Written by: Sam Orlando
ROANOKE, VA — A lawsuit has been filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia by Jazzman L. Daniel, an inmate at Keen Mountain Correctional Center (KMCC) in Oakwood, Virginia. The suit, filed under the Civil Rights Act (42 U.S.C. § 1983), alleges violations of Daniel's constitutional rights due to inhumane conditions and deprivation within the facility.
In the complaint, Daniel lists several staff members at KMCC as defendants, including unit managers, correctional officers, and medical personnel. He claims these individuals played a role in violating his rights, but he was unable to provide their legal names and instead identified them using their work titles.
Central to the lawsuit is Daniel's health and well-being. He alleges that the facility's staff interfered with the effectiveness of his prescribed seizure medication, "Keppon", by failing to provide the proper meals needed to ensure the drug's functionality. Medical guidelines for Keppon stipulate that a patient must consume a specific amount of calories and protein. Daniel argues that he cannot benefit from the medication if the correctional facility does not provide the correct meals.
In a grievance filed with KMCC in August 2023, Daniel further claims he was given food containing allergens, leading to an allergic reaction. A subsequent grievance receipt confirmed his concerns about the allergens and recognized his emergency grievance filing.
Prisoner rights and their well-being have been contentious subjects in recent years, with several reports highlighting the challenges inmates face while incarcerated. Cases like Daniel's shed light on the potential systemic issues present within the correctional facilities, emphasizing the importance of consistent care and the responsibility institutions bear in ensuring inmates' health and safety.
The lawsuit raises significant concerns about the treatment of inmates and their access to proper medical care, focusing national attention on the broader issues of inmates' rights and prison conditions.
The Keen Mountain Correctional Center has yet to respond to the allegations.
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