Two California lawmakers have requested the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate a violent incident at Men’s Central Jail in 2022. The incident involved a Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputy who appeared to slam a handcuffed inmate’s head into a concrete wall, causing a 3-inch wound.
The incident came to light when the American Civil Liberties Union released a 15-second clip of surveillance video showing the brutal act. Despite an internal criminal investigation by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, the district attorney’s office declined to prosecute the deputies involved.
In response, Democratic U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla and Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove sent letters to Attorney General Merrick Garland requesting federal intervention. They expressed concerns about a pattern of deputy abuses in the Los Angeles County jails and the failure to hold them accountable.
The lawmakers criticized the district attorney’s decision not to prosecute and highlighted the need for the U.S. DOJ to step in. The Sheriff’s Department, on the other hand, claimed to have made progress in reducing violence in the jails and complying with a class-action lawsuit.
The ACLU also praised the lawmakers’ efforts to push for accountability in the jails, given the district attorney’s inaction. The incident in question occurred on July 4, 2022, when deputies escorted an inmate to the shower, resulting in the violent confrontation captured on surveillance video.
The district attorney’s memo suggested that the inmate may have made sudden movements towards the wall before the deputy grabbed him. However, critics, including the ACLU, disputed this account and called for a thorough investigation to hold the deputies accountable for their actions.
Overall, the incident at Men’s Central Jail has raised concerns about the treatment of inmates and the need for greater oversight to prevent such acts of violence in the future. Sure! Please provide the content that you would like me to rewrite in a more understandable way.
Source link
