Federal judge arrests Ala. sheriff over jail food

[Ghost in the Machine]

Federal judge arrests Ala. sheriff over jail food
Published: 1/7/09, 11:05 PM EDT
By JAY REEVES

DECATUR, Ala. (AP) - A federal judge ordered an Alabama sheriff locked up in his own jail Wednesday after holding him in contempt for failing to adequately feed inmates while profiting from the skimpy meals.

U.S. District Judge U.W. Clemon had court security arrest Morgan County Sheriff Greg Bartlett after dramatic testimony from skinny prisoners about paper-thin bologna and cold grits. The hearing offered a rare look into Alabama's unusual practice of letting sheriffs pocket money left over from feeding inmates.

The sheriff, who showed no emotion when his arrest was ordered, had testified that he legally kept as personal income about $212,000 over three years with surplus meal money but denied that inmates were improperly fed.

Clemon, however, said the sheriff would be jailed until he comes up with a plan to provide the 300 jail inmates with nutrionally adequate meals, as required by a 2001 court order.

http://my.att.net/s/editorial.dll?pnum=1&bfromind=7434&eeid=6312071&_sitecat=1522&dcatid=0&eetype=article&render=y&ac=3&ck=&ch=ne

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

1. Till he comes up with a plan?

Fuck that. The stupid hillbilly needs to be put in the general population of wherever he's being held. The rest will take its natural course. And he needs to do real time, for a specified period, as a consequence of his malfeasance and cruelty under the color of authority.

[my2sense]

2. That is a very strange practice

Starve the prisoners to death for profit. We have officially jumped the shark. I read the other day that prisoners were working for corporations and now this. While I don't think prisoners should be in luxury resorts - this is simply crazy.

[Historic NY]

5. Hey welcome to the 18th century..

[conscious evolution]

9. The Nazi's did something similar

They figured out exactly how few calories they could feed their slave laborers and still get several months of work out of them before they starved to death.
Disgusting,huh?
I hope this so called sherrif has to eat the same rations the other prisoners have to live off of.And that he has to eat his meals with the rest of the inmate population.

[natrat]

3. unbelievable

[Th1onein]

4. A court order from 2001 is just now being ENFORCED?

WTF?

[backscatter712]

6. Can we send that judge to Phoenix next?

I think Arpaio needs to be brought before him...

[Ghost in the Machine]

7. kick....

[yellowcanine]

8. "Alabama's unusual practice of letting sheriffs pocket money left over from feeding inmates."

Well shit. What do they think will happen if that is the practice?