Sheriff Releases Videos Of Excessive Force Against Cook County Jail Inmates
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Inmates being dragged, manhandled, and forced to the ground; Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart has released six videos showing deputies using excessive force, saying the public has the right to know.
The sheriff's office said they believe this is the first time such video has been voluntarily released.
"To our knowledge, no jail or prison has ever voluntarily or proactively put out videos of excessive uses of force. It's never been done," said Dart spokesman Ben Breit.
The videos show six separate cases in which the Cook County Sheriff's Merit Board sustained allegations of excessive force.
Breit said the videos are difficult to watch. They show violent encounters between jail guards and inmates, but Breit said it's the first step in Dart's campaign to restore accountability.
"Sheriff Dart has continued to struggle and contemplate how do we provide the public with the level of transparency that they deserve into how their government operates?" he said.
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One video shows an inmate off his feet, on the ground, and being dragged to a cell with his pants around his ankles. The sheriff's office sought to fire one of the deputies involved.
Another video shows a deputy confronting an inmate in a dining area, and leading him out, then a second camera catches the deputy punching the inmate and forcing the inmate to the ground.
In a third video, an inmate asks why he's being treated so roughly as he's forced down a hall, making audible choking sounds.
Dart said 13 deputies were seen using excessive force in the six videotaped incidents. One deputy took part in two separate incidents.
All 13 either have resigned, were fired, or have been suspended as a result of their actions.
Dart said the 2,400 cameras installed at Cook County Jail have exponentially increased the ability of his office to hold officers accountable for misconduct.
