Edhat Staff
USP Lompoc (Photo: Federal Bureau of Prisons)
By edhat staff
A COVID-19 positive inmate from the Lompoc Prison walked out on the remainder of his self-isolation period after completing his sentence.
During Friday’s press conference, former Undersheriff and current Santa Barbara County Assistant CEO Barney Melekian, announced there was an event this past week at the Federal Penitentiary in Lompoc.
Two inmates were asymptomatic and tested positive for COVID-19 causing them to quarantine. On Wednesday they had completed their sentence and were released from prison, as the law requires, with two days remaining in their quarantine, said Melekian.
It was later learned that one of the inmates had chosen to leave quarantine and traveled to the Los Angeles area, reports Melekian.
“Those individuals had completed their sentence, they were no longer inmates. It would be illegal and inappropriate to try and contain them,” said Melekian.
The county is now working with the prison to develop a protocol to respond more quickly to released inmates who have tested positive.
More Trump Liberation Theology.
Is there anyone who is surprised by this?
98% of positive cases tested in a Tennessee prison were asymptomatic. He probably felt fine and hopefully won’t spread to his whole gang.
I understand why he would WANT to get out of there, but by no stretch of the imagination should that have been permitted. Besides letting a possible disease vector-initiator loose, it sets a dire precedent: If 2 days before end of isolation, how about 3? or 7? or allowing an infected person to leave w/o isolation at all when their term is up. Anything but a hard end-date creates date flexibility that is incompatible with public safety.
I would want to get the hell away from that cesspool too as any sane person would.
Potif, the problem is that we don’t know what he did once he left.
Why would people down vote this observation? Hasn’t the President been demanding that restrictions be undone and people be “liberated” from shelter in place orders? This dude just followed that directive. Once free of his sentence he had no obligation other than social courtesy to stay in a sheltered place. He didn’t.
:::good grief::: What sounds wrong about that? Let me see…. I’m sure he promised to isolate himself, wear a mask, gloves, and stay 6 feet away from everyone. As a law abiding citizen, he would do everything right… wouldn’t he?
Wish I were more surprised…. 🙁
I don’t see the issue. Public safety is more important than civil rights. Just lock him up until the appropriate authorities deem it is safe to release him. No trial or due process is required because letting him go is dangerous. The constitution certainly doesn’t give someone a right to travel freely or get out of prison when their sentence is over. In fact, it doesn’t really give anyone the right to do anything, especially if it impacts my feeling of safety.