The Mississippi Department Of Public Health reports 16 new cases of the COVID-19 coronavirus as of March 19, 2020, bringing the total known cases to 50.
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WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal prosecutors are looking into the conditions at four state prisons following the deaths of at least 15 inmates since December. The investigation is examining whether state corrections officials are adequately protecting prisoners from physical harm and will also look into whether there are adequate healthcare and suicide prevention services.
The investigation, by the Justice Department’s civil rights division, will specifically focus on conditions at the Mississippi State Penitentiary at Parchman, Southern Mississippi Correctional Institute, Central Mississippi Correctional Facility and the Wilkinson County Correctional Facility, the Justice Department said.
The use of such investigations examining the patterns and practices of law enforcement agencies has been curtailed under the Trump administration compared with their use during the Obama administration.