FCI Dublin women transfers continue to complain; judge denies BOP
Powerless in Prison: The fallout of FCI Dublin
In April, the Bureau of Prisons abruptly shut down the troubled FCI Dublin. KTVU interviews dozens of women and explains what led up to the closure, questioning whether this was retaliation for outside oversight over the prison, which has been riddled with sex abuse for decades.
DUBLIN, Calif. - A federal judge in Oakland has denied a Bureau of Prisons motion to dismiss a class-action lawsuit against it, while letters from incarcerated women who used to be housed at FCI Dublin continue to describe alleged mistreatment at prisons across the country.
U.S. District Court Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers issued a brief order Thursday saying she doesn't believe everything is OK – as the BOP has asserted in court – now that the former all-women's prison in Dublin is closed, and the women are receiving "adequate care" at prisons across the country.
"The Court is not so easily persuaded," the judge wrote. "The notion that the constitutional injuries alleged by FCI Dublins AICs (adults in custody) were comprehensively remedied by the facility's closure strains credulity."
She said it is "against this backdrop" that she rejects the BOP's "attempts to dismiss this case."
As it stands, the class-action lawsuit will move forward to trial in June 2025.
The suit was filed in August 2023 by eight women who described sexual abuses and retaliation at the hands of correctional officers at the now-shuttered FCI Dublin. The case is formally called the California Coalition for Women Prisoners et al. v. United States Bureau of Prisons.
Meanwhile, KTVU regularly receives letters from former FCI Dublin women, complaining of similar, if not worse, issues at prisons in Texas, Florida and other places.
For instance, one woman wrote from a prison at FCI Waseca in Minnesota that "everything is shut down," including visits with family as dogs were sent to sniff the facility for drugs.
Another woman from Waseca wrote that in the last week, 19 people have overdosed on drugs.
In an email, the BOP confirmed that there was a drug problem last week, where they sent seven people to the hospital after they showed signs of drug use. The BOP also confirmed that the institution remains on "modified operations status."
Elsewhere, at the Atwood Camp in Lexington, Kentucky, Laura Denise Russell, who used to be held at FCI Dublin, described in an email how there is retaliation, inappropriate relations with incarcerated people, fraud, mold, medical neglect, asbestos, "you name it."
As one example, Russell said there is no air conditioning at the camp, and "GOD help us in the winter, because this run-down, filthy dysfunctional building has VERY OLD radiator heat."
She said the building has a leaking roof, leaking windows and water in the walls and ceilings.
And as for treatment, Russell when she went to see if she had a medical appointment scheduled, an orderly said tersely, "We are not Dublin" – a comment meant to insinuate that speaking up for your rights won't get you anywhere.
"Why exactly did Dublin have to be part of the conversation?" Russell asked. "They do not want us here, and we are made aware of it..we do not want to be here."
Russell said for her, speaking up at FCI Dublin, and having the BOP shut the prison down, has not been good for her.
"We have been dropped in the middle of HELL and left to deal with it," she wrote. "Sadly, Dublin, as bad as it was, and I make no defense for how it was run, but this is 300x worse."
The BOP said in an email that it "takes seriously our duty to protect the individuals entrusted in our custody," and that all allegations of misconduct are reported to the Office of Internal Affairs for investigation.
Lisa Fernandez is a reporter for KTVU. Email Lisa at lisa.fernandez@fox.com or call her at 510-874-0139. Or follow her on Twitter @ljfernandez