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MDOC faces class action lawsuit

LANSING, MI (MPRN)--   Forty-one inmates in the state prison system have now died of COVID-19. 

Now, the Michigan Department of Corrections faces a class action lawsuit, alleging it has failed to protect inmates from the deadly virus.

The lawsuit says MDOC is failing to meet the CDC's coronavirus guidance for prisons.  It says social distancing isn't being enforced, infected inmates aren't always being isolated, and soap is rationed.

Daniel Manville is director of the Civil Rights Clinic at the Michigan State University College of Law. He says the MDOC is playing catchup instead of being proactive.

“And here the catching up can result in numerous numerous people dying or having long term adverse medical complications because MDOC did not act,” he says.

An MDOC spokesman says the lawsuit relies on hearsay. He says prisons are following the CDC guidelines.

Tracy Samilton covers the auto beat for Michigan Radio. She has worked for the station for 12 years, and started out as an intern before becoming a part-time and, later, a full-time reporter. Tracy's reports on the auto industry can frequently be heard on Morning Edition and All Things Considered, as well as on Michigan Radio. She considers her coverage of the landmark lawsuit against the University of Michigan for its use of affirmative action a highlight of her reporting career.