'Unconscionable' Sunset Park Prison Provides Regular Medical Care, State Says

SUNSET PARK, BROOKLYN — A spokeswoman for the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) has denied a claim that medical care providers are not regularly available at MDC Brooklyn, a federal prison located in Sunset Park.

Last week, attorney Steve Zissou, who is representing a woman incarcerated in the facility last year, told Patch that MDC does not have a dedicated doctor on the premises. Instead, a doctor visits MDC's inmates once per week, traveling from MCC, a federal prison in Manhattan, Zissou said.

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"When they are seen," Zissou continued, referring to MDC's inmates, "the level of examination is well below what any civilized country should be providing." As an example, the attorney said a female inmate had recently broken her foot, but wasn't seen by a doctor for days, forcing her to be carried to the bathroom by other incarcerated women.

However, on Tuesday, BOP spokeswoman Cynthia Hugar provided a very different account of the care given to inmates in the facility.

"Bureau of Prisons staff provide inmates with medical and mental health services in a manner consistent with accepted community standards for a correctional environment," Hugar wrote to Patch in a statement. "Medical care is provided seven days a week at the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) through 12 on-site medical staff including physicians, mid-level practitioners, nurses, and pharmacists. These staff are supplemented by contract medical personnel from the community."

Hugar did not respond to a request for comment concerning the alleged inmate who had broken her foot. Zissou did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Tuesday.

Hugar also provided additional information concerning the conditions under which 52 women are being held at the facility. Last week, Zissou said the inmates are all in a common room, have no outdoor recreation, sleep in bunk beds, and lack access to sunlight.

"Currently, there is one female inmate housing unit at MDC Brooklyn," Hugar wrote, information the BOP also confirmed last week.

"The unit contains a common area where the inmates live with designated areas for beds, restrooms, programming, recreation, laundry, computers, televisions, and a kitchen facility," she said.

Patch had also requested photos of the holding area, and asked to be able to view it in person.

"For safety and security reasons we decline to provide a tour and photos of MDC Brooklyn," Hugar wrote.

The spokeswoman also addressed another issue that has emerged concerning conditions inside the prison. Last October, following a report of "unconscionable" conditions inside MDC, Sunset Park Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez sent a letter to the BOP calling for a quick resolution to problems there.

Alex Haurek, a spokesman for Velázquez, said that a response from BOP was never received. However, Hugar said a letter was sent to the Congresswoman's office — though she declined to share it with Patch.

"The Bureau of Prisons considers the letter to be the property of the recipient and therefore additional information, including the letter, cannot be provided," she wrote.

Pictured at top: MDC Brooklyn. Image via Google Maps