JACKSON, Miss. — A Mississippi state prison has unsanitary conditions, is inadequately staffed and provides insufficient health care, three inmates testified in federal court Friday.
In its federal suit against the state of Mississippi, the American Civil Liberties Union and Southern Poverty Law Center argue that the state has been aware of East Mississippi Correctional Facility’s unconstitutionally abusive conditions. The state’s defense attorneys argue that the prison conditions are acceptable and some of the prison’s ailments can be attributed to inmates’ self-sabotage.
The prison near Meridian is privately operated under contract by Utah-based Management and Training Corp.
All three prisoners described instances of failing plumbing, such as sewage backups that caused feces to seep through shower and cell drains, or broken, unusable cell toilets. Inmate Terry Beasley said at one point, the water in his cell’s sink ran black.
The inmates also described periods where the electricity failed and lights in their cells would go out — sometimes for weeks at a time.
Defense attorneys said these instances could be attributed to the inmates, saying they “tear up” the facilities. And when there were maintenance problems, they said EMCF sends maintenance workers to address them.
According to the testimony, the unsanitary conditions extended into the prison’s food facilities. Eddie Pugh, who worked in the kitchen for nearly a year, described it as “nasty,” saying he could point out hundreds of roaches in the kitchen at any given time. And when making repairs in the kitchen, inmate and maintenance worker Saul Mata said he saw roaches and mouse droppings.
