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$50,000 Settlement for Neck Injury Resulting from Seattle Jail Guards Excessive Force

Loaded on Nov. 15, 2006 published in Prison Legal News November, 2006, page 40
Filed under: Excessive Force, Guard Brutality/Beatings. Location: Washington.

$50,000 Settlement for Neck Injury Resulting from Seattle Jail Guard's Excessive Force

Washington States King County Jail has paid a former jail prisoner $50,000 to settle a civil rights action claiming guards used excessive force and injured the prisoners neck.

Robert Ward Garrison was confined at the King County Department of Adult Detention and placed in an unsanitary cell that was piss covered. He begged, to no avail for guards to move him to another cell. On March 10, 1998, Garrison pulled apart a fire sprinkler, which ran for 45 minutes, flooding the wing.

A Sergeant ordered Garrison to be 4-pointed on a board, face down. His feet were shackled together, his right arm cuffed near his hip, and his left arm stretched out over his head. After Several hours, Garrisons shoulder began to hurt.

Garrison managed to free his feet and sat up. Eventually, guards discovered this and rushed the cell. One guard grabbed Garrison by the hair, slamming his face into the board, causing a very sharp burning pain. The guard then dropped his knee on Garrisons neck, which exploded in pain.

Garrison continued to experience neck pain, but it was not until January 1999 that an examination revealed he had sustained a herniated disc in his neck. Garrison then filed a civil rights action in April 2002.

In May 2006, Garrison agreed to settle the suit for $50,000 with King County. Garrison was represented by Carl Marquardt of the Seattle law firm Stokes Lawrence. See: Garrison v. King County Department of Adult Detention, USDC, WD WA, Case No. C02-0880.

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Related legal case

Garrison v. King County Department of Adult Detent

Year2006
CiteUSDC, WD WA, Case No. C02-0880
LevelDistrict Court
ConclusionSettlement
Attorney Fees0
Damages50000
Injunction StatusN/A

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