OTTAWA, Ill. (AP) - LaSalle County on Tuesday settled a lawsuit filed by six women who said they were improperly strip-searched by deputies at the county’s jail.
County officials agreed in a Chicago federal court to pay $355,000 and make changes to how the jail will operate.
According to the women’s attorney, Terry Ekl, Dana Holmes, the original claimant, will get $125,000 under the terms of the settlement. Four of the other women will get $30,000, each, and the other woman will get $10,000. Ekl will receive $100,000 in legal fees.
Holmes, of Coal City, said one female and three male jail deputies stripped her on May 19 after a drunken driving arrest and left her nude in a padded cell. The incident was recorded by surveillance video cameras.
LaSalle County’s attorney, James Sotos, said the county doesn’t admit to any wrongdoing and that it settled the lawsuit to “avoid the costs of extensive litigation.” He said changes to jail protocols have been made.
Ekl has pointed out there had been no written policy, only a “nebulous” oral policy, on how deputies should act. He added that he understood jail personnel need some leeway when performing their difficult jobs, but that a written policy should be in place.
“There’s a good chance (jail deputies) are going to act more appropriately from now on with prisoners,” Ekl predicted.
Grundy County State’s Attorney Jason Helland was named special prosecutor to investigate whether criminal charges should be filed against the deputies in Holmes’ case. That investigation is continuing.
La Salle County Assistant State’s Attorney for The LaSalle County Board’s attorney, Todd Martin, said no internal discipline has been taken against the deputies because the county’s position is the deputies did not do anything wrong.
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