Torture, Abuse at Cook County Jail

The next time you hear about "torture" at Gitmo, think about Dr. Linda Lorincz Shelton. She has suffered real torture and abuse right here in Cook County. If you are concerned about torture and abuse by law enforcement officials, violations of human rights by Cook County officials, or the horrible conditions at Cermak Hospital and Cook County Jail, you should know her story. Dr. Shelton is a pediatrician and mental health service provider (presently unlicensed), former medical and biological sciences research scientist (molecular biology, immunology, and experimental pathology with minor experience in forensic pathology), internet writer, civil rights activist, and ex-con. Whoa, "ex-con?" As she writes, she was "wrongfully incarcerated for the false allegation of kicking an officer with my partially paralyzed leg in retaliation for my whistle blower activities against corrupt officials, police, and courts in Illinois and Cook County." She writes extensively - and brilliantly - about the torture and medical neglect that she says she suffered in Cook County Jail and under the heinous, David Fagus-run Cermak Hospital, the jail's infirmary. (Fagus is also the 49th Ward Democrat Committeeman in Chicago, and a close political ally of Alderman Joe Moore. Neither has publicly condemned the repeated human rights violations of Cook County Jail or Cermak Hospital.) Linda Shelton's blogs: http://cookcountysheriffdeputies.wordpress.com/ http://illinoiscorruption.blogspot.com/ http://cookcountyjudges.wordpress.com/ http://drlindashelton.wordpress.com/ http://prosechicago.wordpress.com/ Dr. Shelton is not the only person who has been mistreated badly by Cook County Jail or Cermak Hospital. See related reading: Re: Cook County Jail, Chicago, Illinois - National Institute of Corrections library Stop Torture in Cook County, Illinois - The Harvard Anti-Torture Coalition Stanley Howard: A Prisoner's Tale of Abuse - Counterpunch.org US Dept of Justice Letter to Cook County Board President Todd Stroger and Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart (PDF), July 11, 2008 Leave a Comment Here... See our cool merchandise... Chicago News Bench RSS Feed Hey! ChiNewsBench is on Twitter

Morning Flashback - David Fagus

Some stories just need to be dusted off now and then. Remember David Fagus? He's the COO of a rat-filled ship called Cermak Health Services, which is part of the scandal-ridden Cook County Jail system. One of those scandals involved "unsanitary conditions" in the Cook County Jail system, which federal investigators were looking into last year. None of the local media have followed up on the story. Sanitation in the jails are partly the responsibility of Cermak Health Services of Cook County. Cermak provides health services to Cook County Jail facilities, but too often at a Third World level of quality. Cermak's COO, David Fagus is friend and political co-plotter of 49th Ward Alderman Joe Moore; he's also the 49th Ward Democrat Committeeman. Fagus is a well-entrenched Chicago Machine politician who eagerly endorsed Todd Stroger, Rod Blagojevich and fellow Chicago Machine politician Barack Obama. Shame on Chicago-area media outlets for having virtually nothing about this monster in their archives. Cook County Sheriff Blames Fagus for Mess Fagus, Master of the Black Hole Video: Chicago Scumbags Rally for Obama CTA Tattler Publisher Slanders Citizen Journalists David Fagus: Shadow Man Leave a Comment Here... See our cool merchandise... Chicago News Bench RSS Feed Hey! ChiNewsBench is on Twitter

20 Years and 4 Months of Abuse

David Fagus. He's the COO of a rat-filled ship called Cermak Health Services, which is part of the scandal-ridden Cook County Jail system. Fagus is also the 49th Ward Democrat Committeeman and staunch political gopher for Alderman Joe Moore. Shame on Chicagoland media outlets for having virtually nothing about this monster in their archives. Hugh Devlin sends up a hearty, belated "congratulations" to Piggy Fagus: "It's been a good run. The generous support of the County Health Service payroll has subsidized 5 elections of Joe Moore. But eventually the Peter Principle catches up." Read Hugh's "congratulations" to Fagus......

