Ohio jail to release hundreds of inmates amid coronavirus concerns: reports
Danielle Wallace
By Danielle Wallace | Fox News
An Ohio county jail is evaluating the release of hundreds of inmates amid concerns about the spread of the coronavirus within the facility.
Judges in Cuyahoga County, where Cleveland is located, held special hearings Saturday morning to settle pending cases with plea deals, release inmates into the public, place them on house arrest or send them back to prison, Fox 8 Cleveland reported.
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“It’s not a matter of if this virus hits us, it’s a matter of when," administrative judge Brendan Sheehan told Cleveland’s WOIO. "If it hits us and the jail, it will cripple our criminal justice system.â€
“The goal of this is to protect the community and the safety of the inmates,†the judge also told Fox 8. “If someone’s a serious violent person, well, we’re using our discretion to make sure the community’s safe also."
About 1,900 inmates were held at Cuyahoga County Justice Center last week
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