Court rules that Miami jail doesn’t have to give inmates soap, tests despite coronavirus outbreak

The ruling from the U.S. 11th Circuit Court of Appeals reversed a previous ruling from Miami District Court, which ordered the county to give the inmates both supplies and tests.(ShutterStock)

Miami’s Metro West Detention Center has been overwhelmed by a coronavirus outbreak, with 163 inmates testing positive for COVID-19. But according to a court decision on Tuesday, Miami-Dade County won’t be forced to give those inmates much-needed items like masks, soap and cleaning supplies.

The ruling from the U.S. 11th Circuit Court of Appeals reversed a previous ruling from Miami District Court, which ordered the county to give the inmates both supplies and tests. In their new decision, the judges argued that the original decision forced the county to give supplies at the expense of other jails, and left oversight up to the court instead of the more experienced and knowledgeable public officials.

“The injunction hamstrings (corrections) officials with years of experience running correctional facilities, and the elected officials they report to, from acting with dispatch to respond to this unprecedented pandemic,” the decision read.

Coronavirus isn’t just a problem in Metro West, as proper social distancing is extremely difficult in all of the area’s crowded facilities. Across Miami-Dade County’s three jails, 340 have tested positive, while one who had been diagnosed, Charles Hobbs, died last weekend.

Even though this ruling from the Court of Appeals stops the order from the District Court, litigation can still continue between the inmates and officials.