During the past decades there has been many allegations that the Orange County deputies mistreat inmates. The U.S. Department of justice have the Orange County jail system under investigation which began in December and according to the "LA Times" the investigation may take longer than a year to tell whether past allegations are true. The investigations will also help to determine whether past incidents have been have been caused by deputies.
Deputies have been accused of using tasers on inmates who are handcuffed or restrained. In 2007 and 2008 many inmates died after being stunned. Earlier this year, Sheriff Sandra Hutchens ended these practices that were causing many inmates' death.
Not only, are tasers the only form in which inmates being hurt they are also being beat up because of false accusations. In 2006, an inmate was falsely accused of being a child molester and was beaten to death. The deputy was "busy" texting and watching TV, while the inmate was being assaulted for 50 minutes.
Sheriff Sandra Hutches has looked at these issues which have been brought up by federal investigators and is improving them. In the little time that she has been a sheriff she has manage to make a policy against tasers and there are also cameras in the Theo Lacy barracks.
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-oc-jails-investigation14-2009aug14,0,910769.story?track=rss
I hope that Sheriff Sandra Hutches brings more changes that improve the way that inmates are treated. Being stunned by a taser is a horrible and painful way to die. The deputies actions should not be torelated. He had the chance to save a life but he chose to be irresponsible while he was in duty. Severe actions should be taken against officers that don't take their job seriously.
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