Kentucky Judge Orders Ankle Monitors for Residents Refusing to Self-Quarantine

Like other states, Governor Andy Beshear has ordered all Kentucky residents to stay home to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Yet, some people have refused to self-quarantine. Therefore some courts are opting to use ankle monitors to track residents.

Per The Hill, Jefferson Circuit Court judge Angela Bisig is ordering ankle monitors for residents in Louisville who have been exposed to coronavirus but haven't been self-quarantining. One of the people Bisig made an example out of is an individual identified as D.L.

D.L. is reportedly living with someone who tested positive for the coronavirus and another who is a presumptive case. Last week, he was ordered to self-quarantine for two weeks, but his family members say that he still leaves his home. This prompted Bisig to place a global positioning device on D.L. for two weeks. If he leaves the house before this time expires, D.L. could face criminal charges.

The local CNN affiliate reports that other Louisville residents have been forced to wear ankle monitors as well. These residents have coronavirus and/or have come in contact with the illness and are refusing to stay home. Per the outlet, the county has an on-call judge that is designated to handle these cases. This comes after Kentucky residents have been ignoring the severity of the illness. In late March, Governor Beshear revealed that a person tested positive for COVID-19 after attending a "Coronavirus Party."

"For those folks who thought, ‘We’d be all right if we got it,’ what about everybody else you've seen?" Beshear said. "We need everybody doing the right thing."