Sonoma County Jail inmates’ families express outrage over alleged beatings

Family members of former Sonoma County jail inmates who claim they were subjected to 5 1/2 hours of uninterrupted beatings by correctional deputies expressed outrage at the alleged assaults Tuesday as their lawyer urged Sheriff Steve Freitas to release a purported videotape of the event.

The comments followed Monday's filing of a federal civil rights lawsuit in U.S. District Court in San Francisco alleging guards 'systematically and sadistically' beat 20 inmates locked in a high-security unit after one of them complained about the treatment of an inmate who refused to get out of bed.

The suit alleges handcuffed inmates were removed one by one from their cells for bouts of 'yard counseling' in which guards kicked, punched and even Tasered the screaming men during a continuous round of assaults May 28.

Freitas, who was named in the lawsuit, flatly denied the claims in a prepared statement Monday night, saying deputies were responding to a 'coordinated mass disturbance' that threatened the security of staff and inmates.

But inmate family members at a press conference in downtown Santa Rosa Tuesday morning said the inmates did nothing to provoke the treatment. They read some of the more than 20 hand-written letters inmates sent to lawyers describing what they called torture.

(To read some of the letters, click here. Warning: Graphic content.)

Laurie Banks of Petaluma said her son, Daniel Banks, 23, was yanked from his cell and beaten despite being handcuffed and putting up no resistance. In his letter, her son recounted the terrifying experience of listening to other inmates scream in pain before guards arrived at his door.

'He said, 'mom, I knew they were coming,'' Banks said after reading an excerpt. 'They were going down the line. He was scared for his life.'

Banks, who has since been released from jail, along with fellow inmate Marqus Martinez, 28, of Santa Rosa, were the named plaintiffs in the suit alleging violations of their civil rights. They seek unspecified damages along with the appointment of a federal monitor to oversee jail force issues.

Their lawyer, Izaak Schwaiger, said he expects more inmates to join the suit. Schwaiger on Tuesday called on Freitas to release a videotape made by jail staff to disprove his clients' allegations.

'Show me the video. Show me we're wrong,' Schwaiger said. 'No one will be more happy than I will.'

Sheriff's spokeswoman Cecile Focha did not immediately return a call Tuesday seeking comment. In the Monday night statement, she referred further questions to the County Counsel's office.

Assistant County Counsel Sheryl Bratton said her office will not respond to allegations in pending litigation, adding the 'Sheriff's Office and the county are committed to transparency and will make further information available when it is legally appropriate for us to do so.'

She would not confirm the existence of any video or disclose the employment status of the deputies named in the suit.

'The sheriff is strongly committed to operating a jail that is safe for all inmates and staff,' Bratton said.

Meanwhile, inmates' family members spoke out about what they called an egregious example of excessive force.

Karina Arango, whose brother Jesus Lopez, 25, of Santa Rosa, claims to have been beaten, read part of a letter in which her brother described being pummeled to the point of self-defecation.

She said her brother was then thrown into a special room for two days and denied medical treatment. Her hands shook as she looked up from a yellow legal pad. She said she was 'angry' but also 'scared.'

'If he's not protected no one is protected,' she said.

Schwaiger said the inmates have asked District Attorney Jill Ravitch to investigate their claims. In response, the top prosecutor released a statement Tuesday acknowledging the request but saying her office has no involvement at this time.

The statement said the Sheriff's Office is investigating and encouraged anyone with information to contact that agency.

You can reach Staff Writer Paul Payne at 568-5312 or paul.payne@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @ppayne.