Lawsuits against Curry County detail physical abuse at jails

Troubling conditions at the Curry County jail have cost more than embarrassing escapes and having a convicted killer at large.

The documented dollar total acknowledged is more than $1 million paid out in lawsuits.

But the total paid from 22 lawsuits recently disclosed in response to Clovis News Journal public information requests — most filed over conditions at the jail — has not been revealed.

Taxpayers don't know the final figure because the costs of settling several of the cases are sealed and confidential at the request of the county and plaintiffs.

Officials say most of the allegations made against the county have never been proven, only alleged, and most are not true.

"When plaintiffs file lawsuits they typically allege all kinds of ridiculous things," County Commissioner Caleb Chandler said.

"One of the problems is when those (lawsuits) are settled by insurance companies, none of those allegations are brought forward to be proved or disproved. And as you know, when the insurance company decides to settle, it's out of our hands. There's really nothing we can do."

Officials say 13 of the lawsuits filed against the county since 2005 have been settled out of court; seven have been dismissed and two cases are pending.

Allegations and documentation in many cases paint a picture of the jail — especially from 2005 through 2009 — as a house of horrors sometimes for inmates and often for the staff.

The jail's most high-profile incident occurred in August 2008 when eight violent inmates climbed out the roof of the adult detention center and escaped into the night. Convicted child killer Edward Salas has not been recaptured.

Among the well-documented jail problems spotlighted in the lawsuits and other reports are allegations of severe overcrowding, poor or little staff training, attacks on staff by inmates, possible abuse of inmates, cover-ups, falsified documents and complete breakdowns in safety and security procedures.

The CNJ spent more than a month digging through hundreds of documents associated with each lawsuit and interviewing multiple key witnesses.

Probably the most stunning accusations come from Orlando Salas, the 15-year-old brother of Edward Salas.

Arrested in 2005 and ultimately convicted of conspiracy to commit murder, he told state officials he was repeatedly tied up and handcuffed in a chair during his eight-month incarceration in Curry County's juvenile jail.

He also said Clovis jail officials denied him food, resulting in his losing 50 pounds. He said guards allowed other juvenile inmates to urinate on him while he was restrained in the chair and that he was provided with "stuff to huff and get high" in the jail.

Following his conviction, Salas was moved to Albuquerque's New Mexico Youth Diagnostic Development Center in May 2006.

Officials there said Salas was in a psychotic state, telling a psychiatrist that he heard voices no one else heard. A doctor also noted on an intake report that Salas "looks scared, dark circles under eyes..."

He was quickly diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder.

County officials have denied most of the Salas allegations along with many other charges leveled in the 22 lawsuits.

The jail's license was temporarily rescinded as a result of Salas' claims and state police investigated criminal allegations against jail staff. But District Attorney Matt Chandler determined "the allegations from the juvenile delinquent were either unfounded and/or failed to meet the criminal elements of child abuse ... ."

Matt Chandler said Salas posed a safety risk to Clovis jail staff, which often led to his being restrained. Chandler also said in an email response to CNJ questions that Salas stabbed and bit a jail guard in Albuquerque after leaving Clovis.

"I believe, in my opinion, these are the types of acts the staff was attempting to avoid in 2006," Chandler said.

County Manager Lance Pyle, in the position since December 2007, said "there were a lot of challenges and issues at the jail. The county has taken great strides to address those problems and those efforts are continuing."

All five county commissioners have repeatedly said fixing problems at the jail is their No. 1 priority.

Files pertaining to lawsuits against the Curry County Detention Center include: