ST. LOUIS—Attorneys have reached a $4 million settlement in a class action lawsuit filed over claims of harmful conditions for those who were detained at the city of St. Louis’ former Medium Security Institution, commonly known as “The Workhouse.
ArchCity Defenders, which brought the suit, announced the settlement Tuesday, which was confirmed by St. Louis mayor Cara Spencer.
The settlement was reached before Spencer took office last month.
Complaints about the facility date back decades. The suit was filed in 2017, citing rat and rodent infestations, black mold and intolerable heat during summer months and cold in the winter, according to the Associated Press.
The judge in the case still needs to formally sign off on the agreement. If approved, anyone detained at the facility for five days or more between Nov. 13, 2012 and when the institution was closed in June, 2022 may be eligible to file a claim and receive payment, based on how long the individual was detained there.
ArchCity Defenders says at least 16,000 people could be eligible for relief.
More information is available at www.stlclassactions.com
“It was a horrible place. They treat dogs at the shelter better than they treated us. It’s nice to be compensated with the settlement, but I can’t get back any of the time that I was dealing with being locked up and being away from my kids in that unsuitable environment,” said Jasmine Borden, a Plaintiff and class representative in an ArchCity Defenders press release.
Part of the settlement stipulates that the Workhouse won’t be used as a housing facility for detainees any longer. Demolition of the site began in March under the Jones administration, which made no final decisions about what would happen to the site, outside of plans for a memorial. Potential options included an animal shelter and relocating portions of the city’s tow lot.
Spencer declined to comment on the rationale behind the settlement since it was reached before she became mayor. She told reporters Tuesday that she’s asked for environmental information from demolition crews to help determine next steps for the site, which still has more demolition work left undone. Spencer also wants an accounting of minority contractors used in the work to date. There were no requirements for minority contractors built into the agreement that started the work.
The settlement is for one of several lawsuits built into the city’s budgetary planning for the next fiscal year. Spencer said her administration is working to address policies that may have led to the lawsuits.
