Sheriff Responds to Being Sued for Denying Former Inmate HIV Drugs
By: Eugene Daniel
Updated: June 27, 2012
PRINCETON- The Bureau County Sheriff, being sued for denying a former inmate HIV drugs, is speaking out.
Monday, WMBD 31 News reported on a Chicago man who accuses Sheriff John Thompson and the Bureau County Jail of denying him access to HIV medication. Two years ago, Arick Buckles, who is HIV positive, spent a week in Bureau County jail for an outstanding arrest warrant. He says Thomspon and jail staff ignored his requests for medication because it was too costly.
Now, Buckles and the ACLU are suing Bureau County. The lawsuit claims the jail is responsible for all inmate health care and it put Buckles' life at risk by denying him drugs.
Sheriff John Thompson responded, "I have ultimate faith in our system and the attorneys representing the sheriff's office. And I have faith we will prevail. There will always be people who will try to take advantage of the system."
Last year, the IDOC conducted an investigation into the matter, and it found no violation of state standards.
