Citing information from detention center employees and inmates, the attorney behind a class action lawsuit has called for an investigation of CoreCivic facilities and its treatment of inmates.
In a letter and memorandum from attorney Gary Blackburn to Dr. Bill Paul of the Metro Health Department, Blackburn provided a summary of statements he's received from people who said they were either denied drugs or received medical treatment that took up to a month to arrive.
"The consistency of it gives it the ring of truth," said Blackburn, whose office has been inundated with emails, letters, and calls from those connected to the issue.
CoreCivic, formerly know as Corrections Corporation of America (CCA), first came into the public light for a scabies outbreak in May that spread to Metro employees in the Birch Building.
However, Blackburn said this memo had nothing to do with his 29 page class action lawsuit. He has been wanting a general investigation done into the general conditions for jail inmates.
"If you have an obligation to respond to sick call requests in 24 hours but routinely do not do that, then you're not providing the medical services that you've agreed to do and... duties you've taken money to perform."
Blackburn said the level of mistreatment of inmates rises to the level of potential FBI investigation. In his letter, he included Davidson County Sheriff Daron Hall, Nashville Mayor Megan Barry, and Councilwoman Kathleen Murphy, head of the personnel committee.