Cook County Sheriff Blames Fagus for Mess

"You might have recently heard about horrific conditions that allegedly exist at the Cook County Jail," wrote Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart. Yes, we've heard of the mess over there, and we're all horrified by it. Dart's missive appeared in the Huffington Post on August 14. "Maybe you read about unsanitary conditions, a culture that allows for excessive use of physical force and an inability to meet even minimum constitutional standards for inmates," Dart wrote. Those "unsanitary conditions" are at least partly the responsibility of Cermak Health Services of Cook County. Cermak provides health services to Cook County Jail facilities, but too often at a Third World level of quality. The COO of Cermak is David Fagus, friend of 49th Ward Alderman Joe Moore and the 49th Ward Democrat Committeeman. Fagus is a well entrenched Chicago Machine politician who eagerly endorsed Todd Stroger, Rod Blagojevich and fellow Chicago Machine politician Barack Obama. Dart throws blame at Fagus, with naming him, by saying that "criticisms should be directed at Cermak Hospital and those in control of the Cook County Bureau of Health Services." Yes, COO is a person in control. In theory, at least. While I take full responsibility for problems identified within the confines and control of the Cook County Jail, it is important to note that there are numerous portions of the report covering medical care that unfairly blur the line between "Cook County Jail" and "Cermak Hospital." Likewise, more than 80 percent of all inmate grievances filed with our office regularly fall under the auspices health care. Again, our office has no control over Cermak Hospital's budget, employees, health care operations or strategies on care. Those criticisms should be directed at Cermak Hospital and those in control of the Cook County Bureau of Health Services, not our office. David Fagus is the COO of Cermak Health Services of Cook County. Cermak provides health services to Cook County Jail facilities, but too often at Third World levels of quality. DRAIN FLIES and DAVID FAGUS: Excerpts from the July 11, 2008 Department of Justice letter to Cook County Board President Todd Stroger and Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart give interesting clues [emphasis added]. (Full document as a PDF or plain text .) "IAD also reported a backlog in resolving use of force cases and incidents involving inmate-on-inmate assaults because it is difficult to obtain medical releases from Cermak, CCJ's on-site health care provider, in a timely manner." "Obtaining medical IAD is under the Sheriff's Office while Cermak is part of the Cook County Bureau of Health. [Obtaining] records from Cermak can take anywhere from six to 12 months, which prevents IAD from bringing prompt closure to an investigation. This type of delay is totally unacceptable, and is devastating for any investigation." "Despite having Cermak physicians treat these serious dental emergencies, inmates continue to suffer needlessly because they do not receive appropriate follow-up care." "...staff involved in the inmate grievance process are frustrated that once a medical or mental health related grievance is referred to Cermak, a response is not forthcoming.... We reviewed numerous grievance files that alleged the need for medical services, some of an emergent nature that showed a referral to Cermak, but contained no actual response to the grievance." "Drain flies are small flies that are found in shower and toilet areas where they lay their eggs in gelatinous organic matter that builds up under the rim of toilets and in floor drains. These flies were noted in several of the divisions including the Cermak medical area where fly traps were being used to capture adult flies. Outbreaks of adult flies have been associated with bronchial asthma in susceptible individuals. Their presence is also a sign of inadequate housekeeping and sanitation." FULL DOCUMENT as a PDF or plain text .

Moore, Fagus, Obama all want nationalized health care. Judging from the nightmare of government-run health care in Cook County, they are either blind to the horrors or selectively choose to ignore them. Power, for some, trumps compassion.

RELATED: Judge fines Cook County Jail in lawsuit addressing living conditions What Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart Should Do Cook County Sheriff Defends Jail Progress Illinois Feds Give Fagus 49 Days to Turn Around Decades of Patronage-Fueled Mismanagement The Coming US Health Care Nightmare Cook County Federal Takeover? The Coming US Health Care Nightmare

Alderman Gives Away Free Crap in Park

Free crap was handed out to people eager to grab up any free crap that was handed out to them by Alderman Joe Moore, 49th Ward. The event was a thinly disguised political opportunity to garner support for the 49th Ward "Invitation Only" Democrat Party. Moore, seen here with a bottle in his hand (it's okay, he's got that "under control"), gladly handed out free crap in exchange for people's contact information and their solemn oath to vote for Barack Obama. (Mr. Obama was not present at this event.) David Fagus, COO of embattled Cermak Health Services, took time out to help hand out free crap. Apparently, he has straightened out the mess at Cook County's jails and has beaten the Federal Government's Sept. 1st deadline to clean it up! Congratulations, Dave! Dave also functions as the 49th Ward Democrat Committeeman. Wayne "The Enforcer" Frazier was also handing out free crap. He's the guy picking his nose. Let's hope for the children that Wayne had a clean hanky to wipe the boogers on before he handled any of the free crap he was handing out. Free crap. People crave it, and it's what Democrats are all about. Moore, Fagus and Frazier were fine representatives of their party today in the glorious 49th People's Democratic Ward.

