December 1, 2006

A man was arrested while he was sitting in his friend’s limousine. The limousine was stopped because of tinted windows. He had on him Turkish tobacco. The police officers who had stopped them accused him of possessing marijuana. There was no “lab people” present. (people eligible to determine what substance was in the bag). He was arrested under a minor possession of marijuana charge. He was not read his rights. He was searched without permission. The police officers took his refillable butane lighter, which he is under the impression that these lighters are allowed inside the jail, to be left with his other possessions. He was in the prison system for 50 days. He appeared in front of a magistrate judge who set his bond. He wanted to pay his own bond, as he had no friend or family member who could pay his bond for him. He attempted to talk to more than one official about paying his bond, but was unable to acquire help. He never saw another judge. While in the prison system he was transferred from the holding cell to Templeton, to Angola and finally to Lake Providence. He had not cut his hair in 25 years, and upon arriving at Angola, they cut his hair against his will. Inside the OPP the windows were broken, and there were 15 people in his cell. He was given no bedding. There was mold everywhere and spiders everywhere. He suffered from high blood pressure and was given medical attention in Angola. Most corrections officers ignored the inmates. He was released on November 15 without being given a court date, but the charges are still pending. He is concerned because he does not have an address where a subpoena can be sent to, and the charges are still pending, meaning he could be picked up again at any point.

November 30, 2006

I.

Individual was arrested in the French Quarter in October. He was arrested for public intoxication. He had not had anything to drink that day, and was not given a breathalyzer test. He was not read his rights. He describes the police who arrested him as treating him “vulgarly”. He spent 5 days in the holding cell and then was transferred to South White Street. He witnessed mold on the walls. He suffered from headaches while in jail. He was not given access to a public defender. His family was not informed of his incarceration.

II.

A man was arrested on October 31, 2006 on Royale Street. He was walking. He was picked up on an attachment when he went in to renew his ID. He says that when the police arrested him, they beat him up. He was held for 30 days, and stayed in the same cell the whole time. He describes the conditions of the jail as “bad”. There were 125 people in his cell, which was designed to house 90. People slept on the floor. He did not witness any mold. He describes the corrections officers as treating him “real bad,” and putting their hands on them. He was not returned his ID upon release, instead they gave him the ID of a man 20 years younger than him from Colorado, while he is from New Orleans. A public defender never interviewed or spoke to him. He was given 30 days and then released.

III.

A man was arrested 7 months ago on Canal Street as he was walking. He charged with a warrant for criminal trespassing from 2 years ago. He describes the police officers’ treatment of him upon his arrest as ‘awful’.  He was held in the holding cell for two weeks, and then transferred to South White Street D4. He worked in the kitchen, and a steel door fell on him in the kitchen. He plans on contacting his attorney about that incident. He describes the jail as “not together”. There were 24 people in a 15 person cell. He saw a lot of mold. He says that the corrections officers treated him “alright,” though some “act funny”. He was not returned his cell phone upon release. A public defender never saw him or spoke to him. He did his time and was released.

IV.

A man was arrested on October 31 in New Orleans East. He was arrested while standing in the front yard of his cousin’s house. He was charged with trespassing and an attachment. He was searched without consent. He describes the police officers who arrested him as “harassing and disrespectful”. The police did not take anything from him which was not returned. He was held in jail for 30 days. He spent the first night of his incarceration in the holding cell, and he was then transferred to HOD. He describes the inside of the jail as filthy, dirty and a harsh environment. There were 18 people per dorm, with people sleeping on the floor. He did not witness any mold. He suffered from both respiratory problems and headaches while in jail. He says the corrections officers treated him decently. The corrections officers returned all of his property. A public defender never spoke to him. He did time, and was released.

V.

Individual was arrested on Halloween night on South Claiborne. He was walking. He was arrested for theft. He was not read his rights. He was not searched. He describes the police who arrested him as “throwing stuff,” and has sustained a mark, described as a deep cut in his head. He thinks it was a stapler. The officers did not take anything from him that was not returned. He was held for 30 days and during his time there he was transferred all over. He describes the condition of the jail as “poor”. He did not see any mold. He did not suffer from any respiratory problems or headaches. He was treated “like a prisoner,” “not well for a misdemeanor”, he was “treated like a felon”. A public defender did not talk to him, though they were there. He plead guilty, served time and was released.

November 10, 2006

A man was arrested for disturbance of the peace and battery. He was searched without consent. He was held from 1:30 am-3:30 pm. He describes the jail as crowded and filthy with at least 30 people in his cell. He was not given access to counsel.

