BEXAR COUNTY, Texas — A former Bexar County Jail inmate is suing the County for 'excessive use of force' and 'intentional infliction of emotional distress'.
Last week, Rodolfo Carrazco filed a lawsuit against the county, requesting $75,000.
Court documents state that the agency had a "de facto policy" that permitted Bexar County Jail Guards to establish and operate a 'fight club' in which "guards would stage fights between inmates and bet on the outcome."
In his lawsuit against the county, Carrazco said that employees of the Sheriff's Department would unlock his cell and allow other inmates to challenge him to a fight.
Carrazco said that he received severe injuries as a result of these incidents, which required hospitalization and further medical treatment. The former inmate said that he still suffers from "the results of the injuries inflicted during these staged fights."
He claims that the guards used excessive and unnecessary physical force against him and other inmates "for their own entertainment purposes."
Furthermore, Carrazco claimed that the guards intentionally caused emotional distress.
The specific damages Carrazco is suing for include:
- Physical pain in the past
- Physical pain in the future
- Mental anguish in the past
- Mental anguish in the future
- Loss of property including, but not limited to a "gold grille"
- Humiliation
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Along with all legal/court fees
Earlier this week, while addressing recent terminations within the agency, a member of the media asked Sheriff Javier Salazar about allegations of a 'fight club.'
Sheriff Salazar responded, "The last case I heard that term 'fight club' associated with was a case from several years ago before I took office. And my understanding is that, that person is no longer employed with the agency."