Loretto inmate sues over outbreak conditions

Other prisoners join plea for judge to address situation at prison

An inmate at the Federal Correctional Institution at Loretto is pleading with a federal judge to address an outbreak of COVID-19 in the prison, a situation he says is so severe that "the infected numbers climb as the plaintiff writes this complaint."

The complaint, requesting injunctive relief, was filed by Terence Crawley, 38, who cited the Eighth Amendment prohibition against "cruel and unusual punishment" in asking for the federal court to intervene.

Crawley, who is incarcerated in Loretto's Special Housing Unit, was joined by several other inmates seeking help to address the spread of the coronavirus.

One of those inmates, Efran Vega, 52, stated the prison warden and a captain in charge of the Special Housing Unit "have me and all prisoners in the SHU locked in for 24 hours a day, no exercise time, no law library, no adequate soap, no issue of protective masks, no emergency panic system to notify staff of any medical emergency, no ability to purchase soap. ...

"This prison is so overcrowded and it's impossible for the warden and captain to isolate prisoners to stop the spread of coronavirus," Vega stated in what was called a "declaration of support" for Crawley's federal complaint.

Other inmates who submitted written support for Crawley included Jordan A. Davidson, 34, Terry Donnell Johnson, 29, and a prisoner who gave his inmate number, but went under the name of "John Doe."

The inmates indicated there were more than 200 prisoners and staff members suffering from the virus, but in an article published Wednesday, the Altoona Mirror stated there were 445 at Loretto who currently tested positive. It was noted in the article that the Loretto prison has the second-highest numbers of the 122 federal prison facilities.

Crawley filed his request for injunction on Tuesday, but it was not made public until Thursday.

One of his major complaints is that Loretto is a fairly open prison with most inmates housed in dormitories, not cells, which makes it difficult to isolate inmates who are suffering from the virus.

He contends that inmates are not provided antibacterial soap and what soap they do receive is not enough for hand washing and other hygienic activities such as frequent hand washing or showering.

He also said inmates in the SHU have no panic buttons in their cells to notify the staff of medical emergencies, which during the pandemic often means a person is having trouble breathing or walking.

Crawley is asking the court to order a reduction in inmates so that social distancing can be achieved.

He suggested that the administration invoke the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act and allow more inmates to serve their time on home detention.

He also suggests that inmates be transferred to less crowded facilities.

The petition also asks the court to order the Loretto prison to:

* Immediately issue protective masks.

* Prepare plans for an emergency panic system.

* Provide the inmates with exercise time. He said the inmates in his section are locked down without exercise.

* Permit SHU inmates access to the law library.

For himself, Crawley is seeking home confinement or a transfer to another federal facility. He said he has medical issues that make him a higher risk of suffering an infection related to COVID-19. Crawley reported he suffers from liver damage, chronic respiratory issues and cardiac problems.

On Friday, the case was referred to U.S. Magistrate Judge Cynthia Reed Eddy in Pittsburgh. Eddy has sent Crawley a list of procedures that must be followed by inmates filing civil rights complaints.