Jay-Z’s Team Roc and Yo Gotti Help 29 Inmates Sue Mississippi Prison Officials
On Tuesday (Jan. 14), Gotti and Team Roc, Roc Nation's social justice department, revealed that they have joined forces in order to help get legal representation for 29 inmates in Mississippi. Hov, Gotti and Team Roc helped file a lawsuit against Commissioner of the Mississippi Department of Corrections, Pelicia E. Hall and Marshall Turner, the Superintendent of the Mississippi State Penitentiary on behalf of inmates Michael Amos, Pittrell Brister, Antonio Davis and 26 others.
“The lives of countless individuals in Mississippi are at stake and we will not stop until this is fixed," Yo Gotti told XXL.
Back in 2018, 15 inmates died inside the prison within one month. Since late December, five deaths have occurred within state prison walls. Four of the deaths were due to violent disturbances. The "Pose" rapper and Team Roc want to ensure that the current inmates and the deceased receive justice.
The inmates claim all of the recent deaths are a byproduct of neglect and years of understaffing. According to a letter sent to the Governor of Mississippi's office last week (Jan. 9), attorney Alex Spiro asserted that Team Roc is "prepared to pursue all potential avenues to obtain relief for the people living in Mississippi's prisons and their families."
"These inhumane conditions are unconstitutional," the letter says. "The Eighth Amendment of the United States Constitution prohibits the infliction of cruel and unusual punishment and is violated when prison officials fail to protect against prison-related violence and when prison conditions fail to meet basic human needs."
So far, the defendants have not responded to the lawsuit.
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