File photo
File photo
Brazoria County Judge Matt Sebesta recently wrote the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, claiming his office was never notified of the transfer of 358 state inmates who were sick with COVID-19.
The Alvin Sun & Advertiser obtained a letter from the judge written in response to the inmates' transfers to two prisons in Brazoria County, saying it put an undue burden on local authorities and citizens. Sebesta said many county residents work or have loved ones who work in the two facilities.
In response, a TDCJ official told the newspaper the two prisons, one in Galveston and the other in Dickinson, have access to outstanding medical facilities.
The TDCJ website now includes COVID-19 information about the state’s prison population, including locations, pending and positive prisoner status, and the number of deaths and recoveries.
As of April 28, the state reports more than 39,000 prisoners are in lockdown to help prevent the spread of the virus.
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