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$375,000 Settlement for Ohio Woman Pepper Sprayed in Jail’s Restraint Chair
by Matt Clarke
In August 2017, a lawsuit brought by a woman who was pepper sprayed at the Montgomery County jail in Dayton, Ohio – despite being held in a restraint chair – settled for $375,000.
Amber Swink was 24 years old when police received a domestic …
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More from this issue:
- FRCP Rule 25 Allows for Extension of Time to Substitute Party Upon Death, by David Reutter
- Michigan Prisoner Publishes Book, State Sues for His Proceeds, by Edward Lyon
- Inadequate Health Services for Native American Prisoners, by Edward Lyon
- Indiana DOC Settles Prisoner’s Retaliation Suit for $80,000, by Matthew Clarke
- Temple University Marks 20 Years of Transformative Inside-Out Prison Program, by Derek Gilna
- Previous NY Escapee Fails to Negotiate Privileges in Exchange for Revealing Security Flaws, by Derek Gilna
- Federal Compassionateless Release, by Dale Chappell
- Criticism of Commission-based Phone Contract at Pennsylvania County Prison, by R. Bailey
- Massachusetts County Faces Lawsuit Over Phone Fee Kickbacks, by Monte McCoin
- Trump Calls Prison Reform “Very Important” as First Step Act Passes in the House, by Christopher Zoukis
- Federal Class-action Accuses CoreCivic of Exploiting Immigrant Detainee Labor, by Derek Gilna
- Wrongfully-convicted California Prisoner Exonerated, Receives $15 Million, by Derek Gilna
- Donald Who? Reform Goes Forward Despite His Idiocy, by Joseph Margulies
- Growing Number of Local Jurisdictions Reject Correctional Privatization, by Monte McCoin
- Louisiana Judge’s Views May Warrant Recusal in All Death Penalty Cases, by David R. Bailey
- Georgia Renewal Statute Requires Prepayment of Costs of Prior Suit
- Virginia: Former Assistant Warden Gets Suspended Sentence for Trading Privileges for Sex, by Monte McCoin
- Alaska Jail Recorded Attorney-client Conversations for Four Years, by Monte McCoin
- Canadian Non-profit Seeks Plant-based Focus, No Animal Slaughter at Prison Farms, by Derek Gilna
- Michigan Prisoners Receive Compensation for Wrongful Convictions, by Derek Gilna
- Federal Judge Dismisses Class-action Suits Over Jail Phone Rates, Commissions, by Christopher Zoukis
- Alabama Pastor and Non-profit Director Fights Capital Murder Charge, by Derek Gilna
- Former Prosecutor and Director of Tennessee DOC Sentenced to Prison, by Monte McCoin
- 15 Years to Life for Jailers Who Beat Mentally Ill Prisoner to Death, by Christopher Zoukis
- Federal Prisoner’s Custody Status Continues While “on Loan” to Face State Charges
- North Carolina Prison Guard Beaten, Stabbed; Sources Say His Past Brutality Made Him a Target, by Monte McCoin
- Prisoners Help Train Future (K9) Law Enforcement Officers, by Christopher Zoukis
- California Prison Spends $417,000 on Bottled Water as Contamination, Violations Continue, by Panagioti Tsolkas
- Tennessee Jailer Convicted of Official Misconduct, “Extreme Provocative Contact”, by Monte McCoin
- Florida: $60,000 Settlement for Juvenile Offender Raped During “Test of Heart” Ritual, by David Reutter
- Arpaio’s Infamous Tent City is Gone but Arizona State Prison’s Tent City Remains, by Matthew Clarke
- Texas Towns with Private Prisons Experience Job Losses, by Matthew Clarke
- $375,000 Settlement for Ohio Woman Pepper Sprayed in Jail’s Restraint Chair, by Matthew Clarke
- The Catalyst: Thelton Henderson Transformed California’s Criminal Justice System. Now Comes the Backlash, by Abbie Vansickle
- Alabama Prisoners Suffer Nation’s Highest Homicide, Suicide Rates, by David Reutter
- Jail Prisoner Injured in Attack by Co-defendant Settles for $5,000
- Federal Court Allows Menard Prisoner’s Lawsuit for Loss of Legal Papers, Retaliation to Proceed, by Derek Gilna
- $650,000 Settlement in Oregon Jail Wrongful Death Claim
- Texas Couple Wrongly Convicted in “Satanic Panic” Receive $3.4 Million, by Matthew Clarke
- HRDC Receives $25,000 Judgment in North Carolina Jail Censorship Case, by Steve Horn
- California Prison Psychiatrist Faces Harassment, Retaliation from State Officials, by Edward Lyon
