You Don't Jerk Around With Justice (Or Anything Else) In The Broward County Jail

MayorBob.

Posted to Legal on Sat Jul 28, 2007 at 04:45:25 PM EST (promoted by Acefantastik). RSS.

The arm of the law didn't have to be that long to reach out and bring Terry Lee Alexander to justice.  This is because his crime committed in his cell at the Broward County jail.  Mr. Alexander was masturbating in full view of a Broward County deputy who reported him to jail authorities.  Thus, for pleasuring himself in his cell, Mr. Alexander received a 60-day sentence for indecent exposure.  He could have received a year, so no complaint from Mr. Alexander.  But it turns out the Broward County jail authorities have made it a mission to punish jail cell masturbators.  This has led some people to question the wisdom of punishing what many consider a "natural act" and others to ask if, by doing so, the jailers aren't just jerking around with the taxpayers' money.

While Alexander was in full view of the deputy, Coryus Veal, the deputy wasn't in full view of Alexander.  Deputy Veal spotted Alexander while he was busy from a central control room.  Over the past six months Deputy Veal has been busy processing similar complaints against other inmates when she isn't busy monitoring their cells.  There is no question that masturbation, or indecent exposure, violates prison rules.  It's just that, in just about every other jail or prison in Florida, a self-gratifying inmate is more likely to receive some sort of administrative punishment than a criminal charge.  The Broward County Sheriff encourages jail deputies to file charges to discourage the activity in his jail.

Alexander was being held in the jail pending transfer to state prison following an armed robbery conviction.  He will be spending the next ten years behind bars for that.  The thing about the indecent exposure charge that raises concerns is that, by prosecuting him, the jail just cost the taxpayers in excess of (US)$22,000.  Kathleen McHugh, Alexander's lawyer says her client really didn't do anything wrong - he was alone in his cell when the act occurred.  Broward County Sheriff spokesperson Elliott Cohen says because Alexander was in a jail cell, and not his home at the time, he really has no reason to presume privacy:

"That's why there are no doors on the bathrooms. That's why detention deputies monitor what you do and when you do it.  That's what jail is."

McHugh thinks the system's "gone awry" if this is its idea of a crime worthy of prosecution.  She is joined in this sentiment by Broward assistant public defender Betsy Benson who thinks taxpayers should be upset over this use of their tax dollars.  Psychologist Trudy Block-Garfield called masturbation "normal human behavior" which "relieves a variety of stressors including boredom."  Block-Garfield believes the only type of masturbation which ought to be punished is the type done to shock onlookers.  McHugh may have a point about the deputies at the Broward County Jail having better things to do given the history of abuse and suicide experienced over the years by inmates at the Broward County Jail.