An attorney hired by Jay-Z’s Roc Nation has filed a lawsuit against the healthcare provider of Mississippi’s infamous Parchman Penitentiary.
Alex Spiro has defended many inmates at Mississippi State Penitentiary, and now he’s been hired by Roc Nation to go after Centene, the parent company of Parchman’s healthcare provider, Centurion. It was previously reported that Roc Nation is supporting inmates’ lawsuit against the Mississippi Department of Corrections over poor living conditions. According to Complex, Spiro will be representing Centene shareholder, Laura Wood, who noticed the rise in deaths in Mississippi prisons recently.
Complex Media reports that Wood is concerned that Parchman’s “alleged poor care” has been detrimental to Centene’s stock, which has made them vulnerable to lawsuits. TMZ reports Wood claimed in the lawsuit that Centurion has neglected inmates’ mental health as well as failed to care for inmates’ other illnesses properly. Over the past few months, videos of riots, fires, and stories of suicide at the institution merged online and made it to headlines. Photos and videos have also circulated through social media showing images of rat infestations, broken toilets, and filthy, stained rooms.
The lawsuit, which was filed on Wednesday in Delaware Chancery Court, states that Centurion is losing money on its a partnership with Mississippi, and that’s allegedly the reason why Centurion has neglected inmates’ healthcare. Now, the shareholder wants Centurion to provide information on how it is using its money to care for prisoners. “Centurion and its board of directors are proud of the company’s history of providing outstanding and innovative healthcare solutions to this vulnerable population. We look forward to sharing more about our role in the delivery of healthcare to these individuals during legal proceedings,” said a Centurion spokeswoman in a response statement to the lawsuit.
Centurion manages medical services for 16 states, according to Bloomberg Law.
