L.A. County Deputies Chain Youths to Wall, Suit Says

Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies are accused in a lawsuit filed Wednesday of “chaining children to the walls” and locking up juveniles with adults at the Norwalk sheriff’s substation.

It is the fifth such suit that the Public Justice Foundation has prepared statewide in attempt to stop what it calls the “barbaric” practice of locking up thousands of juveniles in adult jails, which is against both state and federal laws. One of those cases involving the county sheriff’s substation in Lennox went to trial this week.

During a hearing, county officials acknowledged that juveniles who are booked at the Norwalk facility sometimes are held with adults and placed in chairs with one hand cuffed to a railing.

“It is a very temporary precautionary measure to protect the juvenile,” Principal County Counsel John T. Farrell said. “The chairs are comfortable, the juveniles can move around and are usually handcuffed for only minutes.”

Minor Held With Adult

One minor picked up on a misdemeanor alleged that he was handcuffed and that his feet were shackled during an interview with a detective. He said that he was then placed in a holding cell for four hours with an adult whom he believed to be under the influence of the drug PCP.

“I was very scared the entire time I was at the Norwalk jail,” the youth said in one of three declarations filed with the suit.

Superior Court Judge Jack Newman denied a temporary restraining order requested by the plaintiffs because the youths’ declarations were signed with “John Doe” designations. The judge ruled that the names had to be revealed.

A hearing for a preliminary injunction was set for May 14.

Differing Views of ‘Detention’

The county contends that state and federal laws forbid “detention” of children with adults, but do not address the issue of “temporarily” holding them in that manner. The foundation contends that “detention” begins not after a detention hearing, but immediately upon the child being taken into custody.

At the Norwalk facility, if there are both adults and juveniles in the booking areas, attempts are made to place them at opposite ends of the room, Farrell said.

He added that often the jail’s two holding cells are already filled with adults. And at times when rival gangs are arrested for fighting, he said officers do not want the warring factions placed in the same cells.

The suit cites California Youth Authority figures that note that in 1984, the Sheriff’s Department incarcerated approximately 6,600 minors for periods exceeding six hours in adult jails and lockups. During the same period, no minors were incarcerated more than six hours by the Los Angeles Police Department, the suit states.