November 3, 2006

I.

A man was arrested for drug possession. He was beat with a club. There were witnesses to the assault. He was searched, and the police took $98 from him. He was held in jail for 125 days. He describes the inside of the jail as overcrowded, dirty, no hot water and broken toilets. He developed a rash while incarcerated and was given antibiotics.

 II.

A man was arrested while parked in a car in Jefferson Parish on Veteran’s Day on a charge of unauthorized towing, while he was removing cars deposited by Katrina on a property, under instructions from the property owner. The officer made a “Rodney King” comment and threatened tazing and wrenched thumbs, and also took money from his wallet, which was not returned. He was transferred and served 60 days for what he says were made up charges of selling crack cocaine and marijuana in jail. There were 15 people in a 10 person cell, with people sleeping on the floor. There was mold in the HOD, 5 South, as well as peeling paint and mold in the A/C. One day there was no hot water. The next day prisoners were forced to take showers in 130 degree water. He suffered respiratory problems and headaches while in jail. Corrections officers were sleeping on the job, making threats and verbally abusing prisoners and allowing them to beat others. He suffered beatings by his guards.

 III.

A man was “pulled over for nothing” while driving on Chipper Walk and Annunciation. He was held on an attachment for trespassing. His vehicle was searched without permission. The arresting officer made racist comments, saying “Black motherfuckers always in some shit.” He was held from October 13 to November 3, being transferred to HOD, 6th floor, on October 16. Conditions in jail were described as “bad,” with 18 people in a 13 person cell. The jail “stinks” and serves the same food. It was cold and there were no sheets or mats provided. There was mold on the ceilings and near the bunks. While in jail he had a cold and headache. He says that corrections officers beat people and that an officer in South White Street, D2, beat a man until he had a seizure. He did time, had no trial and had no court date was set.

 IV.

A man was walking, stopped, and arrested for failure to appear in court. He was searched without consent or due cause. He spent 30 days incarcerated. He describes the conditions as “terrible” with “too many people in one cell”. He had both headaches and respiratory  problems while in jail, and saw mold everywhere. He was not given access to counsel.

 V.

A man was walking on Marais when he was arrested on June 28th and charged with possession of crack cocaine, disturbing the peace and resisting arrest. His vehicle was searched.

The five arresting officers were rough. A female officer hit him with a club. He required medical treatment for his injuries. There were eyewitnesses to this beating. $98 was taken from him and not returned. 

He was held in jail for 125 days. Conditions on the jail were described as being dirty and overcrowded, with 78 beds for 165 people. The toilets did not work; there was no hot water; there was mold in the lockers. He developed rashes in jail, and was given antibiotics. His treatment at OPP was described as “third world.” $98 was not returned to him by corrections officers.

 VI.

A man was arested for reckless driving, and other traffic charges. There were 16-17 people in his cell. The jail smelled of urine. He was not given access to counsel.

November 2, 2006

 I.

A man was arrested while walking on Airline Highway and held for an attachment. Arresting officers did not read him his rights and were “mean” and “cursed” at him. Police officers took his cigarettes and lighter, which were no returned. He was transferred to White Street and was held for 30 days. He experienced respiratory problems and headaches while in jail. Corrections officers did not return his clothes.

 II.

A man was arrested while sitting on his own doorstep for trespassing. He was not read his rights. The arresting officers would not allow him to go inside his house to get his shoes or a shirt. He was given hot water to drink. There were 15 men in his 10 person cell. He spent 53 days in jail.

III.

An individual was arrested while driving on Harahan and charged with minor possession of marijuana. He had an attachment from a ticket he had received in December 2005 for minor with possession of alcohol. He had called to follow up on the ticket, but was given incorrect information. He was held in the holding cell from 3:30 am to 3 pm the following day. There were 60 people in one cell. He slept on the floor by the toilet, and was cold, having been given no mat or sheet.

 IV.

Individual was arrested in the French Quarter, 8th District. He was charged with begging. He was hit three or four times in the ribs and slapped around in the car (including being slapped in the face). The same officers, who he describes as “harassing” him, had arrested the individual three other times on previous occasions. On the first occasion police took $250. On another occasion they took $20, threw away his ID, SS card and birth certificate, and took his cigarettes.

 V.

Individual was arrested at 12 pm while driving in East New Orleans and charged with driving without a valid license. He was placed in very tight handcuffs, which left markings and bruises that were visible two hours later. The officer was very rough and pushed him around and refused to loosen cuffs when requested. He was held in a holding cell from 12 to 2 pm., and then released.

