Justice Department to launch civil rights investigation into Charleston County jail
CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD)- The U.S. Justice Department (DOJ) is expected to announce a civil rights investigation into the Charleston County Detention Center, the Charleston County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) confirmed Thursday.
Members of Charleston County Council sent a letter to the DOJ in March calling for an investigation into “several troubling and tragic deaths” at the facility in the past two years.
The request came specifically after an inmate who died last December was left in squalor at the jail. That death was deemed a homicide by the Charleston County Coroner’s Office.
“The members of Charleston County Council have shown that we are committed to providing the necessary funding and support to Sheriff Graziano’s detention center operations,” the letter said. “Unfortunately, there is a lack of transparency and leadership that necessitates this request to the Civil Rights Division in order to ensure qualified detention center leadership and medical providers are in place to end this cycle of tragedy and adequate operational procedures exist.”
Concerns about mental health and staffing at the jail were echoed by Congresswoman Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) who joined Councilman Teddie Pryor for a tour of the detention center in March.
The sheriff’s office issued the following statement in response to the DOJ investigation:
I stand by the statement that I made back in March 2023, and I will say it again:
“The allegation that we have been anything but transparent is categorically false. Councilman Pryor and all members of council were invited to review thorough documentation of our concerns that we made to the county contracts office over the past year. They did not take us up on our offer.
“It is disappointing that some county council members, as well as other elected officials, are only curious when it is politically opportunistic.
“I stand behind the work of my employees. They are the hardest-working people in this county. The work that they do keeps us all safe. I will be the first person to welcome any member of the Department of Justice to my facility, and I believe that we are going above and beyond our call of duty to provide assistance on mental health concerns. I also invite the elected officials of South Carolina to do their job and do their part to stop the dumping of the mentally ill in jails.”
I welcome the announcement of the DOJ investigation. Any member of the public – including those same elected officials who called for the investigation – is always welcome to ask questions and to come see the great work we are doing at the Charleston County Detention Center.
Sheriff Kristin Graziano
The Justice Department will hold a press conference at 12:30 p.m. to discuss the investigation.
This story is breaking and will be updated.
