Inmate beaten; family wants answers
A 24-year-old Carrick man being held in the Allegheny County Jail was beaten so badly by at least one other inmate Tuesday that he was sent to a hospital for treatment — and three days later, his family still doesn’t know his medical condition.
Anthony Givens, brother of inmate Keyshawn Givens, believes his brother’s jaw was broken in the altercation, but said Friday that officials had refused to share any details. The family has had no contact with Keyshawn Givens.
“They won’t say anything,” said Anthony Givens of Carrick. “They can’t give us any information, no one even contacted us. We don’t know what is going on.”
Chief Deputy Warden David Zetwo and county spokeswoman Amie Downs confirmed Wednesday that an inmate was hospitalized after an “altercation between inmates,” about 7:30 p.m. Tuesday in Pod 8D.
“Beyond that, we will not be providing information on the incident as it remains under investigation; and information relative to the inmate is protected health information,” Chief Deputy Warden Zetwo wrote in a statement.
Officials refused to say whether staff intervened in the altercation, how the inmates came into contact with each other, and whether jail policies and procedures were followed.
Although the jail has 300 cameras, the incident Tuesday was not captured on video. Warden
Orlando Harper refused to say why or provide further information.
When inmates enter the jail, they fill out a form that designates whom officials should contact in case of an emergency. Officials will notify that designated person if an inmate has a serious or critical medical condition, Mr. Harper said.
“That is for security reasons, along with compliance with HIPAA [the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act] and other applicable laws,” he said in a statement.
Keyshawn Givens would likely have written down his sister’s name — Melissa Givens — family members said, but she was not alerted to his condition this week, they said. She could not be reached for comment Friday. It could not be verified who was listed as Keyshawn Givens’ contact person.
Garry Nelson, Keyshawn Givens’ attorney, did not know about the altercation until alerted this week by a reporter.
Keyshawn Givens has been jailed since December 2015 and is awaiting trial on a homicide charge. He is accused of killing 15-yearold Curtis Pounds on Sept. 10, 2015, during a drive-by shooting in Knoxville.
He maintains his innocence, Anthony Givens said. His brother has been in multiple fights with other inmates while he’s been in the jail, he added.
“They keep jumping him,” he said.
He and other relatives believe the jail isn’t doing enough to keep Keyshawn Givens safe.
“This is not the first time he got beat up down there,” said an aunt who asked not to be identified out of fear for her safety. “If this keeps happening, who knows, next time it might kill him.”
The jail, which usually houses about 2,300 inmates, reported 161 inmate-on-inmate assaults in 2016, down from 183 in 2015, but up from 142 in 2014.