Dozens of Beatings and Coverups by Officers in L.A. County Jails

[Brewman_Jax]

http://www.alternet.org/story/152754/doz...nty_jails/


From the article:

Quote:A new report released by the Los Angeles County’s Office of Independent Review found sheriff’s officials have disciplined more than 30 jail employees for beating inmates or engaging in cover-ups over the past two years. The report comes at a time when the county is preparing to receive an influx of inmates from the state system—and on the heels of previous reports that “gang-like” groups of corrections officers have abused inmates in Los Angeles jails for decades.

The report, written by Chief Attorney Michael Gennaco, includes almost a dozen detailed reports of instances where officers lied about their involvement with inmate beatings, didn’t report beatings that they witnessed, and used excessive force against non-resistant prisoners.

The report comes at a time when the sheriff’s department is under increasing scrutiny for how it operates the county’s jails. Last month the F.B.I. announced it’s investigating allegations of “inmate beatings and other misconduct.” The inquiries include allegations that deputies broke an inmate’s jaw and other facial bones and beat another man for two minutes while he was unconscious.

The ACLU also released an annual report on the county’s jail system in September that detailed a pattern of what the report called “severe and pervasive abuse of inmates” at the hands of deputies that has been allowed to exist under the direction of Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca, who the report says has covered up and ignored the claims of savagery.

...

Absolutely unconscionable! These are supposed to be trained professionals that can perform the job without constant supervision. If the criminal penalties are increased because of actions against police, then penalties for criminal acts by police should be increased by factors.

[nofurylike]

Quote:The ACLU also released an annual report on the county’s jail system in September that detailed a pattern of what the report called “severe and pervasive abuse of inmates” at the hands of deputies that has been allowed to exist under the direction of Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca, who the report says has covered up and ignored the claims of savagery.

kills me. how long, how loudly have we cried out for them to recognize this, all over this country, and to do something to STOP IT?! acting like this is a rarity, a discovery, limited ... "dozens"? when even the article says "several thousand complaints ... in the past year alone ... "

o yeah, put cameras in there, in all jails and prisons, and get a look at what we've been allowing ... NO! WE HAVE BEEN PAYING THEM TO DO!! better, yet, investigate the inmates' COMPLAINTS!!



thank you for posting that, Brewman_Jax