According to a federal lawsuit, a gang of male inmates at a jail in Indiana were given the keys to the female inmates’ cells and permitted to verbally and sexually harass the women. Caption hidden by Charlie Neibergall/AP

switch to caption Charlie Neibergall/AP

According to a federal lawsuit, a gang of male inmates at a jail in Indiana were given the keys to the female inmates’ cells and permitted to verbally and sexually harass the women.

AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall A federal complaint has been filed by a number of inmates at a jail in southern Indiana against the corrections officials there on the grounds that they permitted a group of men under their control to rape, abuse, threaten, and harass the inmates.

According to eight women who are listed as plaintiffs, on the evening of October 23, 2021, Clark County Jail Officer David Lowe gave the guys the keys to the women’s cells in exchange for $1,000.

The lawsuit, which was filed on Monday, claims that “many male inmates” remained in the women’s pods for more than two hours, until the early morning of October 24.

The suit claims that at such times, the males assaulted the women verbally and sexually while hiding their faces and threatening further violence if they used the emergency call button.

It claims that at least two women were raped.

According to the complaint, which was submitted to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana, “Plaintiffs were harmed and sustained major bodily injuries, some of which are permanent, pain and suffering, shock, extreme mental anguish, and humiliation.”

According to the complaint, Lowe was detained on October 25 and charged with felony official misconduct, misdemeanor trafficking with an inmate, and felony assisting, inducing, or causing escape.

According to Larry Wilder, the attorney for the Clark County Sheriff’s Office, he was fired right afterwards.

A “ROGUE CORRECTIONS OFFICER” IS ACCUSED BY THE SHERIFF’S OFFICE Wilder stated in a statement to NPR, “The unpredicted illegal conduct of a rogue prison officer led to the events of October 23rd. The person in question made the unilateral decision to jeopardize his job and future by giving convicts access to the jail keys. He did so by forsaking his education, morality, and ethics.”

The complaint claims that despite CCTV footage showing the guys entering the women’s cell area and that no police were on duty at the time to assist.

According to the lawsuit, the women were penalized by the cops rather than receiving assistance. Police allegedly put the women on lockdown, took away their pillows, blankets, and personal hygiene supplies, and removed their “dark privileges” by leaving the lights on for 72 hours.

LAW The women reportedly feared for their safety because the lost keys were never discovered and the cell locks were left alone, according to the complaint.

The following morning, a lawyer for one of the women detained at the Clark County Jail informed the jail personnel of the event, according to Wilder.

According to Wilder, an inquiry was launched right once, during which surveillance footage was examined and prison officers, male inmates, and more than 40 women who were detained there were interviewed.

Following Lowe’s detention, the Sheriff’s Detective Division carried out a further investigation and discovered “evidence that is in direct contradiction to the charges stated in the civil case,” according to Wilder.

The inquiry, he continued, “seems to show that there was a systematic plot by persons who were detained that evening to build the story that forms the basis of the claims in the civil case.”

THE CASE ALSO ACCUSES FOR THE INCIDENT, THE SHERIFF Jamey Noel, the sheriff of Clark County, is also named as a defendant.

The lawsuit claims that the Clark County Sheriff failed to adequately staff the jail, train the jail officers, and supervise the jail officers to ensure they maintained adequate security at the jail. It also claims that Lowe was only one bad actor out of many who contributed to the violation of the plaintiffs’ constitutional rights.

The women are requesting a jury trial, as well as compensatory and punitive damages.

The Clark County Sheriff’s Office, according to Wilder, is investigating the claims seriously and making physical modifications to the facility as well as reviewing current protocols.

The sheriff is committed to “ensuring” that something of this magnitude or scope “never” happens again, according to Wilder. The sheriff is equally determined to disproving the falsehoods asserted by those looking to profit financially from David Lowe’s actions, though.