More Plaintiffs Allege Abuse At SCI

More plaintiffs are coming forward with allegations of abuse committed by correctional officers at Sussex Correctional Institution.

The ACLU of Delaware and Whiteford Taylor Preston LLC are amending the complaint that was originally filed by two offenders in December. According to the amended complaint, more than 30 officers have been perpetrators of abuse.
It also alleges that the warden and deputy warden knew about at least one attack but did not do anything about it.

The Department of Correction previously declined to comment when the original complaint was filed.

“We’re concerned about the treatment of people housed at Sussex Correctional Institution, and we continue to monitor that treatment as this litigation moves ahead,” ACLU of Delaware Staff Attorney Dwayne J. Bensing said. “Ultimately, we hope the litigation eradicates the culture of brutality that currently prevails.” 

More details and the original and amended complaints are available at  https://www.aclu-de.org/en/william-davis-and-isaac-montague-v-kirk-neal-et-al

“The Eighth Amendment of the United States Constitution protects all Americans from cruel and unusual punishment, even those who are housed in correctional facilities. The pattern of abuse that’s been revealed at SCI is a clear violation of that Constitutional protection,” WTP partner and co-counsel in the case Daniel Griffith said.

People who have been victims of abuse at SCI may reach out to the litigation team by emailing sburke@aclu-de.org.