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Judge Orders Holding Center Tour

July 9, 2010 Updated Mar 7, 2010 at 7:12 PM EST

BUFFALO, NY ( WKBW )On Saturday U-S District Court Judge William M. Skretny ordered the county to allow Department of Justice investigators be allowed to investigate the recent suicides at the Erie County Holding Center.

In his ruling Skretny said:

" Due to the Justice Departments demonstration of good cause and the recurring incidents of suicide and attempted suicide at ECHC, this court finds the requested expedited recovery is both warranted and necessary."

"We are very pleased with that given the fact that at all times the county has always said that we would allow the Department of Justice access to the facility if there would be a county attorney present," said Erie County Attorney Cheryl Green in response to the ruling.

Green says that's what the county has been asking for all along.

"We are where we are today because the Department of Justice refused the overture by the County of Erie to allow an individual to be present during any tours of the facility therefore the Department of Justice commenced litigation against the county and this ruling from yesterday confirmed the fact that the county does play a role with respect to these proceedings despite what the Department of Justice has always claimed in the past," said Green.

This latest move follows three suicides at the facility in the past three months. The U-S Department of Justice has outlined numerous allegations against the county, citing inmate abuse and unconstitutional conditions.

Judge Skretny's ruling goes on to say according to the justice department:

"The ECHC's suicide prevention policies appears sound, but the investigation found there are "serious problems" with how those policies are implemented and followed."

County Attorney Green maintains the county continues to follow all state and federal guidelines in its treatment of inmates at the holding center.

"The county at all times adheres to the New York State Commission of Standards for suicide prevention and so that is what we believe the Department of Justice will see when they tour the facility, " said Green.

The tour of the Erie County Holding Center is scheduled for March 22nd and March 23rd.

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