Lawsuit Alleges Poor Care at Prison

· Inmate Charles Lewis, 57, the suit alleges, had suffered three heart attacks and two strokes. He had Bell's palsy diagnosed when he arrived at Rivers in May 2006. At the D.C. jail, Lewis received physical and speech therapy, treatment from specialists and proper medication. Once at Rivers, however, he had his back and knee braces confiscated. Therapy was discontinued. He was moved to a top-floor cell and top bunk, the suit alleges, increasing his chance of injury.

· An inmate identified as John Roe had depression and schizophrenia diagnosed, and he attempted suicide three times. He had chronic infections on his legs, a herniated disk and an ear infection. He has been denied medical care since arriving, the suit alleges.

"This is not the jail. You're not the community," the man was told, according to the suit. "This is a business."

Mark Corbett, 48, was incarcerated at Rivers from 2004 to 2006. In the criminal justice system since he was 12, Corbett served time at Lorton before it closed and in federal prisons in Connecticut, Michigan, New York and West Virginia.

He suffers from depression and has foot and dental problems.

At Rivers, he said, it was difficult to get an appointment with the doctor.

"Rivers was the worst one I have seen in my life," said Corbett, who is in the District looking for a job. "The nurses have a nasty attitude. They wouldn't give me an eye appointment. I had to virtually curse this man out to pull my wisdom tooth. . . . Some people do abuse the system and try to see the doctor every day, but [at Rivers] they take it out on everybody -- even those with serious illnesses."