Judge orders McIntosh County jail shut down

BRUNSWICK - A federal judge has ordered the McIntosh County Jail closed by the end of the month because of what he called deplorable conditions. <br> <br> U.S. District Judge Dudley Bowen Junior ordered this week that the inmates be relocated. His decision stemmed from a federal lawsuit filed by a McIntosh County inmate asking that the current jail be closed and the new four million dollars detention center be opened. <br> <br> The new jail was completed in February but has remained empty due to political infighting between the sheriff and the McIntosh County Commission. <br> <br> Bowen made his decision after taking a tour of the 70-year-old jail, where he said he found ``grim and grisly&#39;&#39; conditions. <br> <br> Bowen declined to appoint a receiver to open and operate the county&#39;s new jail as inmate Stuart Lee Guest&#39;s lawyer had requested in the suit filed in August. <br> <br> That leaves the matter where it has been since the new jail was finished. Sheriff Charles ``Chunk&#39;&#39; Jones said he cannot safely operate the new jail without 16 more deputies. <br> <br> County commissioners have said they will pay for only four new employees.