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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:
- Federal Court Grants HRDC Preliminary Injunction Against Mail Censorship at New Mexico Jail, May 1, 2026
- Faced with Record-Breaking Jail Deaths, L.A. County Supervisors Tell Sheriff’s Department to Improve Access to Naloxone, Camera Monitoring, and Security Checks at California Jail, May 1, 2026
- Federal Court Places Medical Care in Arizona Prisons Under Receivership, May 1, 2026
- Seventh Circuit Upholds Liability but Reverses Damages in Lawsuit Over Illinois Warden and Investigator Using Prisoner as Bait to Catch Staff Member Raping Her, May 1, 2026
- Texas Moves to Restrict Cashless Bond and Reverse Federal Court-Ordered Misdemeanor Bail Reform, May 1, 2026
- In Texas, Harris County Commissioners Approve $1.2 Million for Fourth Study of Jail Since 2020 After Dozens of Abuse Allegations, April 1, 2026
- Texas Attorney General Clarifies Scope of Statute Requiring Outside Agency Investigation of Jail Deaths, April 1, 2026
- D.C. Judge Blocks Transfer of Biden-Commuted Federal Death Row Prisoners to “Supermax,” Citing Lack of Meaningful Due Process, April 1, 2026
- Eighth Circuit Revives Lawsuit Over Iowa Jail Detainee’s Suicide, April 1, 2026
- Groundbreaking Statistical Study of Pregnant Texas Jail Detainees Finds Over 400 Monthly, April 1, 2026
More from these topics:
- Washington Governor Fires Independent Prison Watchdog, May 1, 2026. DOC/BOP misconduct, Government Misconduct, Pepper Spray/Tear Gas, Restraints, Administrative Detention/Segregation.
- Idaho DOC Director Denies Verified Report of Rampant Sexual Abuse of Women Prisoners by Staff, May 1, 2026. Staff-Prisoner Assault, Guard Misconduct, DOC/BOP misconduct, Retaliatory Segregation, Prison Rape Elimination Act.
- “Like the Walking Dead”: Smuggled Drugs Fuel Chaos Inside Ohio Prisons, May 1, 2026. Contractor Misconduct, Guard Misconduct, Drug Overdose, Security Systems, Drugs - Determination of.
- Watchdog Finds Barely 1 in 10 Complaints Against California Prison Staff Handled Adequately, May 1, 2026. Guard Misconduct, DOC/BOP misconduct, Evidence, Staff Training, Statutes of Limitation and Laches.
- Records Show Culture of Impunity Among Kentucky Prison Guards, May 1, 2026. Guard Misconduct, Snitch Jacketing, Whistleblowing, Evidence - Admissibility.
- Idaho Struggles to Respond to Devasting Report of Widespread Prisoner Sex Abuse, April 1, 2026. Staff-Prisoner Assault, Guard Misconduct, Prison Rape Elimination Act, State Legislation, Public Records Act.
- $950,000 Settlement Reached for Pennsylvania Jail Detainee Repeatedly Pepper-Sprayed During Mental Health Episodes, April 1, 2026. Clothing, Pepper Spray/Tear Gas, Failure to Treat (Mental Illness), Chemical Spraying of Mentally Ill Inmates, Deliberate Indifference.
- $667,000 Awarded to Muslim Missouri Prisoners Pepper-Sprayed for Praying, April 1, 2026. Religious Discrimination, Pepper Spray/Tear Gas, Religious Practices, 42 U.S. Code § 1983, civil action for deprivation of rights, Deliberate Indifference.
- $10.3 Million Paid for Teen’s Death at Kansas Juvenile Detention Facility, April 1, 2026. Restraints, Qualified Immunity, Excessive Force (Wrongful Death), 42 U.S. Code § 1983, civil action for deprivation of rights, Wrongful Use of Force.
- Leaked Video Footage Shows California Prison Guards Engaged in Retaliatory Assault, March 1, 2026. Guard Misconduct, Retaliation for Filing Grievances, Pepper Spray/Tear Gas, Prison Rape Elimination Act.

