DETROIT – A lawsuit is alleging issues at the recently-opened Wayne County Criminal Justice Center.
The facility opened in September after more than 10 years of development at a cost of more than half a billion dollars. It houses roughly 2,500 adult and juvenile inmates.
According to the lawsuit, the new facility has been “plagued by operations and administrative chaos,” resulting in staffing shortages, inmate deaths, computer system outages, fights, flooding, lockdowns and more.
The lawsuit alleges that Wayne County violated the 14th Amendment.
“No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.”
14th Amendment, Section 1.
According to the lawsuit, Liam West-Campau was arrested on Oct. 5, for a probation violation and detained at the Wayne County Criminal Justice Center (CJC). Despite a court order for his release on Oct. 8, he remained in custody due to unreliable computer systems that prevented inmate tracking in the more than one million square feet facility.
The lawsuit alleges West-Campau was fitted with a wristband that had his name and birthday written on it when he was detained at the facility and that the information wore off, resulting in him wearing a blank wristband for a week. He also reportedly was denied access to a phone and could not contact anyone on the outside.
According to the lawsuit, his mother attempted to secure his release by hiring a private tethering company to go to the CJC and install a tether on her son. She was unsuccessful because of the jail’s policies and inability to locate him.
West-Campau was released on Oct. 14, six days after the order to release him. The lawsuit claims that this is not an uncommon issue and that Wayne County has kept inmates for as long as two weeks after they’re supposed to be released.
Over the last several years, Defendants have maintained a policy, custom, and practice of detaining inmates for many days, and in many instances for as long as two extra weeks, after the reason for their incarceration has ended, including after a court orders the inmates released from custody on bond.
The lawsuit has been filed on behalf of West-Campau and anyone who has been detained at the Wayne County Jail or the CJC from October 14, 2021, onwards, who were held for five or more days after the reasons for their detention ended.
The lawsuit alleges that hundreds of inmates have been confined for five or more days after the reason for their detention has ended and that Wayne County “acted with deliberate indifference” in regards to detaining people after courts have ordered them to be released.
Officials with Wayne County released the following statement to Local 4:
“At this time, we have not been served with a lawsuit and therefore cannot comment on any pending potential litigation. We look forward to responding to it, if or when we receive one.”
Edward Foxworth III, Director of Communications
The lawsuit can be read below.
