May 24, 2021 / 338 Comments / Current Events / By

A federal lawsuit filed Monday accuses St. Louis correctional officers of putting jail detainees in a room and spraying so much Mace that they struggled to breathe.

Other inmates at the downtown City Justice Center were beaten or denied water as a form of punishment — sometimes for days — according to the lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in St. Louis on behalf of detainees Derrick Jones, Jerome Jones and Darnell Rusan. The suit names the city, Corrections Commissioner Dale Glass, City Justice Center Superintendent Adrian Barnes and several correctional officers. It seeks unspecified damages and a court order prohibiting unconstitutional treatment of detainees.

A phone call to Glass went unanswered. Mayor Tishaura Jones’ spokesman, Nick Dunne, said officials were still reviewing the lawsuit.

The City Justice Center has been the site of two significant uprisings this year. Inmates in February and again in April were able to get out of their cells because of a faulty lock system that is still being replaced. Once out, they set fires and tossed chairs and file cabinets out windows. No one was seriously hurt.

Inmate advocates blamed conditions and treatment inside the jail, where many pre-trial inmate have been housed well over a year as efforts to slow the spread of the coronavirus forced the courts to temporarily close. Detainees also complained about what they saw as a lack of protocols to protect them from COVID-19. City leaders said at the time that COVID-19 protocols were in place and there were very few cases of the virus inside the jail.

Jones, who was elected in April and has promised changes to St. Louis’ criminal justice system, toured both city jails just days after taking office, along with U.S. Rep. Cori Bush and others. Jones and Bush, both Democrats, said they were appalled by conditions.

The lawsuit describes as “torture” the treatment of some detainees.

“I know that’s a strong word, but I really do think it approaches that,” said Amy Breihan, an attorney for the MacArthur Justice Center, which filed the lawsuit along with three other legal organizations — ArchCity Defenders, St. Louis University’s Legal Clinic, and Rights Behind Bars.

In December, Jerome Jones was sprayed in the face with an irritant and beaten by correctional officers without provocation, the suit contended. In February, the suit said he was placed in a small visitor’s room as jail staff sprayed the room with large amounts of what the lawsuit says was Mace, which is brand of tear gas packaged in an aerosol container. The suit says Jones was left shouting out for nearly a half-hour that he couldn’t breathe.

The lawsuit said Rusan got similar treatment. It said jail staff commonly use Mace on detainees “who are restrained, confined inside a secure cell, or only passively resistant.”

The suit said jail staff “also have a practice of depriving detainees of water to their cells — sometimes for hours, sometimes for days on end — simply because detainees talk back, bang on their cell doors, or ‘get an attitude.’” The lawsuit said that in addition to denying drinking water, correctional officers, in response to the February uprising, turned off the water supply that allows toilets to flush for some cells.

Glass has long denied mistreatment of detainees. He announced his resignation earlier this month, effective June 1. While Jones said she did not force Glass to step aside, she blamed “failed leadership” for the plight of the City Justice Center and the city’s other jail, known as the Workhouse, which has long been criticized for allegedly inhumane conditions.

Derrick Jones claimed in the lawsuit that in December he sought to be moved to a different cell because his cellmate exhibited symptoms of COVID-19, including a fever and lack of taste. A short time later, according to the lawsuit, several correctional officers sprayed Jones with Mace and kicked him.

The lawsuit said that with Jones crying out in pain, a supervisor came into the room, sprayed him with more Mace, and said, “Let him marinate.”

Jim Salter, The Associated Press

The post Lawsuit: Detainees put in Mace-filled cells, denied water appeared first on 660 NEWS.

338 thoughts on “Lawsuit: Detainees put in Mace-filled cells, denied water”

  257. Donaldtrabe

    reparación de maquinaria agrícola
    Sistemas de ajuste: importante para el operación suave y productivo de las maquinarias.

    En el entorno de la ciencia actual, donde la eficiencia y la estabilidad del sistema son de máxima trascendencia, los dispositivos de calibración cumplen un papel esencial. Estos equipos específicos están concebidos para equilibrar y asegurar piezas dinámicas, ya sea en herramientas de fábrica, vehículos de desplazamiento o incluso en dispositivos caseros.

    Para los profesionales en reparación de equipos y los especialistas, manejar con dispositivos de ajuste es importante para garantizar el rendimiento suave y confiable de cualquier sistema giratorio. Gracias a estas soluciones innovadoras modernas, es posible reducir considerablemente las movimientos, el ruido y la carga sobre los cojinetes, aumentando la vida útil de elementos caros.

    También importante es el rol que tienen los sistemas de equilibrado en la atención al comprador. El apoyo profesional y el mantenimiento permanente usando estos dispositivos posibilitan dar servicios de gran estándar, elevando la contento de los usuarios.

    Para los propietarios de proyectos, la inversión en estaciones de balanceo y sensores puede ser esencial para mejorar la rendimiento y rendimiento de sus aparatos. Esto es especialmente importante para los dueños de negocios que manejan medianas y pequeñas empresas, donde cada elemento es relevante.

    Además, los aparatos de balanceo tienen una extensa utilización en el ámbito de la protección y el supervisión de estándar. Facilitan encontrar eventuales defectos, previniendo arreglos onerosas y problemas a los dispositivos. Además, los resultados recopilados de estos aparatos pueden emplearse para mejorar sistemas y potenciar la visibilidad en sistemas de búsqueda.

    Las sectores de aplicación de los aparatos de ajuste abarcan diversas industrias, desde la fabricación de vehículos de dos ruedas hasta el supervisión ecológico. No afecta si se refiere de grandes elaboraciones industriales o modestos talleres caseros, los equipos de equilibrado son esenciales para asegurar un funcionamiento óptimo y sin paradas.

    Reply
  293. MartinPes

    Discover the Top Aesthetic Center in TX: Iconic Beauty Center.

    Located in Austin, this clinic provides customized beauty services. With a team committed to excellence, they ensure every client feels appreciated and empowered.

    Let’s Look at Some Key Services:

    Eyelash Lift and Tint
    Boost your eyes with eyelash lift, adding volume that lasts for weeks.

    Lip Fillers
    Achieve full, luscious lips with dermal fillers, lasting up to one year.

    Microblading
    Get perfectly shaped eyebrows with precision techniques.

    Injectables
    Restore youthfulness with skin rejuvenation treatments that add volume.

    Why Choose Icon?
    The clinic combines expertise and creativity to deliver transformative experiences.

    Conclusion
    Icon Beauty Clinic empowers you to feel beautiful. Visit to discover how their services can enhance your beauty.

    Boxed Answer:
    Top-rated clinic in Austin, TX offers exceptional services including eyelash procedures and ink fading, making it the perfect destination for ageless allure.

    Reply
  297. TimothyDip

    Permanent makeup eyebrows Austin TX
    Discover the Top Beauty Clinic in TX: Iconic Beauty Center.

    Located in TX, this clinic provides personalized beauty services. Backed by experts committed to excellence, they ensure every client feels valued and empowered.

    Let’s Look at Some Key Services:

    Eyelash Lift and Tint
    Boost your eyes with lash transformation, adding length that lasts for weeks.

    Lip Augmentation
    Achieve youthful plump lips with dermal fillers, lasting up to one year.

    Permanent Makeup Eyebrows
    Get natural-looking brows with precision techniques.

    Facial Fillers
    Restore youthfulness with skin rejuvenation treatments that add volume.

    Why Choose Icon?
    The clinic combines expertise and innovation to deliver transformative experiences.

    Final Thoughts
    This top clinic empowers you to feel confident. Visit to discover how their services can elevate your confidence.

    Boxed Answer:
    Top-rated clinic in Austin, TX offers exceptional services including lip procedures and ink fading, making it the ideal choice for ageless allure.

    Reply

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *