In decision that has nationwide implications, Essex County Sheriff Kevin Coppinger will not appeal a federal judge’s ruling
that his jail must provide methadone to a recovering opioid addict.
“We spoke not only with our legal team but with attorneys for the National Sheriffs’ Association which represent my peers nationwide, and this is the best move right for us right now,” he said. “We reserve all our legal rights in the future.”
U.S. District Court Judge Denise Casper ordered the Essex County House of Correction to provide methadone to a prospective inmate who relies on the medication to treat his addiction. Denying the treatment, the judge ruled, violates the Americans with Disabilities Act and the constitutional prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment.
The American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts (ACLU) filed suit against Coppinger and Aaron Eastman, superintendent of the Essex County House of Correction, on behalf of Geoffrey Pesce in September.
The 32-year-old Ipswich resident is expected to plead guilty and could be sentenced on Monday for violating probation, and driving with a suspended license. The plea carries a minimum mandatory sentence of 60 days that would be served in Middleton, the jail Coppinger manages, the lawsuit said.
The ACLU complaint sought an end to the jail’s practice of denying medication-assisted treatment to inmates diagnosed with opioid disorders, even if it was doctor-prescribed.
Pesce has been in recovery for two years and receives treatment from a daily dose of methadone, a prescription drug that suppresses drug cravings and withdrawal symptoms.
But Coppinger was reluctant to immediately agree to the judge’s order and considered an appeal. He said providing methadone to inmates creates security problems where the drug gets smuggled into correctional facilities. He also said it would create a logistical nightmare taking a prisoner daily to a clinic.
“One of my fears is, where does this end?” Coppinger said. “This is new ground and where will this lead in the days to come.”
Jessie Rossman, an ACLU attorney, declined a request for an interview.
In a statement she said the ACLU is pleased the Essex County Sheriff’s Department will provide Pesce access to this life saving treatment during his time in their custody.
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