ST. LOUIS — Forty inmates escaped from their cells Sunday morning at the St. Louis City Justice Center after locks malfunctioned, prompting an investigation.
According to a news release from the Department of Public Safety, the Division of Corrections received a radio call for an incident involving several detainees out of their cells in the common area of the City Justice Center without permission at about 7 a.m.
Guards quickly responded with multiple tactics, including using pepper spray, and inmates later complied and returned to their cells, the release said. The incident lasted about 2 1/2 hours and was secured by about 10 a.m.
"They know every inch of that facility. They know how to manipulate things. They know how to manipulate locks," said the Rev. Darryl Gray, chairman of the Detention Facilities Oversight Board.
Three days before this incident, former St. Louis Sheriff's Deputy Alfred Montgomery raised concerns about the use of pepper spray when its not necessary.
"We seen a lot of that going on, and it actually affected the employees at the jail as well. And also some of the sheriffs because it's constantly mace been sprayed on those detainees, when they're not following directions instead of just not being combative," Montgomery said.
Just three years ago, after riots at the CJC, the city spent $1.5 million to fix the jail's locking system.
Gray said he's not surprised this is happening again.
"That was the biggest problem that we had before we created the Oversight Committee, is that one of the ways in which they got out during the riots, they were able to jam the locks. I'm not surprised. But that doesn't mean I'm any less concerned," Gray said.
One member of the corrections staff was treated at the scene for minor breathing problems, but no inmates were injured in the incident, according to the release.
The incident halted prisoner processing for more than five hours, with operations resuming at about 3 p.m. Sunday, the release said.
Gray said the detainees who got out had three demands: faster trials, hot food and lower commissary costs.
This incident comes just two weeks after four inmates were injured in a stabbing.
Gray said, "I think that where we've had four people stabbed in the last few weeks, when we've had this situation where 40 people have gotten out of their cell, and this could have been a whole lot worse, I think that we need to discuss this sooner rather than later. We need to know right now. What are we doing to move this process a lot quicker?"
St. Louis Mayor Tishaura Jones said her administration is investigating in order to prevent similar incidents in the future.
"We want to be transparent, we realize that there have been opportunities for improvement with the CJC for many, many years," Jones said.
Jones issued the following statement regrading the incident earlier Monday: “Ensuring the health and safety of everyone at the City Justice Center remains a top priority. I want to thank the CJC staff for resolving this incident with the safety of all in mind. As we investigate in order to prevent similar incidents in the future, the administration is in communication with members of the Detention Facilities Oversight Board to ensure transparency and accountability.”
Jones signed two bills last week that increase access to the CJC for city leaders, attorneys, and members of the Detention Facilities Oversight Board.
It makes sure that attorneys can speak to clients being held at the jail between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m. without getting prior approval or restrictions. Visits outside those times would require just an hour's notice.
Any jail employee who denies an attorney access to clients could face fines of up to $500.
Alderwoman Alisha Sonnier and Alderman Rasheen Aldridge sponsored the companion bills. Aldridge said preventing attorneys from seeing their clients when they haven't had their day in court is unacceptable.
"I mean, it's beyond problematic at that point when you're not allowing somebody due process. It's problematic and it's not fair, and these people have not been convicted or proven innocent yet," Aldridge said.
He said it is long overdue for everyone to come to the table and work on fixing these problems.
"It's unprecedented. What's happening over and over and over, what we see, I think I've called for it, and other members have called for new leadership at the jail, and just a complete deep dive of what the problems are and how do we all work together to fix them? Because it doesn't help the commissioner, it doesn't help elected officials. It doesn't help everyday citizens who see the things that are happening at the jail, and enough is enough at this point," Aldridge said.
But now, the mayor said more must be done.
"We didn't get to this place overnight, and we won't get out of it overnight. First and foremost is the health and safety and privacy of our detainees. And second is that we have a facility that where the doors lock a facility with the doors, not locking is not a jail and making sure that their rights are maintained as they go through and wait for their trials or their days in court," Jones said.
Gray said it's unfortunate it takes two city ordinances to do what should’ve already been done. He says the DFOB members should’ve had access before.
Jones also said they are working to address the issues at CJC one by one. She discussed some of those issues, saying, "Staffing has always been a problem. And we are addressing them by increasing the salary also by having a sign on bonus. Medical care has been an issue. We hired a interim medical provider physician correctional USA, and also allocated $2 million to our Department of Health to oversee this new medical provider. And as we know, from the monthly reports that we receive, medical care is happening much better at the CJC."
The incident happened just days after Missouri State Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick released a report from his roughly 9-month investigation into the St. Louis City Justice Center. The report found that concerns about staffing issues impacting jail operations and the DFOB's lack of access were credible.