Suit filed in Richmond inmate’s death

The mother of a Richmond City Jail inmate who died in custody last fall is suing the city and the Sheriff's Office for $15 million, alleging that her son died after he was beaten by a small group of deputies.

In a 26-page suit filed Tuesday in Richmond Circuit Court, Dorreen L. Johnson is seeking compensatory damages and unspecified punitive damages in the Oct. 15 death of Korey Larry Johnson, 28, who was being held on a larceny charge.

The suit names the city, the Richmond Sheriff's Office, Sheriff C.T. Woody, seven deputies by name, and ten other deputies identified only as "John Does."

"Each of these defendants, separately and in concert, engaged in illegal conduct, the effect of which injured [and] killed . . . Mr. Johnson," the suit says.

Maj. Jerry Baldwin, a sheriff's spokesman, said the department had not yet been served with the suit and therefore couldn't comment on the allegations. City Attorney Norman Sales said he couldn't comment for the same reason.

According to the lawsuit, Korey Johnson, who was jailed Oct. 14 on charges of stealing a neighbor's lawn mower, died less than 24 hours later after being beaten in the head, neck, legs and chest by a small group of deputies "known for abusing inmates."

The suit claims that several witnesses saw the deputies initiate an altercation that led to the beating in the Richmond Jail Annex, and that one inmate shouted, "Leave him alone!" as Johnson was being assaulted.

Johnson, who suffered from asthma and high blood pressure, could be heard wheezing after the alleged assault, the suit says.

"Notwithstanding Mr. Johnson's pleas for help before, during and after the physical abuse, he was denied medical treatment," according to the suit.

At about 4 a.m. the next morning, Johnson was discovered unconscious on the floor of his cell. Two deputies pulled Johnson out of his cell by his legs and initiated cardiopulmonary resuscitation; Johnson had a weak pulse and labored breathing at the time, the suit says.

"After an hour in which Mr. Johnson was not provided with medical assistance, he was pronounced dead," the suit says.

The complaint says Johnson was booked into the jail with no apparent physical injuries. In addition, department investigators noted after his death that no injuries were visible on his head, neck or face when he was photographed the day earlier by jail staff.

But in photos taken after Johnson died, investigators found two abrasions on his head, one on his right temple and one above his right eyebrow. Postmortem photos also showed bleeding wounds on his arm, hands, torso and legs, the suit says.

When investigators on Oct. 17 examined the jail cell where Johnson died, "they learned that [it] had been thoroughly cleaned . . . and investigators were unable to process the cell for forensic or photographic evidence." Johnson's death was listed as "unresolved" after the department investigation, the suit says.

Contacted yesterday, a spokesman for the state medical examiner's office said Johnson's cause and manner of death have not been determined. Dorreen Johnson, the plaintiff, is being represented by the law firm Hairfield Morton.

Contact Mark Bowes at (804) 649-6450 or .