The content discusses the conditions at the Marion Correctional Treatment Center in Virginia, particularly focusing on the case of Charles Givens, a developmentally disabled inmate who died after being repeatedly hospitalized for hypothermia. The lawsuit filed by Givens’ sister alleges mistreatment, including “cold-water torture,” in the prison. Records obtained by the Associated Press show that inmates at Marion were hospitalized for hypothermia at least 13 times in three years during cold-weather months, with medical providers expressing concerns about temperatures in the facility. Experts outside the prison noted that the number of hypothermia cases was unusual and rare, prompting questions about the circumstances that led to these hospitalizations.
The exchange between a Virginia State Police investigator and an inmate in the video illustrates the inmate’s description of “unbearable” conditions in the prison, including freezing toilet water and temperatures in the 40s Fahrenheit in the cells. The inmate also alleged that officers would open windows as a form of punishment, worsening the cold temperatures within the facility. Medical workers at the prison discussed the cold conditions and expressed concerns about ensuring proper blankets and closed windows in housing units. The records obtained indicate that a prison investigator acknowledged the colder temperatures in certain parts of the facility and was not surprised by hypothermia complaints, particularly in Givens’ case, where he was repeatedly hospitalized for hypothermia.
The special grand jury report described the conditions at the Marion prison sector housing mentally ill inmates as “unsuitable,” with witnesses attesting to ice formation in toilet water. The grand jury found Givens’ death “suspicious” and the living conditions inhumane and deplorable. While the grand jury did not find sufficient evidence to indict in Givens’ death, it acknowledged the need for further investigation if new evidence emerged. In response to the lawsuit over Givens’ death, the Office of the Attorney General sought to prevent additional discovery into hypothermia and cold exposure issues, which was denied by a magistrate judge.
The lawsuit over Givens’ death continues to play out, with the FBI reportedly looking into the case. Givens had sustained a traumatic brain injury as a child, causing his intellectual and emotional development to be limited. His attorneys argue that his disabilities, including Crohn’s disease, made him a target for abuse in the prison, leading to the mistreatment that contributed to his death. The defendants in the lawsuit have denied the allegations of torture and misconduct. The ongoing litigation raises questions about the conditions at the Marion Correctional Treatment Center and the treatment of mentally ill inmates in the facility.
