CLEVELAND (WJW) — The first internal punishment now has been handed out against corrections officers after three inmates were released by mistake in one day from the Cuyahoga County Jail. And, that has lead the FOX 8 I-Team to press local leaders on what’s being done to protect you since there have been other mistaken releases from that same jail.
In June, the I-Team exposed the three inmates let go in one day when they should not have been set free.
Now, we’ve obtained security video showing inmates as they’re getting cleared to get out of jail.
And, we’ve learned one corrections officer has been suspended five days and another got suspended for one day. Another corrections officer got a written reprimand, and the county says discipline is still pending against a jail supervisor.
Records show an internal review found that the officers violated procedures. In short, got sloppy with paperwork and didn’t follow all regular steps for handling inmates.
So three suspects went free by mistake. All faced charges in separate cases tied to violence against women.
Since we’ve seen other mistaken releases at that jail, we questioned the jail administrator. We asked Rhonda Gibson what new steps have been taken to make sure these problems don’t continue happening.
Gibson answered, “We believe we have a good process. It’s a matter of the process being followed.”
So, we followed up by confirming nothing has changed, and Gibson said, “That’s correct.”
But, if this can happen with three inmates in one day, how good is the process?
Gibson answered, “Training is an ongoing task for everyone. We will continue to hold staff accountable.”
Last year, a corrections officer got fired after a mistaken release. But the county tells us that officer appealed and got her job back.
County officials have told us the inmates mistakenly released were later tracked down.
But now, new fallout from the latest mix-ups. But, no new checks and balances for who’s leaving the Cuyahoga County Jail.
READ MORE STORIES ON FOX8.COM, BELOW:
- Rain ahead: What to expect this week in weather
- ‘Lived a hell of a life’: 97-year-old vet earns 1942 high school diploma
- OSHP searching for escaped juvenile murder suspect last seen in Shaker Heights
- ‘Heartbroken’: DeWine offers statement following Texas school shooting
- CBS pulls ‘FBI’ season finale after Texas elementary mass shooting: reports