LA sheriff under fire after report slams jails

Lawyer Blogs

Los Angeles County's longtime sheriff is facing one of the toughest attacks of his 13-year term, after a civil rights group demanded his resignation and claimed he looked the other way while his sprawling jail network became co-opted by violent and corrupt deputies who routinely abuse inmates.

Sheriff Lee Baca, whose deputies oversee about 15,000 inmates in the nation's busiest jail system, said he welcomed the criticism but disputed the claims made Wednesday by the American Civil Liberties Union. He said he had no intention of stepping down.

The ACLU demanded the four-term sheriff's resignation, saying he and his top commanders are willfully indifferent to claims made by inmates and civilian jail visitors that deputies routinely viciously assault inmates.

In one case, an inmate at the downtown Men's Central Jail said deputies accused him of stealing mail then punched him, breaking an eye socket, and marched him naked to a cell occupied by two gang members.

Deputies repeatedly ignored the man's cries for help as the gang members raped him while another inmate flushed his head down a toilet to muffle his screams, the man, who had been jailed for making criminal threats, said in a sworn declaration.

Related listings

  • Wis. Supreme Court takes payday loan case

    Wis. Supreme Court takes payday loan case

    Lawyer Blogs 09/26/2011

    The state Supreme Court has agreed to decide whether Wisconsin law permits judges to determine when payday loan interest rates are too high. The court will consider whether state statutes block judges from determining if a particular interest rate is...

  • Ill. court rules against releasing Drew Peterson

    Ill. court rules against releasing Drew Peterson

    Lawyer Blogs 09/20/2011

    The Illinois Supreme Court says Drew Peterson must stay in jail while the former police officer fights charges that he murdered his third wife.Peterson has been jailed for more than two years. His trial has been on hold while prosecutors appeal a rul...

  • Fugitive siblings from Fla. in Colorado court

    Fugitive siblings from Fla. in Colorado court

    Lawyer Blogs 09/20/2011

    Three siblings accused in a cross-country crime spree that began in Florida and ended with a police chase in southern Colorado could soon learn whether they'll stand trial.Lee Grace Dougherty and her brothers Dylan Stanley-Dougherty and Ryan Edward D...

New Rochelle, New York Personal Injury Lawyers

If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident, contact Kommer, Bave & Ollman, LLP, in New Rochelle, New York, immediately. We can answer all your questions and work with you to determine if you have the grounds for a personal injury lawsuit. The attorneys at our firm are determined to resolve even the most difficult of cases. We will work closely with you to determine the best course of action to get your claim or case resolved in the most efficient way possible. We will fight for your right to compensation! No one should have to suffer a financial burden from the result of another person’s carelessness. The attorneys at Kommer, Bave & Ollman, LLP will aggressively fight to ensure that justice is served on your behalf.

Business News

New York & New Jersey Family Law Matters We represent our clients in all types of proceedings that include termination of parental rights. >> read