Breaking news and a plea for journalists to cover: Covid ourbreak in Multnomah County Jail among corrections officers bad enough that attorneys were not able to call clients last night. Not enough people to work the phone system or let detainees access phones.

The jail situation here has been frightening & I suspect people don't know about the outbreaks, quarrantine rules & even how that has slown down court in the past few weeks. If we can't talk to our in-custody clients by phone, they won't bring them to court, things get backed up.

The sheriff brings people from the 2 jails to the courthouse for hearings. For some reason they won't just get some ipads and let prisoners zoom in from the jail. Meanwhile belly chains on some prisoners mean poor ability to adjust a droopy mask so lots of noses are exposed.

Some judges are just appearing by video chat, which suggests their real thoughts on the matter.

I will always remember one particular scene: standing next to a belly-chained client (and the deputy and the clerk), with his mask down around his chin as he talked in delusional pressured speech loudly over the disemdied voice of the judge and DA who both appeared on a large tv.