Office of the Mayor
City of Jasper, AL
205-221-2100
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
The Jasper Police Department and the City of Jasper, Alabama, have been made aware of an unconfirmed and unauthenticated report circulating on various social media regarding allegations of denial of medical treatment to a City of Jasper inmate who was suffering from various medical conditions. While this situation has only recently been brought to the attention of the City and its police department, and while the City’s investigation is in its earliest stages, the City considers this to be a matter of such public interest that a preliminary response is appropriate:
On December 10, 2024, two individuals, a male and a female, were arrested while allegedly passed out in the Wal-Mart parking lot in an automobile with a minor child present, and were charged with the crime of Endangering the Welfare of a Child. An arrest is evidence of an accusation, not of a conviction, and the City does not contend that these individuals have been found guilty of any criminal activity.
The individuals were booked into the Jasper City Jail at 1:48 a.m. There are no windows in the women’s area of the Jasper City Jail, and the female inmate was not placed in a cell with a hole in the window.
The male inmate was released on bond on December 12, 2024, at 1:29 p.m., for a total period of incarceration of less than 60 hours. No inmate involved in the recent rumors was incarcerated for four (4) days.
During that incarceration, proper medical treatment was rendered to the male inmate. The release of further details concerning this treatment is prohibited by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, 24 U.S.C. §290dd-2. The inmate ate regularly and was provided with sufficient blankets, clothing and other necessities during the 48-hour incarceration. At no time did the male inmate aspirate on vomit. Upon making bond on the afternoon of December 12, video recordings show that the inmate walked out of the Jasper City Jail without assistance.
The City of Jasper and the Jasper Police Department take very seriously the obligation to provide appropriate medical care and humane treatment to persons incarcerated in the Jasper City Jail. While the preliminary investigation results support the conclusion that this obligation was met in this case, the investigation will continue until all of the available facts are known. It is not expected that any further information will be made available until the completion of the City’s investigation into these allegations.
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