Women Demand Dignity, Win Santa Rita Jail Policy Changes After Civil Disobedience Arrests

“Anne Weills, et al. v. County of Alameda, et al”
United States District Court, Northern District of California No. 14-04773 VC


Plaintiffs Anne Weills, Mollie Costello, Allyssa Eisenberg, and Tova Fry, together with our attorney Yolanda Huang release the following statement upon the settlement of our complaint:

In the shadow of the sexual exploitation scandal which has rocked the Oakland Police Department and neighboring departments, including the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office, it is fitting that we are able to announce a small victory in achieving policy changes at Santa Rita Jail, SRJ, reducing the sexual harassment of women arrestees and improving the conditions under which they are held.

The plaintiffs, Anne Weills, Tova Fry, Alyssa Eisenberg, and Mollie Costello were taken to Santa Rita Jail; after their complaint arrest for civil disobedience at the Harris State Building in downtown Oakland on February 13, 2014. The four were part of a larger group demanding that State Attorney General Kamala Harris prosecute killer cops across the state, particularly Miguel Masso, the OPD officer who killed young Alan Blueford on May 6, 2012. Harris has yet to prosecute a single killer cop in the state, despite all the growing evidence and pressure to do so, particularly in the case of Mario Woods, killed by SFPD, and most recently Jessica Nelson Williams, also killed by SFPD.

Incarcerated following arrest, the Four were held taken into a public hallway and told to strip to their bras. Outraged at this, the Four protested, and one was forced to walk around in that state in front of male guards and prisoners. Two of them were then locked in isolation cells, and denied access to a toilet for hours.

The Four were then held with other women, including in filthy jail cells. Toilets were overflowing. There were no menstrual pads for women who needed them. There were no garbage containers so used menstrual pads sat on top of left over food. All the women in those cells are “presumed innocent”. The Four and their attorney Yolanda Huang filed this civil rights complaint in order to be a voice for other women and demand they be treated with respect and human dignity.

In achieving this settlement, our goal has been to make changes to the conditions at Santa Rita. We were able to win changes to specific jail policies: Policies and Procedures 8.12, 11.03, 15.01, 15.02 and 15.03.

Highlights of the changes:

— Santa Rita acknowledged that women who are searched are entitled to privacy, and Santa Rita has installed screening curtains for that purpose.
— Santa Rita jail has agreed to a formal, 16 hour program for the training of deputies to be assigned to ITR where new arrestees are taken. A first. Prior deputies received no specific training.
— Jail deputies are required to check on arrestees, particularly any in isolation at least once every 15 minutes.
— Policy 11.03 clarifies that deputies conducting a search cannot grasp or knead the arrestee’s body.
— Garbage bags will be installed into all cells holding women arrestees.
— Women arrestees will be promptly provided with menstrual pads.
— Arrestee cells will be cleaned of garbage at least once every two hours, and once a shift the entire cell is to be washed and sanitized.

The case settled for $130,000. A portion of those funds will be used to continue to work toward insuring the continued improvement of conditions at Santa Rita Jail, including publicizing these new policy changes so women know:

You Have Rights In Jail!