YPSILANTI, Mich. – Recent deaths at Michigan’s only women’s prison in Ypsilanti have intensified calls from current and former lawmakers for Michigan Department of Corrections Director Heidi Washington to resign, amid allegations that conditions inside state prisons have worsened and inmates are being neglected.
State Rep. Laurie Pohutsky is among the lawmakers who sent Washington a letter asking her to step down after two women died within four days at the Huron Valley Women’s Correctional Facility.
One of the deaths was Khaira Howard, whose mother, Shaquillia DeShields, said her daughter died May 13 just weeks before she was set to be released. Attorney Timothy Holland, who is involved in the case, said, “There are deaths from inmate on inmate violence etc. Maybe suicides, but deaths from conditions deaths from Failure to provide at least our understanding is failure to provide necessary Medical attention. This is unprecedented what we’re dealing with.”…