In light of recent deaths at Broward Jail, Broward Chief Public Defender Gordon Weekes tours facility
FORT LAUDERDALE - With four inmates dying at the Broward Jail in the last month, plus an attempted suicide, Chief Public Defender Gordon Weekes took a tour of the facility Tuesday.
He was given access to cells, the medical and detox units and even high-risk inmates.
"There were issues of concern that I will speak to the sheriff and his command staff about them," Weekes told CBS News Miami reporter Joan Murray after the tour.
"We learned they are 15 percent understaffed and when you are understaffed you lose patience," he said.
Weekes is worried with four inmates dying in the past month.
Late last year, Jenard Geffrard who had mental health issues BSO said was savagely beaten by a cellmate who was also deemed mentally incompetent.
Then, the suicide of Alvin Modeste. Recently, 27-year-old Corbin Moberg died - an autopsy was inconclusive - toxicology is pending.
And Monday, Joseph Kirk who was arrested on a misdemeanor charge and was in the detox unit of the jail died.
When reached at his home, his uncle told CBS News Miami that Kirk had issues but he has many questions about his death.
"The circumstances of these deaths is concerning because otherwise healthy individuals are dying," said Weekes.
Weekes has written to BSO Sheriff Gregory Tony asking for oversight at the jail. He says he hasn't heard back.
On Tuesday, Sheriff Tony went before the Broward County Commission not to talk about the jail or the mental health crisis but about building a new state of the art communications center.
We asked Weekes what would be a reasonable request for the sheriff to improve conditions at the jail.
"He could do what other places have done: implement best practices so inmates are safe"