CLEARFIELD – During Tuesday’s Prison Board meeting, the board heard complaints regarding the medical treatment at the Clearfield County Jail from a former inmate’s mother.
Julie Hamilton told the board while her son was incarcerated at the facility, “someone started him on lithium.” Before he was placed in jail, he was not on any medications.
She described him as receiving a “hit and miss dosage,” and on one occasion, he was given another inmate’s medications.
She explained she has medical power of attorney for her son, yet no one at the jail would give her any information on his treatment or explain who prescribed the drug for him. Since that time, he has been transferred to a state prison where he is not taking any medications.
“They are inmates. They can’t go to the ER, Q-Care or a doctor.”
She stated other parents are having similar problems.
She went on to claim that an inmate found with drugs was put in charge of the cell block.
“She got privileged treatment for breaking the law,” she said.
President Judge Fredric J. Ammerman took the paperwork Hamilton provided and told her he would review it before getting back to her.
Another woman, Lisa Richardson, echoed some of the same complaints regarding medications her daughter was forced to take, or she would be “tazed.”
She also expressed concerns about her daughter being sent for a psychological evaluation for months. She became upset because she said she does not know where her daughter is currently.
Ammerman asked if she had contacted the police, and she said she had. Although he said he had no recollection of her daughter’s case, he would investigate it.
Online court records indicate the daughter was released from jail in January.
The board and the jail have been under scrutiny since last summer when two female inmates overdosed and a few days later, another inmate who overdosed on contraband died.
The family of the victim has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the county, warden and several corrections officers, according to previous articles.
In addition, there was an escape in late May.
On Dec. 8, former Warden David Gallagher was fired after a special executive session, it was noted.
Ammerman stated he was advised of Gallagher’s termination, and he supported that decision.
Effective Dec. 8, Deputy Warden Susan McQuillen was named acting warden while Lieutenant Tori Kerr is now acting deputy warden.
While discussing personnel issues, County Commissioner Dave Glass noted that they have hired a new deputy warden to replace Eric Bush, the former deputy warden who resigned on Oct. 28 after being at the facility for only about a year.
The new deputy is Krisha Oates, who will start at the facility on Dec. 26. Previously she worked at the Jefferson County Jail.
The search for a new warden is ongoing.
In other business:
- The board agreed to make a policy listing specific hours for attorneys to meet with their clients at the jail. Attorney Chris Pentz attended the meeting to ask for guidance since there is not an official policy at this time.
- They learned the jail is still in good shape financially.
- According to the warden’s report, the average population at the facility was 167 in November and they ended with a count of 172. Five inmates are in the work release program.
- The board discussed one extraordinary occurrence in which McQuillen said there was no use of force and the inmate became compliant quickly.