Vigo-Jail-Suit-Court-Documents

 

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – A federal judge is encouraging local officials to move forward on a new Vigo County Jail and not wait until everyone is happy with a plan.

In an order dated October 10th regarding inmates suing Vigo County leaders, Judge Jane Magnus-Stinson set new guidelines for action by county leaders and vacated the October 15th deadline for the county to file its timeline for the new jail.

The first of those meetings will happen on November 13th, as previously ordered.

At least one week before the hearing, the county must file two plans.

One must be a timeline for construction and staffing of the new jail and the other plan deals with adding more staff for the current facility.

The judge also said that until a new jail is completed, local officials must take all necessary steps to make sure that all inmates are offered at least three hours of recreation outside of their cell areas every week.

The other required plan involves adding more staff in the immediate future.

The judge told local officials that she is sure that the county can solve its problems but that if not, the court will.

Judge Magnus-Stinson also said that the plaintiffs are entitled to attorneys’ fees. Right now it’s not clear just how much that could be.