ABC-7 Goes Inside Dona Ana County Jail
ABC-7 took a limited tour of the Dona Ana County Detention Center Friday in light of a recent lawsuit.
That lawsuit, filed by a mentally ill ex-inmate who was locked up between 2005 and 2007, alleges the jail denied him medical and mental treatment. A federal jury awarded that former detainee, Steven Slevin, $22 million in damages.
Jail officials are now speaking out. They said they want to dispell any negative notions people may have about the jail. Jail director Christopher Barela said, “We work very hard to maintain a safe, clean and humane facility.”
Officials also discussed the challenges in housing detainees who could have mental health issues and what could be done in the future to better overcome those challenges.
