An ACLU lawsuit, suing Daggett County and individuals associated with the inmate abuse scandal, will move forward in federal court. The American Civil Liberties Union of Utah announced in May that the lawsuit was filed on behalf of Dustin Porter and Steven Drollette, two former Daggett County Jail inmates. Other inmates including Joshua Asay joined the lawsuit, according to the Utah Investigative Journalism Project. The complaint states that the inmates are seeking “damages and injunctive relief for a pattern of severe cruelty against them while they were incarcerated at the Daggett County Jail.” The complaints describe being shocked by a Taser as entertainment, being attacked by police dogs, being subject to physical assault, threatened with a gun, and denied medical and mental health care. They also contend that State and County employees and officials were aware of the pattern of abuse but failed to take action. Judge Kimball of U.S. District Court denied the Defendants’ Motion to Dismiss in a ruling issued on Friday. A hearing on the motion was held on December 18th where the court took the Motion under advisement and issued the Memorandum Decision and Order on Friday.
