Idaho inmates sue, claiming overcrowding at state prison

BOISE, Idaho (AP) - A group of inmates at Idaho’s largest prison is suing the state for overcrowding, saying cell blocks are so packed that the prison department can’t maintain sanitary toilets, putting them at risk during the coronavirus outbreak.

In the lawsuit filed Monday in U.S. District Court in Boise, the inmates say lawmakers have failed to adequately fund the Idaho Department of Correction despite a growing inmate population.

They say that means cells built to hold two people are now holding four or more.

Idaho Department of Correction spokesman Jeff Ray declined to comment on the case because the lawsuit is ongoing.