Judge scolds jail officials for sending woman to court without pants

A Kentucky corrections facility is under scrutiny after a woman was brought into a Louisville court apparently wearing no trousers, having allegedly been offered no hygiene products for three days. Judge Amber Wolf asked on courtroom video Friday afternoon.

A Jefferson District Court judge blasted a correction services director over the phone after an inmate revealed she was denied trousers and feminine hygiene products, on July 29.

The woman, who was incarcerated for failing complete to a diversion program on a 2014 shoplifting charge, said she had been in Metro Corrections for days without trousers, despite numerous requests.

Wolf spoke to correction services director Mark Bolton and explained to him that she would not tolerate this kind of treatment of an inmate.

“She’s going to be released today but I want her dressed before she’s taken back to the jail”, she can be heard telling Bolton on the phone.

A photo released later showed her wearing yellow athletic shorts that were nearly entirely covered by her T-shirt. The judge rejected the sentence the woman was supposed to receive, calling it “ridiculous”, and gave her a $100 fine and credit for the time she served in jail.

Wolf then says incredulously, “no trousers? what?” “I gotta look into why she wasn’t”. She asked whether she was in the “Twilight Zone”. They have assured me that it was a mistake and that it won’t happen again, but given the information that you’re telling me, it makes me feel like that’s probably not correct, maybe just what they’re being told.

The judge then addresses the defendant and says “I am not trying to embarrass you, I am very sorry” and then asks the defense attorney and presumably the bailiffs and clerks “Can we give her something to cover up with?” She apologized profusely to the arrestee, and assured her that this was not usual in the system’s jails.

According to reports, an investigation is now underway into why the woman was allegedly denied feminine hygiene products and whether or not inmates are being denied showers.

“Dressed like she was”, Clark said, “she should have been changed into a jumpsuit”.

“No trousers, what?” Judge Amber Wolf said in disbelief when the woman’s attorney quietly mentioned the issue. “This is completely inhumane and unacceptable”.

The judge in the case could not immediately be reached for comment.

He also said it is the industry standard for people to be kept in the clothes they were wearing upon arrest for 72 hours.