ACLU sues over Terminal Island, Lompoc prison conditions that let COVID-19 spread
The ACLU is suing the U.S. government over conditions that allowed COVID-19 to spread through federal prisons on Terminal Island and in Lompoc.
LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- The ACLU is suing the U.S. government over conditions that allowed COVID-19 to spread through federal prisons on Terminal Island and in Lompoc.
More than 700 people, including inmates and staff members, have tested positive for the virus at Terminal Island.
And there are more than 900 cases in Lompoc.
At least eight people have died.
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The American Civil Liberties Union wants prisoners with medical conditions that make them more vulnerable to the virus to be released - except for those who pose a flight risk or could be a danger to others.
For those who aren't released, the suit wants prisons to provide adequate room for six feet of social distancing and additional supplies of sanitizer, soap and other cleaning measures.
Some inmates are now being housed in a military tents and at a manufacturing facility on Terminal Island to allow for better physical distancing.
