Due to fears about coronavirus in prisons, the 10th Judicial Circuit Solicitor’s Office has arranged for 42 inmates to be released from the Anderson County Detention Center. Solicitor David Wagner said the inmates faced charges for nonviolent or victimless crimes and do not pose a threat to the public.
Wagner said some of the inmates are over age 50 or have pre-existing health conditions that could make them susceptible to the novel coronavirus that’s sparked a pandemic.
Wagner said 38 were freed on personal-recognizance bonds and four were released on consent bonds that are negotiated between prosecutors and defense attorneys. Mostly as a result of the releases authorized by Wagner’s office this week, the inmate population at the detention center dropped from 387 on Saturday to 334 on Thursday. The jail, built in 1956 and meant to house about 250 inmates, regularly houses more than 400.
Wagner said 38 were freed on personal-recognizance bonds and four were released on consent bonds that are negotiated between prosecutors and defense attorneys. Mostly as a result of the releases authorized by Wagner’s office this week, the inmate population at the detention center dropped from 387 on Saturday to 334 on Thursday. The jail, built in 1956 and meant to house about 250 inmates, regularly houses more than 400.
After attending a meeting last Friday (Mar. 20) where Anderson County emergency managers outlined preparations they were making to deal with the coronavirus, Wagner said his staff conducted a case-by-case review on Monday and Tuesday to determine which inmates could be released from the detention center. The Public Defender’s Office took part in the process, Wagner said.
