The negotiated agreement won immediate praise from an obviously pleased Hillman, who called it a win-win. Ultimately, I think I m going to take the view that this reflects a good faith effort by the county, whatever mistakes may have been made in the past, to move forward and put in place the best jail the county can run under the difficult circumstances we all face, Hillman said. And I think having a monitor here makes a lot of sense in trying to achieve that goal. Ultimately, it also reflects, I think, a reasonable perspective from the plaintiffs, Hillman said. I was struck a couple of times how some of the complaint forms or even in the testimony a prisoner would say, I know this is a jail but. And I think this will go a long way addressing the buts, the things that arise that have caused concern.
Rare trial underway to determine if N.J. jail did enough to protect inmates from COVID
Updated 10:57 AM;
A rare trial during the coronavirus pandemic got underway Tuesday after a group of inmates at the Cumberland County Jail filed a lawsuit alleging they have been held under inadequate conditions at the facility amid the health crisis, putting them at risk to the deadly effects of the virus.
At the core of the civil bench trial, which is being held virtually before U.S. District Judge Noel L. Hillman, is whether the jail implemented policies to safeguard inmates during the pandemic, as well as if they were routinely tested for the virus. County and jail officials argue they have provided the necessary protective equipment to prisoners, and have followed the protocols set by health professionals.