In accordance with state statute, the Multnomah County District Attorney's Office convened a Corrections Grand Jury in October 2018, to facilitate an annual inquiry into the condition and management of every correctional facility in Multnomah County. Over the next several weeks, the Corrections Grand Jurors physically inspected four (4) facilities and heard testimony from those who operate, are housed within, or are associated in some form with the operation and management of those facilities. 

This is the third Corrections Grand Jury to be conducted under Sheriff Michael Reese. Sheriff Reese had the following to say about the process:

“MCSO is indebted to this year’s Corrections Grand Jury; we appreciated how they embraced the process and engaged criminal justice system partners. While review of the conditions and management of correctional facilities is not an easy assignment, it is important work to MCSO. We believe grand jurors are an integral part of our systems of accountability.  Recommendations from this year’s Grand Jury will build upon prior reports, and enhance our vision for keeping the community safe and providing rehabilitative services for adults entrusted to our custody." 

Attached is the 2018 Corrections Grand Jury Report which represents the culmination of the Grand Jury review process. Additionally attached is the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office (MCSO) response; MCSO accepts and intends to implement the Report recommendations, both administratively and in Multnomah County budget proposals. 

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You can access the 2018 Corrections Grand Jury Report on our website at https://www.mcso.us/site/pdf/grand_jury_2018.pdf

MCSO’s response is available on our website at https://www.mcso.us/site/pdf/2018_sheriff_response_to_grand_jury_report.pdf

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MEDIA:

MCSO’s Public Information Officer, Sergeant Brandon White, will be available to answer questions in front of the Multnomah Building located at 501 SE Hawthorne Blvd. in Portland at 3:00 p.m.

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***UPDATED***

ICE is putting our community at risk with their failed enforcement strategy of not using the authority the agency already has to hold people accountable.

No Oregon jail can hold someone on a civil detainer based on the federal court case Miranda Oliveras v. Clackamas County. The U.S. Attorney’s Office knows this, ICE knows this, but they persist in pursuing this failed strategy.  Federal officials had ample time to do their job. They had his name, address, and his telephone number.

It is disingenuous to make this claim when they failed to follow the process for even entering the civil detainer information into any law enforcement database. MCSO wants to make clear that we did not receive any information from ICE regarding this individual.

Local police, corrections professionals, and the District Attorney did their best to hold this person accountable for his domestic violent assault -- including taking the case to a grand jury. However, we were unable to hold him accountable without the cooperation of the victim.

We do not know why she did not cooperate, but we know that many immigrant victims of domestic violence are concerned about how reporting will affect their status and status their children. This a terrible tragedy for her and her children. We remain committed to building a relationship of trust with immigrant communities so they feel comfortable sharing their story. Public safety needs to be for all.