- Lawsuit Against Private Prison Firm Over Prisoner’s Death at Texarkana Jail, by Matthew Clarke
- Arizona Man Falsely Arrested, Prosecuted by Iowa Officials Accepts $285,000 Settlement, by Edward Lyon
- Arkansas and Oklahoma Rehab Programs Sued for Using Court-ordered Defendants for Forced Labor, by David Reutter
- Private Prison Firms Use Revolving Door Lobbying, Generous Campaign Donations, by Steve Horn
- Colorado Prison Gang Leader Commits Suicide at Wyoming Prison, by Matthew Clarke
- Pennsylvania: Settlement Changes Jail’s Policy for Treatment of Pregnant Prisoners
- New Jersey Jail Scrutinized after Suicides; Guards Charged, Families Sue, by Edward Lyon
- From the Editor, by Paul Wright
- News in Brief
- Prison Food and Commissary Services: A Recipe for Disaster, by David Reutter
More from Matthew Clarke:
- Seventh Circuit Grants Qualified Immunity to Detectives Who Revealed Prisoner Was Informant, Denies Him Anonymity, Aug. 1, 2026
- Seventh Circuit Holds Federal Law Prohibits County Jail from Forcing Immigration Detainees to Perform Custodial Labor by Threatening Solitary Confinement, Aug. 1, 2026
- New Mexico Supreme Court Holds Corrections Department Regulations Do Not Exempt Use-Of-Force Documents from Public Records Disclosure, Aug. 1, 2026
- DOJ Issues Memorandum Over BOP Employees Abusing Their Law Enforcement Credentials to Illegally Purchase Personal Firearms, Aug. 1, 2026
- Seventh Circuit Upholds Summary Judgment Against Former Illinois Prison Guards Challenging Termination for Violating Use of Force Policy, Aug. 1, 2026
- Federal Court Issues Preliminary Injunction Barring Enforcement of Executive Order to Transfer Trans Women Prisoners to Men’s Prisons, Aug. 1, 2026
- Idaho Supreme Court Holds Indigent Parents Have Constitutional Right to Counsel at Public Expense, July 1, 2026
- Free Phone Calls Saved Prisoners and Their Families More than $600 Million, Report Finds, July 1, 2026
- California Appeals Court Holds Defendant Cannot Be Penalized for Failing to Appear at Sentencing When He Was Being Held in Another County’s Jail on Preexisting Charges, July 1, 2026
- SCOTUS Reverses Mississippi Capital Conviction, July 1, 2026
More from these topics:
- Warden Out, Nineteen Guards Administratively Charged in Maryland Prisoner’s Death, Aug. 1, 2026. Guard Misconduct, Prison/Jail Murders, Failure to Protect (Wrongful Death), Failure to Protect (Staff).
- At Least Three Guards Charged for Assaulting Two Massachusetts Prisoners, Aug. 1, 2026. Guard Misconduct, Guard Brutality/Beatings, Assaults on Staff, Wrongful Use of Force.
- Death of Seattle Detainee—Jailed Despite Not Being “Grounded in Reality”—Costs King County $3.5 Million Settlement, Aug. 1, 2026. Restraints, Medical Neglect/Malpractice, Excessive Force (Wrongful Death), Failure to Treat (Mental Illness), Monell Liability.
- Ombudsman Report Finds Use of Force Misapplied in Contraband Search, Aug. 1, 2026. Guard Misconduct, Failure to Treat, Body Cavity Searches, Guard Brutality/Beatings, Pepper Spray/Tear Gas.
- Report Shows Pattern of Sexual Assaults in Santa Clara County Jail, Aug. 1, 2026. Staff-Prisoner Assault, Guard Misconduct, Jail Misconduct, Corrections Audits, Failure to Protect (General).
- Seventh Circuit Upholds Summary Judgment Against Former Illinois Prison Guards Challenging Termination for Violating Use of Force Policy, Aug. 1, 2026. Guard Misconduct, Pepper Spray/Tear Gas, Summary Judgment, Employee Litigation, Vagueness/Overbreadth.
- $6.35 Million Paid for Ohio Jail Detainee’s Spinal Cord Injury Caused by Guard, Aug. 1, 2026. Guard Misconduct, Malpractice, Guard Brutality/Beatings, Settlements, Wrongful Use of Force.
- San Diego Guard Sentenced for Shoving a Shackled Detainee, Aug. 1, 2026. Guard Misconduct, Guard Brutality/Beatings, False Statements/Perjury, Wrongful Use of Force.
- Court Records Reveal Alabama DOC Guard Ignored Stabbed Prisoner, Aug. 1, 2026. Guard Misconduct, Medical Misconduct, Failure to Treat, Medical Neglect/Malpractice, Deliberate Indifference.
- Wave of Staff Arrests Exposes Persistent Misconduct at South Carolina Jail, Aug. 1, 2026. Staff-Prisoner Assault, Guard Misconduct, Jail Misconduct, Guard Brutality/Beatings, Obstruction of Justice.

