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Esther Lim ACLU/SC Jails Project Coordinator witnessed a "savage beating" of an immobile (perhaps unconscious) inmate. She saw two deputies repeatedly punch and knee him lying face down on the floor.
He was inert like "a mannequin that was being used as a punching bag." They persisted anyway. One of them Tasered him "again and again." Although the inmate was lifeless, they repeatedly yelled, "stop fighting! (and) "stop resisting!"
Prison volunteer Scott Budnick saw seven deputies repeatedly Taser a motionless inmate. When he told another deputy, he responded: "Yeah, we f*ck these guys up all the time."
In the past year alone, rogue deputies assaulted hundreds of non-resisting inmates, according to chaplains, other civilians and prisoners.
In fact, anything can provoke abuse or nothing at all. Deputies attacked inmates for complaining about missing property, requesting medical treatment, or for their race or ethnicity.
Prisoners in wheelchairs were beaten. "Many attacks are unprovoked. Nearly all go unpunished." Higher-ups cover up and deny them, refusing to acknowledge their pervasiveness.
Deputy-on-inmate and inmate-on-inmate violence and abuse are out-of-control. Nothing this extreme should be permitted, yet it continues unchallenged.
Deputies beat and kick inmates. They slam their heads into walls and windows. They Taser them unprovoked. They use other prisoners to do their dirty work. Examples are numerous.
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