and inmate meals will exclusively be done by the Food Service contractor.
• A maximum of three inmates can wash dishes and sanitize in the kitchen but will not be involved with food handling or preparation.
• All inmates working in the kitchen and laundry will have temperature checks before starting work.
• Daily temperature checks will be conducted one inmate at a time on designated housing units.
• Only one inmate at a time will be permitted within the Medical Unit.
• Surgical masks are issued daily to all inmates assigned to work within the kitchen and laundry units, as well as to any other inmate as deemed necessary by Correctional and Medical staff.

Celia noted that with restrictions her husband can "barely call her" and that the moves are too little too late.

"They should have done this sooner," she said.

Celia said that her husband has an underlying condition and that the medical facility there does not have a ventilator if he or anyone else should need one.

"I'm terrified and helpless. Given this is unchartered waters, the Courts have little to no guidance on how to prevent the senseless deaths of inmates at Morris County jail," she said.

Officials said that the full-time Medical Staff at the MCCF, under the direction of the Medical Director, provides healthcare services to the inmate population to the extent possible and that inmates requiring healthcare beyond the scope of services that can be performed within the facility is transferred to Morristown Medical Center or other appropriate facility.

But Celia said that just isn't good enough.

"If a medical emergency occurs, given the time it would take to transport an inmate it creates a perilous environment," she said.

Perilous or not, Gannon noted he opposes broad release of inmates in response to the potential spread of COVID-19 in correctional facilities, and advocates that releases be made on a case-by-case basis that includes consideration of an individual’s conviction for violent crime offenses.

Release of inmates also must take into account their medical, mental health, housing and job needs, the resolution states.

“As Morris County Sheriff, I have a duty to ensure that citizens are safe and not left to worry, in addition to feeling anxiety about the coronavirus, that potentially high-risk people may be in the community,” he said.

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