Settlement reached in Franklin County jail lawsuit that alleges inmate mistreatment

Lawyers and Franklin County officials have reached a settlement in a federal lawsuit that alleges inmates at the county jail were grossly mistreated and their mental health needs ignored.

The county has agreed to add new mental health services, make renovations inside the jail and revise outdated policies and procedures, according to Columbia Legal Services, the Seattle legal-aid organization that filed the lawsuit in 2014.

It alleged that inmates were routinely subjected to inhumane and barbaric practices at the jail, including being chained to a fence for days, forced into isolation and left in restraint chairs.

The alleged mistreatment has reportedly stopped since Sheriff Jim Raymond took over for former, longtime Sheriff Richard Lathim.

The settlement comes after mediation that lasted nearly a year. It does not require the sheriff’s office to admit liability or that the allegations in the lawsuit are true.

A federal judge must approve the settlement before it becomes final, which is expected to happen soon.

Nick Straley, a lawyer with Columbia Legal Services, told the Herald that Franklin County officials seem committed to fixing issues within the facility.

“We believe that this settlement is an appropriate response to the many issues confronting the jail, its administration and staff,” Straley said. “We are encouraged that the jail and the county have recognized the need for significant changes and reforms.”

Columbia Legal Services wants to see better policies regarding the management of inmates, use of force, mental health services and training, Straley said. The settlement requires that changes be made to stop the practice of inmates being locked in their cells 23 hours a day.

The jail also will hire 11 new corrections employees over the next two years and ensure all staff is properly trained.

An independent monitor will be hired to track how quickly the jail implements changes. The person will provide updated reports every few months.

County Prosecutor Shawn Sant released a statement Thursday saying officials would not discuss the settlement until it becomes final, but the county is pleased an agreement could be reached and that Columbia Legal Services recognizes Raymond’s efforts to clean up the jail.

“Once the agreement has been approved and finalized by all parties in court, we will be able to discuss the terms in more detail,” the statement said. “Resolving this case short of trial will allow Franklin County to place its limited resources into improvements rather than costly litigation.”

Straley agreed that there have been improvements in the jail since Raymond and his staff have taken over, though serious problems still remain, he said. Experts hired by Columbia Legal Services and the county toured the jail and identified other issues besides the alleged mistreatment.

Raymond replaced Lathim in 2015 and a new commander was hired to run the jail.

“In reality they inherited a jail that had significant, serious, deep-seeded problems,” Straley said, “They have been working on some of those, and other (problems) are difficult to solve. The settlement is in part to make sure efforts continue.”

The lawsuit was originally filed while Lathim was running the sheriff’s department. The jail underwent a massive renovation while Lathim was in office, a project that cost nearly $20 million and wrapped up in 2014.

The Institutions Project, part of Columbia Legal Services, conducted an investigation into the jail that revealed abuse, poor medical services and a lack of training, lawyers said The team focuses on investigating inmate complaints and possible rights violations in Washington jails.

“This (jail) is among the worst, if not the worst, we have seen,” said Melissa Lee, an attorney with Columbia Legal Services, shortly after the lawsuit was filed. “It’s more inhumane than what we have seen in other places.”

The inhumane treatment was the result of the county’s “long-term failure” to fund the jail and provide staff resources, lawyers said. The result was a short-staffed facility with poorly trained corrections officers.

One of the most disturbing allegations that surfaced from the investigation was what jail staff called “four-pointing,” Straley said.

Corrections officers would chain people by their hands and feet to brackets on walls in holding cells and stretch them out on a concrete pad, sometimes without a mat, Straley said.

“We were very concerned about that practice in particular,” Straley said.

One inmate with mental health issues reportedly chewed his fingers off while chained to the fence in the booking area, according to the lawsuit. Another inmate with mental-health issues was apparently locked in a cell in her own feces for a week.

Mitchell Campbell, 26, who was mentally ill and had been arrested for being naked in a park, died in the jail shortly after he was strapped to a restraint and left alone, the lawsuit said.

Campbell died from an apparent seizure caused by alcohol or substance abuse, according to the Franklin County Coroner’s Office.

A $30 million wrongful death claim has been filed in the case. A federal lawsuit is expected to be filed.

Straley told the Herald he is confident the settlement will make the facility a safer place for future inmates.

“We look forward to working with the jail to ensure that the promise this settlement represents is realized in real changes on the ground,” Straley said.

This story was originally published February 11, 2016 at 11:28 AM with the headline "Settlement reached in Franklin County jail lawsuit that alleges inmate mistreatment."