'It’s dead man walking': Newspaper investigation reveals mistreatment of Minnesota inmates during pandemic

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Through interviews with prisoners, their families, the Minnesota Department of Corrections and criminal justice experts, The Rochester (Minnesota) Post Bulletin, a Forum Communications company, found that inmates bore the brunt of a system ill-equipped to handle COVID-19.

In an article written by investigative reporter Nora Eckert, the paper reported that the Department of Corrections denied vulnerable inmates medical release within months of their scheduled release date, left inmates on extended quarantines without an explanation and forced some prisoners into cells with others who were COVID-positive.

Nearly 4,000 Minnesota prisoners have tested positive for the virus, her report said. One hundred are still recovering, according to Department of Corrections data. Twelve inmates have died from COVID-19.

Read this report from the Rochester Post Bulletin

investigative reporting, Rochester Post Bulletin