Rhea county jail faces deadline

RHEA COUNTY, Tenn. (WDEF) — Being an inmate in the overcrowded Rhea county jail is unlike any other in Tennessee

County officials have debated what to do for years, with no firm results.

Right now there are more than 200 inmates in the Rhea county jail. Its only supposed to hold 87.

“I’ve been sheriff for 15 years and I’ve not had 87 inmates since I’ve been in Office,” says Sheriff Mike Neal.

A frustrated Sheriff Mike Neal says he’s been fighting the problem since 2011, but has received no help from county commissioners.

Sheriff Neal continues, “We’ve looked at pieces of property, we’ve looked at the old hospital, we’ve bought a piece of property, we’ve looked at blueprints. But as far as anything getting moved forward in order to alleviate the over-crowded problem, its not gotten done.”

Kristin Friddell is an inmate at the jail. She says, “People falling off the bunk because they can’t get down to use the bathroom at night because everybody’s in the floor. The roof leaks; the sink leaks; the shower has mold in it.”

Now, the state is applying new pressure.

“Yesterday we got a letter from the fire marshal giving me 30 days to take 50 percent of my over-crowded inmates, anything over 87…about 50 inmates, I’ve got 30 days to find housing for in other facilities,” says Sheriff Neal.

And Rhea county would have to pay those other jails to take the local inmates.

But county executive George Thacker is positive using the abandoned county hospital building is the best way out.

Thacker says, “You think about it. There’s already asphalt, there’s already parking at the old hospital, there’s helicopter pad. I mean, there’s already a lot of things up there and it might just be its the best way to go with the taxpayers and that’s what we want to do.”

Thacker says the county would build extra cells and house state prisoners for $40 a day to pay for the new jail.

“We’re hoping to have a jail built in the next two years…you know…hopefully sooner than that,” Thacker added.