Overview
- The suit says that on May 22, 2025 about a dozen deputies entered a women’s housing pod, corralled inmates into a common area and ordered them to strip, lift their breasts, spread their buttocks, squat, and cough while some male deputies watched.
- Plaintiffs say body-worn cameras recorded the searches after a supervisor allegedly refused a deputy’s request to turn a camera off, and that male deputies were deliberately stationed with sightlines into the search area.
- The complaint describes a pattern of additional invasive conduct, including an alleged orifice search, deputies using flashlights to inspect genitalia, and male deputies entering a woman’s hospital room during pelvic exams and breastfeeding.
- The Sheriff’s Office denies that male deputies strip-searched female inmates and says internal and Department of Police Accountability reviews found different conclusions, though administrative and public oversight investigations are still active.
- Twenty women filed the federal class-action in U.S. District Court seeking compensatory and punitive damages plus injunctive relief, a move that could prompt policy changes and financial liability for the city if claims are proven.