Washington, D.C. - The U.S. Justice Department has initiated civil rights investigations into two local jails in South Carolina, following the deaths of several inmates. The investigations will focus on potential systemic civil rights violations, including issues related to access to medical and mental healthcare, use of force by jail staff, and the safety of incarcerated individuals. Kristen Clarke, the head of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division, announced the probes during a virtual press conference.

The two jails under investigation are the Sheriff Al Cannon Detention Center in North Charleston and the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center in Columbia. These investigations have been prompted by a series of troubling incidents that have occurred within their walls.

One of the incidents involved the high-profile death of Jamal Sutherland, a Black inmate who died at the Sheriff Al Cannon Detention Center earlier this year. Reports indicate that Sutherland was repeatedly tased and pepper sprayed by jail staff when he refused to leave his cell for a bond hearing. The incident drew attention and comparisons to the murder of George Floyd in 2020. The Justice Department announced last year that it would not be pressing charges against the former officers involved in Sutherland's death.

According to Clarke, there have been a total of eight deaths at the Sheriff Al Cannon Detention Center since 2022, raising further concerns regarding the treatment of inmates within the facility. Another inmate at the same jail died after being denied access to prescribed psychiatric medications.

The Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center in Columbia has also seen six inmate deaths since February 2022, prompting the Justice Department's investigation.

Local officials overseeing both jails have expressed their cooperation with the investigations and have acknowledged their commitment to improving conditions within the facilities. Charleston County Sheriff Kristin Graziano, responsible for the Sheriff Al Cannon Detention Center, stated that their office was going "above and beyond our call of duty to provide assistance on mental health concerns."

If the investigations uncover a pattern of constitutional violations, Clarke affirmed that the Justice Department would engage in negotiations with jail officials to implement necessary reforms. The aim is to ensure that individuals in local jails have their civil and constitutional rights respected, even while incarcerated.

The civil rights probes into these South Carolina jails highlight the ongoing effort by the Justice Department to hold law enforcement agencies accountable and address issues related to inmate care and safety.