Franklin County Sheriff’s Office Embroiled in Abuse of Power Scandal
The Franklin County Sheriff’s Office in Columbus, Ohio has been at the center of a tumultuous scandal involving the misuse of tasers in the county jails. According to a recent court filing, the sheriff’s office has been accused of inappropriately using tasers against detainees, including those with disabilities, in violation of their constitutional rights.
The allegations were first brought to light in a class action lawsuit filed by Disability Rights Ohio, a federally designated protection and advocacy organization for persons with disabilities. The suit claimed that sheriff’s deputies used tasers against detainees who were not reasonably perceived to pose a threat to the safety of the deputy or others, and were not resisting by use of physical force.
The lawsuit also alleged that the sheriff’s office prohibited the use of tasers against persons who questioned a deputy’s commands in a non-violent manner, or who remained in a limp or prone position. However, the sheriff’s office ignored these restrictions and continued to use tasers against vulnerable individuals.
On February 4, 2011, the U.S. District Court of the Southern District of Ohio approved and entered a settlement agreement between the sheriff’s office and Disability Rights Ohio. The agreement prohibited the use of tasers against detainees who were not reasonably perceived to pose a threat to the safety of the deputy or others, and required the sheriff’s office to implement significant reforms to its policies, procedures, and training.
After more than two years of sustained compliance with the settlement agreement, the Justice Department announced that it had joined the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office and Disability Rights Ohio in a motion to terminate the agreement. On December 28, 2015, the federal court granted the parties’ joint motion to terminate the settlement agreement, citing the sheriff’s office’s significant improvements in its use of force practices.
The termination of the agreement marks a major victory for Disability Rights Ohio and the individuals who have been affected by the sheriff’s office’s misuse of tasers. It also highlights the importance of accountability and oversight in law enforcement agencies.
Mandatory Facts:
Defendant: Franklin County Sheriff’s Office
Criminal Charges: Abuse of Power
City and State: Columbus, Ohio
Exact Date: February 4, 2011
Sentence or Outcome: Settlement Agreement Terminated
Dollar Amounts: None
Related Federal Cases
- Jeffery J. Sutton, Bribery and Abuse of Power, Ohio 2024 · Washington
- Ethan C. Seitz, Obstructing an Official Proceeding, Ohio 2021 · Washington
- Dean Robert Harshman, Obstructing an Official Proceeding, Ohio 2021 · District of Columbia
- Mathew Borges, Racketeering Conspiracy, Ohio 2023 · Washington
- Larry Householder, Racketeering Conspiracy, Ohio 2020 · Florida
Key Facts
- State: Ohio
- Category: Public Corruption
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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