Jay-Z & Yo Gotti Sue Mississippi Officials For COVID-19 Outbreak In Prison

Source: Lester Cohen / Getty

Jay-Z and Yo Gotti are making big strides in the fight for prison inmates in Mississippi and throughout the country.

According to court documents obtained by Complex, the rappers along with Team ROC have procured legal representation for over 200 prisoners at Mississippi State Penitentiary, also known as Parchman Farm. This move helped inmates file a lawsuit against the state’s new Department of Corrections Commissioner, Nathan Burl Cain, as well as the healthcare provider for the Mississippi prison system, Centurion.

The aforementioned complaint states that the deadly living conditions at Parchman have not been properly addressed in the months since Team ROC initially sued DOC officials over neglect. The plaintiffs claim the “cruel and tortuous” conditions–which allegedly led to both violence and death–have been exacerbated by the coronavirus outbreak.

In COVID-19 questionnaire forms completed by Parchman inmates, which were sent in by Gotti and Team ROC’s attorneys, several men reported their personal symptoms along with the facility’s lack of personal protective equipment, social distancing protocols, and adequate medical care for anyone experiencing symptoms.

“The situation in Parchman is dire. More and more of the incarcerated population are reaching out for help and pleading for immediate medical attention, especially as the coronavirus threatens their lives,” Yo Gotti said in a statement. “Mississippi Governor Reeves, Commissioner Burl Cain and Centene — as the parent company of Parchman’s healthcare provider Centurion — can’t continue to neglect this tragedy and let the death toll rise. We will hold them accountable and fight for the rights of the incarcerated.”