A Loudoun County inmate is for $7 million after he said he was mistreated by guards and burned by scalding hot water.
The incident happened Feb. 4, when the Loudoun County Sheriff鈥檚 Office said Richard Piland, III, covered his window cell at the Loudoun County Adult Detention Center with toothpaste, which made it difficult for deputies to see inside.
and shared with 海角精品黑料 by Piland鈥檚 lawyers shows Piland refusing commands from deputies to put his hands through the slot in the cell door. At one point an officer uses pepper spray into the cell and Piland can be heard coughing.
鈥淢r. Piland refused to comply after given multiple verbal commands. Pepper spray was used,鈥� Michele Bowman, a spokesperson for the Loudoun County Sheriff鈥檚 Office, said in an emailed statement.
Once out of the cell, Piland appears to be placed in handcuffs and placed in a chair. He was then taken to a shower to be decontaminated.
In the shower, seconds after the water is turned on, Piland can be heard yelling 鈥渘o, no, please.鈥�
According to the lawsuit the water was so hot, Piland suffered first- and second-degree burns. The lawsuit claimed Piland was unable to move from the chair.
鈥淭hat conduct was unlawful in that it constituted a completely unnecessary and excessive use of force upon Mr. Piland,鈥� the lawsuit stated.
The sheriff鈥檚 office said the burns occurred because a mechanical issue with the shower allowed for the water鈥檚 temperature to exceed 110 degrees.
鈥淯nknown to the deputies attempting to decontaminate the inmate, the mechanical system regulating the water temperature failed, which allowed the water temperature to exceed the 110-degree maximum,鈥� Bowman said.
Bowman said the incident left burns on Piland鈥檚 upper arm and he received immediate medical attention. A malfunctioning mixing valve, which the sheriff’s office claims an internal investigation found was the 鈥渟ole cause鈥� of the injuries, was also fixed within hours, according to Bowman.
The lawsuit claims the deputy who took Piland into the shower showed an 鈥渁bsence of even scant care or prudence for the health and safety of Mr. Piland.鈥�
In a Facebook Post, Piland鈥檚 mother Mindy Gunnels Beach called for a criminal investigation of the guards involved.
鈥淭hey have a duty to protect the prisoners they patrol. Not only did they not do that, but this action seemed criminal,鈥� Beach wrote.
She stated her son suffers from mental illness and has been incarcerated for almost two years. Online court records show he鈥檚 awaiting trial on a sexual assault charge.
