UPDATE WEDNESDAY: A federal complaint that once featured a dozen inmates suing over alleged poor conditions at Knox County jail facilities has been fully dismissed.
The bulk of the complaint, which sought class action status, was dismissed by U.S. District Judge Thomas Varlan in March. One inmate's claims, John Hicks, however, were allowed to continue.
Last month, however, that litigation also came to an end after Hicks sought to drop an appeal before the 6th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals.
The Knox County Sheriff's Office on Tuesday issued a statement praising the work of detention staff.
"We are proud of their efforts and work that they do daily to address very complicated jail issues while upholding the Constitution," the statement reads.
PREVIOUS 2018 STORY: A dozen Knox County inmates have filed a federal lawsuit against Sheriff Tom Spangler, his chief deputy Bernie Lyon, and the entire Knox County government.
The plaintiffs in the Civil Rights Class Action suit, which was filed on Dec. 23, 2018, include 10 men and two women.
According to legal documents, the inmates claimed the Knox County Detention Center's "cruel and unconstitutional policies" violated their first, fifth, eighth, and fourteenth amendment rights in regards to its abolition of all in-person visitation, inadequate exercise opportunities, inflated commissary prices, lack of access to a proper law library, inadequate mental health treatment, and the lockdown periods at the jails they control, supervise and run.
"These policies serve no legitimate penological interest and are at odds with the regulations of the Tennessee Corrections Institute Minimum Standards for Local Adult Correctional Facilities and the standards of accreditation required by the American Correctional Association," the suit claims.
Among the list of grievances filed by the inmates includes claims that the lack of medical treatment is jeopardizing their health.
One inmate, who believes he has had a tumor in his throat, said he's lost 50 pounds since getting booked in jail, the suit alleges. When he went to get treatment, he claims he was told the jail could not do anything for him and that he has to wait until he's sent to prison to get help.
Another inmate claimed overcrowding was an issue. He said he's been forced to sleep on the floor with a mat because they are three people assigned to a two-person cell.
He also said, in the lawsuit, that due to insufficient staff for supervision, inmates are kept inside for days at a time with no access to adequate exercise or time outdoors.
One of the female inmates listed on the suit was pregnant at the time of the filing. She alleges she is the second person in a one-person cell and has to sleep on the floor.
An inmate that the suit claims is of the Jewish faith allegedly asked the Knox County Facilities' chaplain to give him a copy of the Torah and a yamaka and was denied. It also claims it took two months for him to be provided with a kosher diet.
The suit includes several claims by the inmates that the commissary prices are inflated. It says inmates' family members are charged $5 to put money on their books. Then, the inmates say they're charged $10 for a medical visit and $5 for more medications.
The inmates also claim they're charged 75 cents to take money out of their commissary to put on their phone to ask for more money. They're also allegedly charged to use the phone.
The lead attorney for the case is John Eldridge. He has filed numerous lawsuits, successfully, to improve jail conditions in East Tennessee.
