Los Angeles County has agreed to its largest-ever largest payout — $53 million — to settle a 2010 class-action lawsuit over strip search practices of prisoners at the Sheriff’s Department’s Century Regional Detention Facility in Lynwood.
As part of an agreement filed Tuesday in a lawsuit filed by attorneys on behalf of plaintiff Mary Amador and others against then-LA County Sheriff Lee Baca and others, more than 93,000 women incarcerated and strip-searched at the jail between March 2008 and January 2015 will be eligible to collect a share of the settlement if the court approves it, the Los Angeles Times reports.
Judge Stephen V. Wilson will consider the settlement at a preliminary approval hearing in the U.S. District Court, Central District of California on Aug. 12.
“If the Settlement receives preliminary approval, notices will be sent to Class Members and the website will be updated with additional details on how to participate in the Settlement,” according to the Amador v. Baca Outreach website.
Strip searches with visual body-cavity inspections were routine at the jail until late 2014 when jailers began using scanners to search inmates.
According to court documents, strip searches were conducted in groups of 20 to 60 women, sometimes more.
“Inmates could not avoid seeing each others’ bare bodies,” read one plaintiff’s statement. “They could see pubic area, stretch marks, breasts missing from mastectomies, surgery scars and tattoos.”
The suit included statements from numerous other women alleging that during group strip searches, deputies made profane and degrading comments about the inmates’ weight, body odor, pubic hair and other parts of the anatomy.
In the agreement, LA County admitted no wrongdoing but said it settled to avoid continued litigation. In addition to now using scanners for 98% of inmate searches, the county will also spend $3 million to hire outside consultants to advise on ways the jails can further improve jail policies and practices for women inmates.
A statement issued by the county on the proposed settlement follows:
“This proposed $53 million class action settlement represents a significant resolution of a deeply troubling period in which tens of thousands of women were strip-searched—with intrusive methods and inadequate privacy—while they were inmates in the Los Angeles County jail system from March 2008 through January 2015.
“The County is profoundly concerned about the practices that gave rise to this lawsuit, and is committed to making sure that reforms instituted by the Sheriff’s Department since 2016 will continue to build a culture that prioritizes safety, dignity and respect for inmates and staff.
“The $53 million, which includes all attorneys’ fees and costs, will be paid into a claims fund, with $3 million allocated for contracts with the Moss Group and the Center for Gender and Justice to provide assessment, training and services to further gender-responsive programming and practices.
“The County wants to ensure that all women who were strip-searched while in custody from March 2008 through January 2015 have an opportunity to come forward and request compensation from the claims fund. Following court approval of the settlement, a class notice will be posted on the Sheriff’s Department website, and a special website will be established to provide specific information on filing a claim.
“The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department halted the practice of routinely strip-searching female inmates in April 2016, when it began using body scanners as its primary screening method. Today, 98% of female inmates are screened using body scanners.
“We hope that this settlement will help bring healing and closure to the women affected by past practices, even as it underscores our determination to continue on the path of justice system reform.”
Separately, Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva issued a statement Thursday afternoon:
“The Board of Supervisors and their lawyers are desperately trying to persuade public opinion by improperly releasing allegations to their source at the LA Times while the case is still in court. We eagerly look forward to sharing the facts in the courtroom.”
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31 Comments
Please notifye me when it’s ready
If i turned in my claim form already, when do i get notified as to when they will be issueing checks and how do they decide how much each individual is to recieve. Im also happy to hear they are using scanners now.
I was strip searched in front of more then 50 inmates. In awful unsanitary conditions while on my period. Late at night.
Please notify me when funds are available
What is outcome of hearing july 20, 2020??
I’m still waiting for a payment amount and confirmation of date(s) for disbursements. I submitted my information on time. What’s the 411?
I’m Happy we Won. ? Thanks to all the Attorney’s for the great job ? you believed in us when others Did not. Great day in Court We won God Bless us. all
Very unsanitary conditions even in the hold over cells..I thank God for the people who became or voice..God bless you
Women on their period were told to strip – bleed while pad was on floor ? Goss
Women were bleeding & strip searched while 29 officers standing around
dy 50 t more women In a gymnasium damn near
I was strip searched at the Lynwood Women’s Detention facility there were over 300 women that Memorial day 2018 kept up all night. Weather conditions were unbearable, but relieved once the ordeal was over.
Correction * 2014
I was embarrassed I was in my period on top of that they gave me xl clothes when I was a 3 x they yelled at us to stop complaining made ladies cry it was ugly
Hi,THIS. IS. DONNA
FEDDERN,I MAILED, MY CLAIM
FORUM, ON. MAY 23, 2019
AND,I HAVE NOT,RECEIVED,
THE CLASS ACION SETTLEMENT
PAYMENT,
CAN YOU,PLEASE CHECK,
TO SEE,IF MY,
CHECK WAS MAILED.
OUT, TO THE
505 EAST DUELL STREET
AZUSA CA,
91702
ADDRESS.
We are a TV station. We can’t check on that. And you just published your address to the world.
Can I get an update? I’m disabled and can not walk or stand. Hearing impaired and in convalescent. In wheelchair due to police brutality from the Redondo Beach police dept June 22 2012 and March 19 2013. beat twice.
Finally what we deserve.
Do we get the ckeck before the in the year what the number of the people we call to know who got the money
when will i recieve my settle ment claim from lynwood
If they are using scanners for the searches they are long overdue.The deputies used their power to intimidate us in any way and form. Hopefully the payments will come soon
Why I can’t reach nobody when I call the number
I’m thankful for the attorneys for doing an amazing job winning our case I’m also thankful to hear that a lot of changes will be made and have already been made to the system because of of the settlement that was won. Besides all that the only thing I’m truly concerned about is the actual strip search count which says 7 I’m hoping this seven means ×50 because I have done a lot of time at Lynnwood and would be very greatful if for the first time they got my actual count correct,and I can benefit from my my past mistakes and learn from it.For the record it was that horrific having to get undressed in front of all the inmates in the dorm even more dreadful being on your period having to pull your bloody stinky tampon out for all to see that was the worst of it for me
Payments are hitting the mail boxes today! Thank you to those who spoke up for us!
Who do I get ahold of to find out the settlement payout for the LA County strip search settlement.
Where do I sign my name for this..how do I go about getting a form
The year is almost over when would i get my
first payment? Has anyone that file the claim got any payment yet? Thank you!
I’m wondering just who is Miss/Ms. Mary Amador and what and how did this all happen to her? And just who exactly is this judge Stephen V. Wilson and how did he come to make this decision for these women. This story really needs to be told on like a perfect lifetime movie 🎦 type of venue. This really blew up all these women’s lives in a horrific and PTSD inducing way. Most went on to be extremely adversely affected for the rest of their lives with them no longer able to be intimate with their husband’s or boyfriends or relationship due to the horrific shame and traum. Most of them went on to develop physical diseases like autoimmune syndromes from the horrific trauma and stresses these bull dyker type of very abusive both physically and verbally women sherrif deputy and their administrators were there. Horrific,just Horrific.
When are the checks coming out from this settlement the second round of checks
(July 12 2023) Today I received second round of settlement payment. For those who are unsure or still waiting for it.
I was a victim of this LA county strip search i
Was arrested in 2006 and was released in 2008 i
Was in and out of court I’ve had this done to me more then once
I was in LA county lots of times and they made us go to the ruff and told us to strip naked and search us it took about 30 to 45 mins