L.A. County inmates apparently infected themselves with coronavirus in ploy to get released
https://www.mercurynews.com/2020/05/...-get-released/Inmates at the Pitchess Detention Center in Castaic apparently infected themselves on purpose with COVID-19 in an attempt to get early releases, the Los Angeles County’s sheriff said on Monday.
About two dozen inmates living in one module at the jail gathered in a common area and passed around a cup of hot water and a used face mask between each other in mid-April, Sheriff Alex Villanueva said.
It’s unclear if one of the men thought he had the virus, or if the inmates were just hoping one of them had it and would infect the others, the sheriff said.
The inmates would not talk to deputies about their actions, but the sheriff said it sure seems like they wanted to get sick to win early releases.
At least 21 inmates in the module, out of about 50, later tested positive for coronavirus.