The Supreme Court will hold a hearing today to decide whether the COVID-19 outbreak at the O’ahu Community Correctional Center plus cases at two other O’ahu correction facilities warrants releasing prisoners and implementing new measures to protect inmates from COVID-19 at prisons throughout the state.
James Tabe, head of the State’s Office of the Public Defender, filed the motion. The defendants include the head of the State Office of Public Safety, Nolan Espinda (pictured), all the State’s Prosecuting Attorneys, and the Chair of the Hawaii Paroling Authority.T
On Thursday, the Department of Public Safety announced there are at least 116 cases of COVID-19 among inmates and staff at OCCC, and the petition alleges there are cases at other correctional facilities.
The hearing will be online at 11 a.m. at YouTube.com/hawaiicourts. It’s rare to be able to watch a Supreme Court hearing online.
The petition is here:
SCPW-20-509_Individuals-in-Custody-of-the-State-of-Hawaii
The Judiciary Order is here: