A Pittsburgh man is suing Allegheny County and several officers at the jail, alleging they beat him so severely on two separate occasions in the intake unit that they dislocated his shoulder and broke his ribs.
Shawn Marple, 36, alleges excessive force, failure to intervene and municipal liability in the complaint filed Friday in federal court.
He is seeking monetary damages.
A message left with Allegheny County late Friday was not immediately returned.
According to the lawsuit, Marple, who was charged with terroristic threats and harassment, was taken to the jail on April 18.
That day, he said, he was placed in the intake holding cell with at least 19 other people. It was so crowded, the complaint said, that he had to sleep on the concrete floor overnight.
He remained there for nearly 48 hours.
While waiting for breakfast in intake, the complaint continued, about eight corrections officers entered the cell, one of whom was holding breakfast bags, and began yelling at the people in the cell.
When Marple asked what was happening, the lawsuit said, “he was immediately punched in the back of the head by a corrections officer, causing him to fall onto the concrete floor.”
After that, it continued, other officers dragged Marple out of the intake holding cell, threw him to the ground and repeatedly punched and kicked him.
Then, the complaint said, officers pulled Marple’s arms behind his back.
“Mr. Marple begged them to stop because he felt his arm breaking; in response, a corrections officer pulled his arm so hard that it dislocated his shoulder,” the lawsuit said.
The officers continued to beat him, it continued. His injuries included a dislocated shoulder, broken ribs, a perforated eardrum and lacerations.
He was released from the jail after that.
Then, on Sept. 4, Marple re-entered the jail after his bail was revoked for a pending behavior clinic evaluation. At that time, the complaint said, he was recognized by several of the officers who participated in the first incident.
While again being held in intake, Marple heard an officer say over the intercom “‘this time we are going to break your orbital bone’ or something to that effect,” the lawsuit said.
Later the next day, while in the “staging area” receiving a uniform, the complaint continued, Marple was assaulted again.
“The staging area is a notorious area of the (county jail) where corrections officers can use force against incarcerated people off camera by using a shower area with obstructed view,” the lawsuit said.
Marple was punched in the back of the head when he wasn’t looking and continually assaulted while on the floor, it continued.
“Mr. Marple tried to crawl to an area where he could be seen on video surveillance, but three other corrections officers joined the assault and began punching and kicking him while he was on the ground, pulling him back into the obstructed shower area,” the lawsuit said.
As a result, it continued, Marple suffered a closed-head injury, facial and head bruising and swelling.
In further retaliation, the lawsuit alleges that Marple was placed in solitary confinement for 30 days as soon as he returned from the emergency room.
The lawsuit asserts that Marple never threatened anyone or resisted any lawful commands, and that he was assaulted without justification.
The complaint alleges that the jail has failed to properly train its officers in use of force and that a “culture of violence” exists in intake through overcrowding and escalation techniques.
Marple pleaded guilty in January to misdemeanor harassment.He was sentenced to 15 to 30 days of incarceration and immediately paroled.