ACLU Brings Suit Against Arizona for Quarantine of Tuberculosis Patient

Robert Daniels Reportedly Strip Searched Regularly and Denied Visits with Family

The American Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit against Maricopa County, Ariz., for the conditions in which it is holding a tuberculosis patient in quarantine. The man, Robert Daniels, has a rare and particularly vicious drug-resistant form of tuberculosis.

Daniels was quarantined nine months ago after Maricopa County Public Health officials discovered he had been in public without a respiratory mask. The ACLU is not arguing against the man's quarantine. However, the group takes exceptions to the conditions under which the man is being held.

Daniel J. Pochoda, the director of ACLU of Arizona had this to say about the court action: "Individuals quarantined because of public health risks are held under civil rather than criminal laws. Robert Daniels is a sick patient who has been detained for non-punitive purposes and public health officials are legally and morally obligated to treat him in a humane manner," according to a press release on the ACLU's website.

According to the ACLU the man has been quarantined in the "jail" section of the Maricopa county hospital. Daniels is regularly stripped searched. The man is not allowed to exercise or go outside; his lone trip outdoors during his nine months of confinement occurred while he was shackled.

The ACLU says Daniels is subjected to round the clock lighting, as the lights in his cell are kept on at night. It was just a few weeks ago that Daniel was allowed to shower or make phone calls. Daniels is also prohibited from visits from family or friends and is not allowed to use the Internet or any other mechanism for facilitating social activities.