JACKSON, MS (Mississippi News Now) -
During an emergency meeting with the Hinds County Board of Supervisors, Sheriff Tyrone Lewis talked about major destruction caused by inmates.
The board was briefed on the damage to Pod C which housed 183 inmates. The flooded unit can no longer house inmates.
He said prisoners destroyed the ceiling, roof, wiring and controls that lock the cells.
SWAT units damaged doors while using saws to gain entry.
Madison and Rankin counties have agreed to hold some inmates temporarily.
Hinds County judges attended the meeting and are working on a plan to review cases in hopes of making room through field release and house arrests.
"If you can visualize what Katrina looked like then that's what Pod C looks like. You have to keep in mind they had access to pipes. They had access to take the metal out of the ceiling to just go around and beat the board to pieces," said Sheriff Lewis.
"I so move that we give the county administrator Miss Woods the authority to try to find and access any monies that we can use to make the necessary repairs to Pod C of the jail," said District 5 Supervisor Kenny Stokes.
District 4 Supervisor Phil Fisher also recommended that current bond money set aside for jail roof repairs be directed to Pod C repairs.
The City of Jackson and other municipalities will have to find other facilities to hold anyone arrested in the future.
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