NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) – A hearing began in federal court Wednesday that will determine if Sheriff Marlin Gusman will keep control over the Orleans Parish Prison. He has said he needs more time to improve conditions at the jail, but the United States Department of Justice and the City of New Orleans claim that conditions are dire, and Gusman needs to be removed immediately.

Jacki Jing was live tweeting during the case at twitter.com/JackiJing

Last month, the Department of Justice filed a motion, arguing that Gusman has failed to comply with the 2013 consent decree.

They also argued that violence at the Orleans Parish Jail has spiraled out of control. Expert testimony backed those claims Wednesday. A monitor told a judge today the violence is “inappropriate, and it shouldn’t be happening in a well-run jail, especially not in a supervision jail.”

The expert also complained about understaffing, lack of policy and training, too much use of force, and under-reporting. Adding that her reports prove an “inability to manage staff and supervise inmates.”

The expert also told U.S. District Judge Lance Africk, that Sheriff Gusman doesn’t lack the will or ability to make the jail better, but he lacks the knowledge. At one point she said, “they just have no clue.”

Judge Africk stated that this case needed to be done by Friday at 3 p.m.

It’s likely to be heard from early morning till late at night until the end of the week.

Before the hearing, protesters rallied outside the courthouse. Prisoners and their families spoke to the media about how the jail’s poor operations have hurt them:

“[My son] would watch people be beaten, be raped. My son told me it reminded him of a war zone, where you can’t win the war,” said Sister Rfauw Diarra.

“We thought our loved ones would be safe. We thought they would get the care that they needed. The more we learned about how bad conditions were, and are at the jail, the more horrified we have become,” said Donna Gauthier.