Former inmates at the Erie County Holding Center and others Wednesday shared their allegations of abuse by corrections officers during a public forum organized by County Legislator Betty Jean Grant.

The meeting, held in the Frank E. Merriweather Jr. Library, 1324 Jefferson Ave., was intended to allow former inmates and their advocates to present their stories and question county officials in light of a recent U. S. Justice Department report documenting alleged violations of prisoners’ constitutional rights.

Grant, a Buffalo Democrat, said she received a letter from County Attorney Cheryl A. Green stating that she would not attend the meeting. Sheriff Timothy B. Howard was represented by spokeswoman Mary Murray, who said she was there merely to observe. Two representatives of the regional FBI office also were present.

“I wish there was someone here to represent the county attorney,” said Karima Amin, founder of People Are Prisoners Too, who took part in an impromptu panel arranged by Grant.

Amin took issue with Green’s public stance that the allegations documented in the Justice Department report are not credible because of the accusers.

“That implies that anyone who is confined must be a liar, anyone who is confined must be worthless and what comes from their mouth must be worthless,” said Amin, who also encouraged those whose stories she had already heard to share them publicly.

Ted Hicks alleged that guards at the Holding Center put feces in his food while he was incarcerated last month. Chloe Goodrum, who is transgendered, said she was raped twice while in the men’s wing of the Holding Center.

“They told me, just because I’m transgendered, they put me in the Holding Center and put a sign up on the cell that said ‘freak on display,’ ” said Goodrum, fighting back tears.

“I even told the judge that I got raped, and she told me there was nothing she could do about it. I’ve been threatened and I’ve been scared to walk the streets.”

County Comptroller Mark C. Poloncarz, who also participated in the discussion, said his office audits expenditures of the Sheriff’s Office but is not in a position to dictate its practices. He acknowledged that while jails are not meant to be hotels, they have the responsibility to provide a base level of care that is guaranteed by the Constitution.

“I can tell you, as an attorney, no matter what people think,” Poloncarz said, “the Constitution still provides rights for the prisoners behind bars just as much as it provides rights to people who are on the streets.”

Copyright 2009, The Buffalo News