The Hawaii State Supreme Court late Sunday ordered the release from O’ahu Community Correctional Center all pretrial detainees or prisoners charged with a petty misdemeanor by this Wednesday, Aug. 19, because of the threat of COVID-19 inside the state prison system.   As of Sunday, 170 inmates and 30 staff  at OCCC had tested positive for COVID-19.

The order does not apply to those charged with abuse of family or household members,  violation of a temporary restraining order, violation of an order for protection, or violation of a restraining order or injunction.

This does not apply to those with COVID-19, and those who have had it must take another test and be symptom-free to be released.  All those released must self-quarantine for 14 days, and there are other stipulations to the release.  All those released must appear in court on Feb. 17, 2021.

The court acted in response to a petition from the Office of the Public Defender to release prisoners because of the spread of COVID-19 inside the state’s prison system, especially OCCC.   The O’ahu prosecutor office and the State Attorney General opposed the petition.

The order says it will deal with felony defendants later.

The order:

081620_SCPW-20-509_IntheMatteroftheIndividualsinCustody_ORD

Photo is O’ahu Community Correctional Center, courtesy Department of Public Safety