On March 23, 2011, the Collective issued the following press release:
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Contact: Kenneth A. Kreuscher, Attorney, Portland Law Collective, LLP. Cellular Telephone: 503-880-5767; Email: Kenneth@portlandlawcollective.com
NEWS RELEASE
For March 24, 2011
Civil Rights Lawsuit Against NORCOR Jail and Guards for Forcefully Swinging a Behind-the-Back Handcuffed Man Face First into a Concrete Wall in an Incident Caught on Video Camera.
(Portland, OR—morning)/(The Dalles, OR—afternoon) – A Portland man will file a federal civil rights lawsuit on March 24, 2011, accusing Northern Oregon Regional Correctional Facilities (NORCOR) in The Dalles, Oregon and NORCOR officials of using excessive force when corrections officers forcefully swung Mr. Chadwick James Yancey face first into a concrete wall, breaking his teeth and jaw. Yancey was handcuffed behind his back at the time.
Jail officials at first failed to give Yancey dental care despite a doctor’s orders. However after 5 days of severe pain, and repeated requests for dental care, the jail allowed Yancey to see a dentist. The dentist informed Yancey that at least three of his front teeth were broken or cracked. During a follow-up dental visit, Yancey learned that his jaw was broken.
Yancey was booked as an inmate at NORCOR on April 9, 2009. Yancey reports,
“While in jail, I was sitting at a table, handcuffed, talking to the Sergeant. This big guard interrupted and began to talk trash to me. He pulled me up and swung me face first into the wall, like I was a baseball bat. Another guard helped. Some of my teeth broke and cracked like a mirror. My neck and shoulder exploded with pain. The guards dragged me off camera and continued to beat me up. The jail wouldn’t let me see a dentist for days even though I was in extreme pain, and a doctor told them to.
“I’m in pain to this day. It just isn’t right. The guards made fun of me, laughing about pieces of my teeth being stuck in the wall. They told me that they wouldn’t get into any trouble, that they ‘take care of punks like me everyday’ and told me that I was lucky they weren’t charging me for damaging the wall with my teeth. It was terrible.
“I’m a peaceful person. I was at NORCOR for a probation issue involving medical marijuana. I just don’t want them at NORCOR to get away with it or to do it again to others.”
Yancey’s attorneys state that they are aware of other incidents of abuse of restrained inmates at NORCOR but that Yancey’s experience presents a rare case. “Unfortunately, NORCOR seems to have a problem with abusing restrained inmates,” states civil rights attorney Kenneth A. Kreuscher. “But Mr. Yancey’s case is different. It presents the rare case where the acts of excessive force are clearly captured on video. After the initial ‘wall slam’ of Mr. Yancey by two NORCOR deputies, the video depicts the deputies dragging Mr. Yancey off camera, where Mr. Yancey reports that he was abused further.”
NORCOR is a regional jail with a history of misconduct allegations. In the recent past, NORCOR has been plagued with employee-reported accusations of abuse of restrained inmates, mismanagement, discrimination, and sexual and age harassment of inmates and employees. Despite a district attorney investigation of the complaints, a NORCOR County Commissioners’ Board investigation, and repeated employee complaints that blamed Captain Larry Lindhorst (the day-to-day jail supervisor) for creating a hostile and dangerous jail environment, Captain Lindhorst has kept his job.
(On the morning of March 24, 2011 at 11am, there will be a press conference on the steps of the Federal Courthouse, 1000 Southwest 3rd Avenue, Portland,OR.
In the afternoon at 4pm, there will be a press conference in front of NORCOR, 211 Webber Street, The Dalles.
Mr. Yancey and his attorneys will provide statements.
Copies of the Lawsuit Complaint will be available at the press conferences;
Video of the incident has been posted on the internet and is viewable by searching Youtube.com for the phrase “STOPCROOKEDCOPS” all one word with no spaces, or Googling “STOPCROOKEDCOPS” all one word with no spaces.
Representatives from the “Fire Frashour Campaign” will also be present with a prepared statement.)
Contact: Kenneth A. Kreuscher, Attorney, Portland Law Collective, LLP.
Cellular Telephone: 503-880-5767; Email: Kenneth@portlandlawcollective.com
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The full video can be see below