 VI.

A woman was arrested in Algiers on November 1 on an outstanding warrant for a battery charge. She was not read her rights. She was held in a holding cell from 11 am to 2:30 pm the next day. Jail conditions were described as “nasty,” with trash under the bench. The bathroom was described as “gross,” with no toilet paper. Food was not served on time. She had two cold sandwiches while being held. The water cooler was described as “gross,” as other prisoners had access to throwing trash and spit in the water cooler. She also had to wait for cups before being able to drink. There were 60 people in the cell. She was given no mat or sheet for sleeping and was cold. While in jail she had three headaches. She was given Tylenol once, but requests were ignored two other times. She described his treatment and that of others while at OPP as, “Like you’re shit.”

 VII.

Individual was arrested while driving on Robert E. Lee. The arresting officer told him he was being pulled over for having no seatbelt. He was also charged with possession of ½ gram of marijuana. His vehicle was searched without permission.

Police pulled up alongside him and tried to pit him, after the police lights having been on only a few moments. He pulled over. The police jumped out of the car and pointed a gun in his face and asked, “Why didn’t you pull over, asshole?” This occurred in front of his workplace. Even though he was being cooperative, police still held a gun in his face, slammed him into his truck and cuffed him, yelling at him about not pulling over. He was hit in the back of his head and still has a knot. He was told, “Welcome to New Orleans, asshole.” Responding to the question, “What will the judge think about this?” the officer said, “Whatever the fuck I tell him to.” He was held in the holding cell from 12:30 pm to 3:30 pm the next day. There were 90 people in one cell. There were rows of people lying down. It was cold. There was urine everywhere. There was mold in every cell, up to the water line. He was treated disrespectfully and denied a phone call. He asked: “Can I make a phone call?” The answer was, “You need to talk to Jesus about that.” A Public Defender spoke with him and wanted the judge to drop the charges. He is free on bail.

 VIII.

Individual was arrested while driving in Algiers and charged with possession of marijuana (first offense) and “lewd behavior” for having a cup of urine in his car (He had the cup in the car, as he’s a diabetic, and is sometimes incontinent). Officer took $200 from him (leaving $1), which was not returned. He was held in a holding cell from 8:30 pm to 4:30 pm the next day. The condition of the jail is described as dingy, with gnats, and overcrowded, with 55 to 60 people in one cell. He was fed cold sandwiches for dinner and breakfast. He was allowed to make a phone call at 7:15 am.

During his time at OPP he witnessed a man with epilepsy who had a seizure while being fingerprinted around 9 or 9:30 last night. He was smacked to the floor and kicked by an officer. (The man still has marks on his head.)

 IX.

A man was arrested for stealing a screwdriver at Home Depot. He was not read his rights. The arresting officers stole $20 from him. He was put in a cell without toilet facilities, and had to ask over and over to be allowed to go to a toilet facility. He was not given access to counsel.

 X.

A man was driving and charged with marijuana possession. He was held overnight at the OPP. He describes his cell as “nasty” and  having 100 people in it.

 XI.

A woman was arrested outside her house on domestic violence charges. Her handcuffs were put on so tight, that it made her hands numb. She was in an overcrowded cell, with 20 other women. It was dirty. She did not have access to counsel.

 XII.

A man was arrested for domestic violence. He spent two weeks in jail. There were 15 people in his 10 man cell. He had to wait 4 days to get a blanket and mattress. He was not given access to counsel.

 XIII.

A man was arrested for possession of marijuana. He was not read his rights. He was held overnight. His cell was overcowded, and he had difficulty breathin. His medication and his wallet were not returned to him.

November 1, 2006

I.

A woman was arrested for solicitation. The arresting police officer slammed her against the car, put on her handcuffs very tight, and jerked her down the street. She was held from 12 am- 3 pm. During that time she was held in a cell with 20-30 other girls. One girl in her cell had mono. She was given one sandwich at 4 am.

 II.

A woman was arrested for an outstanding traffic ticket in Jefferson Parish (which had been paid) and having an invalid license plate. The arresting police officers flirted with her, and one made inappropriate sexual comments. He stared at her and stood uncomfortably close to her while she was in handcuffs. She was held in the OPP from 12 am- 2 pm. The woman searching her at the prison searched her inappropriately, grabbing her breast firmly. There were 40 people in her cell, which was designed for 20 people. It was hot, overcrowded and dirty. She was given 2 sandwiches at 10 am. She describes the meat on the sandwiches as green. She was not given a sheet. The toilet facilities were disgusting, with no toilet paper. While she was in jail, she had respiratory problems. She witnessed mold around the baseboards and on the floor. She was not given access to counsel. 

III.

A man was arrested after a bouncer called the cops on him at a nightclub. He was searched and cuffed and taken to the OPP. He was held from 2 am- 3pm. He describes the conditions as dirty and overcrowded. There were 45 people in a cell designed for 10 people. He had to stand the whole time. He was not given access to counsel.

 IV.

Two girls were arrested at the UNO campus for minor marijuana possession. They were arrested by the campus police and taken to the NOPD and then to the OPP. They searched the car. They describe the inside of the jail as “gross and unsanitary.” The floors were dirty and the toilet disgusting. The cell smelled funny. There were 30 people in the room, with people sleeping on the floor and next to the toilet. There was food smeared on the wall. They saw mold on the walls.

 V.

A man was arrested because of a warrant. He had been subpoenaed to court, and because of a change of address, had not received the subpoena. He was searched. He was held overnight in the holding cell. The condition of the jail is described as “poor and overcrowded,” with people bumping into each other. He was given no sheet, and no food.
VI.

A man was arrested, along with his wife, in their front yard during their young son’s birthday party. They were arrested for disturbing the peace. They were not read their rights. They were searched and patted down, and accused of lying. This all occurred in front of their son, who is a young child. He was held from 10 pm-1:30 pm the next day. There were 50 people in his cell. He describes his cell as filthy. He was not given access to counsel.

October 26, 2006

A man was arrested on two occasions.  In May of 2006 as he was walking on the sidewalk, he was stopped by police.  The police charged him with “unauthorized use of a motor vehicle.”  He was stopped again on by police on August 8, 2006 and charged with possession of marijuana and criminal trespass.

On both occasions he was searched by police.  On the second occasion police searched his pockets.  It was during this second incident that a police officer threatened to kill him.

During his first arrest he was held for approximately 60 days, 3 of which were in the holding cell at OPP.  During his second arrest he was held for about 45 days, with nearly 2 days in holding.  He described being put in a cell measuring about 6×6 feet, with about 15-18 people held inside the cell.

The conditions in the jail were very unsanitary.  The toilet was backed up, with 2-3 day old feces.  While housed in Templeman 5 he noticed mold along the bottom perimeter of the walls. In the showers, the wallpaper was peeling and mold was growing underneath. He experienced headaches while in Templeman 5.

He states that the corrections officers treated the inmates with “no respect whatsoever.”  Verbal abuse was common, and requests for water were often denied.

When released after his first detention, none of his clothing was returned to him, including a newly purchased pair of steel-toed work boots.  After his second detention, his belongs were returned.

He did not speak with a public defender during his first incarceration.  During his second, he was in a group of about 30-40 other defendants meeting with the PD at arraignment.  The public  defender was only able to speak to about half of the defendants before the judge cut their time short, and did not give advice other than explaining the difference between felony and misdemeanor convictions. She gave out her phone number but the man was not able to get a hold of her.

He is currently awaiting another court date.

October 24, 2006

In October 2006, this man was a passenger in a car that was stopped for a routine traffic stop near a Walgreens. He was charged with possession of an open alcohol container. The car was searched and his person was searched. Police took his housekeys and did not return them.

He was held in custody for two weeks after being released by the judge and given a $100 fine. He was not allowed a phone call. He was held for three days in one of the tents, and was given no food, no sleeping mat. He was then transferred upstairs. He described the conditions as “nasty.” The toilets were overflowing, and the cells were overcrowded, with around 18-20 people in a 10 person cell. People had to sleep in the shower and near the toilet. They had no mats, nor blankets.

There was mold growing in the cells, in the showers, and in “the tank” on the lower floor of HOD.

He caught a cold while in custody. He suffers from both high blood pressure and Chrohn’s Disease. He requested medication at his intake, but was denied medication the entire time he was in custody. Corrections officers treated him and the others “horribly.”

He was able to speak to a public defender, who advised him to plead guilty and accept a fine so as to be released.

October 11, 2006

A man was arrested on Canal St. for public drunkenness. He was searched without consent. He was held in the medical ward, as he is a diabetic. He was not given access to counsel. He was incarcerated for 30 days.

October 10, 2006

A man was arrested for public drunkenness, despite him being sober. He was searched, and thrown into the back of the police car, with his handcuffs on him too tight. His ID was taken and not returned. He was in jail for 30 days. He describes the inside of the jail as overcrowded. He suffered seizures while incarcerated. He was not given access to any type of counsel.