Five pregnant women sue Allegheny County Jail alleging isolation, deficient nutrition
Five pregnant women who have been held in solitary confinement at the Allegheny County Jail filed a federal lawsuit today alleging they have been subjected to cruel and unusual punishment, as well as due-process violations, for being held in cells for up to 24 hours a day without adequate prenatal care or nutrition.
The 26-page complaint seeks an injunction that would require jail administrators immediately to stop placing pregnant women in solitary confinement and force the jail to adhere to constitutional obligations for health and safety of pregnant women, including providing a diet and prenatal vitamins and necessary supplements.
The complaint also asks that the administration be required to provide meaningful hearings for inmates prior to being subjected to solitary confinement.
The lawsuit, filed by the Abolitionist Law Center, the Pennsylvania Institutional Law Project, the American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania and attorney David Fawcett seeks class-action status.
Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/local/city/2016/12/19/Five-pregnant-women-sue-Allegheny-County-Jail-alleging-cruel-unusual-punishment/stories/201612190135