Lawsuit Filed Against ADOC for Severe Beating of an Inmate

A lawsuit was filed today in Montgomery County Circuit Court arising from a severe beating of an inmate by DOC employees at the St. Clair Correctional Facility, a prison well known for abuse, neglect, murders and beatings from the hands of prison guards and top officials at the prison.

Birmingham attorney Tommy James represents the victim in this case.

In July, 2014, Venture Harrison was severely beaten by two prison guards while their Lieutenant looked on and did nothing to stop the unprovoked attack. The guards ordered Venture Harrison out of his cell in the middle of the night, took him into the hallway outside of his area, handcuffed him, and then hit him on the back of his head with handcuffs wrapped around their knuckles, causing severe injuries, including 17 staples in his head, bruised ribs and permanent eye injuries. Mr. Harrison received multiple death threats from the defendants before and after the attack on him.

“When Mr. Harrison was placed in the troubled St. Clair Correctional Facility, he was under the care, custody and control of DOC and its employees. Sadly, DOC guards beat the hell out of my client for no reason,” James said. “This case and other cases at this prison have been under investigation by the U.S. Attorney’s office and the FBI. We are obviously assisting them in any way we can in these investigations.”

“The Equal Justice Initiative has previously filed a class action lawsuit against the defendants in the case that we filed today. That suit mentions what happened to my client,” James said.

The Alabama Department of Corrections, current commissioner Jefferson Dunn, Warden Carter Davenport, Karen Carter, Donald Lukima and Christopher Smith are named as defendants in this suit.

“When an individual is sentenced to prison, they are sentenced to pay their debt to society. They are not sentenced to beatings by state employees and worse. We truly hope that this lawsuit will send a message that there must be change at this prison. The justice department clearly agrees with this,” said James.

For further information and a copy of the Complaint, please contact Tommy James at 334-224-2496 or tjameslaw1@gmail.com.