Roseville Man Alleges Unlawful Detention in Wayne County Jail
In an unsettling turn of events, a young man from Roseville is making headlines after filing a federal lawsuit against officials in the Wayne County Sheriff’s office. Liam West-Campau, 22, claims he was wrongfully detained for six days past his court-ordered release date, all due to apparent chaos in the jail’s new facility opened just last month.
What’s the Deal?
West-Campau was arrested on October 5 for a parole violation and taken to the newly inaugurated Criminal Justice Center the following day. Now, you might think getting out after a legal decision would be simple, right? Well, according to the lawsuit filed on Thursday, this is where things became extraordinarily complicated. On October 8, the court issued an order for his release, which included a $2,000 personal bond and a monitoring device, known as a tether.
But despite the court’s directive, West-Campau remained stuck in jail. The lawsuit claims he was held without access to a phone, effectively isolating him from the outside world for several days. Now, that’s not a pleasant situation for anyone!
Lost in the System
Here’s where it gets a bit wilder. West-Campau’s mother grew concerned when she couldn’t locate her son. When she tried to reach jail staff for information, they were unable to find or identify him. How could that happen? The lawsuit states that the computer and records system were offline, and even worse, the information on his wristband—his name and date of birth—had rubbed off. Talk about a mix-up!
In desperation, West-Campau’s mother decided to pay a private tethering company to rush over and install the required monitoring device so her son could be released quickly. But surprise, surprise—the jail staff told the tethering company that they couldn’t install devices and, to top it off, still couldn’t locate West-Campau. He was, in essence, a ghost in their system!
Finally Released
It wasn’t until October 14, six days after his court-ordered release, that West-Campau was finally let go. The lawsuit claims that this isn’t just his issue but rather a troubling pattern of delayed releases for inmates in the Wayne County Jail. In fact, West-Campau’s lawyers are pushing for the lawsuit to be recognized as a class action, which would include hundreds of other inmates who, like him, have been unjustly kept behind bars.
Addressing the Problems
The Wayne County Sheriff’s Department has not yet received the lawsuit but has stated they look forward to addressing these allegations. A spokesperson for the county is also currently investigating the claims. However, despite reassurances from officials that reports about the facility’s shortcomings are exaggerated, the complaints keep piling up. Concerns have been raised about staff shortages, mechanical failures, as well as prolonged lockdowns that have left inmates in difficult situations.
To make matters worse, there have even been profound incidents, including inmate protests and troubling reports of two inmates taking their own lives, raising serious questions about the facility that was supposed to be safer for everyone involved.
What’s Next?
The claims made in West-Campau’s lawsuit point to a much bigger problem that has persisted for years within Wayne County’s jail system. Without proper oversight and resolution, vulnerable individuals trapped in this broken system may continue to suffer, and this case could shine a spotlight on an issue affecting many.
As this story unfolds, it reveals crucial lessons about the importance of accountability and transparency in our legal system. For now, all eyes will be on the developments regarding this lawsuit and the impact it may have on how the Wayne County Jail operates moving forward.
