PORTSMOUTH, Va. — A lengthy legal battle over whether to keep the Portsmouth City Jail open or condemn it, a judge signed a motion forcing city leaders to repair issues with the jail.
Last July, the Civic Center Complex was officially condemned after it was deemed unsafe. Sheriff Michael Moore filed an injunction against the city to keep the jailhouse open, noting there was no warning before the official notice was posted.
Moore claimed that it's the city's responsibility to maintain the building. A judge approved his injunction and decided in January that the city must find out what to do with the jail.
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Portsmouth City Council mulled over a few scenarios on what to do with the building, including building a new jail, making repairs to the current facility or closing the jail and sending inmates to Hampton Roads Regional Jail.
But on Friday, a judge signed a motion forcing the city to repair the jailhouse.
However, there's still the issue of where to send inmates while repairs are being made. The city wants to send 200 inmates to HRRJ, but Sheriff Moore argued against the suggestion, said citing recent deaths and a critical Justice Department report.