ACLU Minnesota suing over treatment of OTC inmate

Late in the afternoon on Dec. 6, in United States District Court for the District of Minnesota, the ACLU of Minnesota and pro bono co-counsel Norton Rose Fulbright filed a lawsuit on behalf of Ramsey Kettle, a former inmate at the Otter Tail County Detention Center.

According to a news release from ACLU Minnesota, they contend that “Kettle was subjected to extreme, punitive treatment in violation of his constitutional rights and standards for basic human dignity. Otter Tail County officers, with approval of the acting Jail Administrator, kept Mr. Kettle locked up in solitary confinement for days without food, water, or appropriate medical and mental health care.”

Court documents allege that abuse was carried out by eleven different correctional officers, including two acting sergeants and that the acting Jail Administrator at the time expressly approved of withholding food and water from Kettle as punishment with staff not feeding him for nearly 60 hours and also turning off the water to his cell.

In addition, the ACLU of Minnesota contends that staff and administration mocked Kettle, laughed at him, and left him to suffer and knowingly and intentionally took action to punish Kettle.

According to the complaint, the county, including the jail administrator and various correctional officers on staff took steps to cover up their intentional wrongdoing by filing falsified documents and failing to document what they had done.

ACLU Minnesota’s attorney Catherine Ahlin-Halverson said officers and county officials must be held accountable.

“We must never allow ourselves to be fooled into judging whether we are living up to our constitutional promises by evaluating how we treat those with the most rights and privileges. Our constitution is tested by how we treat those on the margins, with the fewest rights, when no one is looking. And this was a total failure for which Otter Tail County and its officers must be held accountable. No one – no matter what brings them to be housed in a county jail or other carceral facility – deserves to be deprived of the most basic of our human needs.”

While no specific dollar amount is being sought in the suit, Kettle is suing for reasonable, punitive and other exemplary damages and attorneys’ fees and costs.

The suit also seeks to prohibit any retaliation against Kettle for bringing the lawsuit.

Neither the Otter Tail County Sheriff’s Office or Otter Tail County government administration has made any comment in reference to the lawsuit.

A hearing date has not yet been scheduled.