Cook County Federal Takeover?

Perhaps. Perhaps soon, according to some reports. Hmmm. Fagus once wrote, "When I have my first opportunity to sit down with Todd Stroger I will again tell him that the number one priority of 49th Ward from county government is to have a health clinic in the 49th Ward. It is one thing that the county can deliver." (11/30/2006, on Fagus's own blog.) That conversation never happened. Anybody who lives in Cook County with their eyes open knows that the Cook County guvment couldn't deliver a pizza in any of the county's car pool vehicles. Hell, the county by its own admission doesn't even know how many cars it has or who is driving them. Fagus is busy these days campaigning for fellow Cook County Machine Democrat Barack Obama. RELATED: BlogNetNews.com » Illinois » The Bench » David Fagus: Shadow Man David Fagus, 49th Ward Democrat Committeeman The Coming US Health Care Nightmare 24/7 North of Howard Watchers: Stroger Supporters... Dave Fagus sat in that stuffy room at the Allegro Hotel and voted yea for Todd Stroger. Now why is that? Democratic Party - 49th Ward: Todd Stroger Turns It On!

Fagus, Master of the Black Hole

David Fagus is the COO of Cermak Health Services of Cook County. The US Dept. of Justice is not happy with Cook County or with Cermak Health. Why? Because it's an information black hole. As the chief operations officer of Cermak, David Fagus ought to know this. To the naive, he does not. To the non-naive, he certainly does. In Fagus's many years at Cermak, he's had ample opportunity to correct the problems. It would seem that he has been more interested in his duties as Chicago's 49th Ward Democrat Committeeman, however, a purely political position in which he can create an information black hole for Alderman Joe Moore. This has worked for Moore, so far. (For example, where did that missing ballot box go for several hours back in April, 2007 exactly?) Cermak's info black hole, however, now threatens to suck David Fagus into the abyss. Will it? (And could a black hole accept such a massive object?) David Fagus hopes Barack Obama becomes president and hopes a nationalized health care system becomes reality. Let us pray to God Almighty that Fagus's hopes do not come true. Excerpts from the July 11, 2008 DOJ letter to Cook County Board President Todd Stroger and Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart give interesting clues [emphasis added]. (Full document as a PDF or plain text.) "IAD also reported a backlog in resolving use of force cases and incidents involving inmate-on-inmate assaults because it is difficult to obtain medical releases from Cermak, CCJ's on-site health care provider, in a timely manner." "Obtaining medical IAD is under the Sheriff's Office while Cermak is part of the Cook County Bureau of Health. [Obtaining] records from Cermak can take anywhere from six to 12 months, which prevents IAD from bringing prompt closure to an investigation. This type of delay is totally unacceptable, and is devastating for any investigation." "Despite having Cermak physicians treat these serious dental emergencies, inmates continue to suffer needlessly because they do not receive appropriate follow-up care." "...staff involved in the inmate grievance process are frustrated that once a medical or mental health related grievance is referred to Cermak, a response is not forthcoming.... We reviewed numerous grievance files that alleged the need for medical services, some of an emergent nature that showed a referral to Cermak, but contained no actual response to the grievance." "Drain flies are small flies that are found in shower and toilet areas where they lay their eggs in gelatinous organic matter that builds up under the rim of toilets and in floor drains. These flies were noted in several of the divisions including the Cermak medical area where fly traps were being used to capture adult flies. Outbreaks of adult flies have been associated with bronchial asthma in susceptible individuals. Their presence is also a sign of inadequate housekeeping and sanitation." FULL DOCUMENT as a PDF or plain text. RELATED: Feds Give Fagus 49 Days to Turn Around Decades of Patronage-Fueled Mismanagement The Coming US Health Care Nightmare

FEDS ALL OVER DAVID FAGUS

There is a God: Feds Give Fagus 49 Days to Turn Around Decades of Patronage-Fueled Mismanagement