NEW YORK (1010 WINS) — The Brooklyn federal jail where Jeffrey Epstein's alleged madam Ghislaine Maxwell is being detained is facing new complaints about dismal housing and living conditions, according to a new report.
The New York Daily News reports defense lawyers for some inmates at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Sunset Park — a place that judge once called an "ongoing disgrace" — has no water, no hot food, electricity outages and staff shortages that have forced an inmate to determine how to take their medication on their own.
"We understand that electrical work was being done Friday evening and will continue this weekend. Our clients are reporting being locked in their cells with the water turned off, resulting in unsanitary conditions from flooding toilets," said Deirdre Von Dornum, an attorney with the Federal Defenders, in an email to the jail's lawyers and federal prosecutors. "We have heard multiple reports of no hot food being available. Some clients report the lights being out. Many report a lack of officers on the unit."
The Daily News reports one inmate was given two vials of psychiatric medication and told to self-administer, while another wrote to an attorney to complain about food insecurity and issues with cell toilets.
"They are giving us two water bottles and boxed lunches, four slices of bread, two slices of chicken baloney, one small packet of pretzels, one sugar-free juice packet, a pouch of peanut butter and a pouch of jelly," the inmate said. "Also, the toilets DID NOT WORK from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m., so if a bunkie had to defecate, you had to sit in there with that."
In her weekend letter, Von Dornum urged jail officials to respond as soon as possible.
"These conditions are unsafe and fall below the minimum standards for care in the [federal Bureau of Prisons]," she wrote. "Please let us know what can be done — not Tuesday, but today."
In April, attorneys for Maxwell described conditions at the jail as "fitting for Hannibal Lecter" as she awaits her delayed fall trial start date.
They also complained of the food standards which the 59-year-old, and with water that is "often cloudy and is not drinkable."
Maxwell, who has plead not guilty to all charges, has repeatedly been denied bail.
The Bureau of Prisons did not respond to the Daily News for comment.
