Woman files suit against 2 guards at Travis County Jail
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With the help of the Texas Civil Rights Project, a woman has filed suit against two guards at the Travis County Jail, accusing them of using excessive force against her.
Shay Morrow and the Texas Civil Rights Project announced the lawsuit Wednesday.
Police arrested Morrow on a Driving While Intoxicated charge in Dec. 2008. Morrow said she tried to answer her cell phone during booking, at which point she claims the two female guards began beating her. Video surveillance shows Morrow hit the ground, but does not clearly show what happened prior to the impact.
Morrow was taken to Brackenridge Hospital, where she was treated for a concussion and a deep cut on her chin. The lawsuit claims Morrow still suffers from those injuries.
"There was no internal investigation done by the sheriff's office after this assault," Scott Medlock, with the civil rights group, said. "Even though Ms. Morrow went to the hospital, even though there's videotape showing what happened, the sheriff's office didn't investigate."
In response, the Travis County Jail issued a statement later that day, saying "it should be noted that the Travis County Sheriff’s Office Internal Affairs Unit did not receive a formal complaint from Ms. Morrow regarding these allegations."
The statement goes on to say that "an inquiry would have been conducted if a formal complaint from Ms. Morrow had been filed with the Travis County Sheriff’s Office Internal Affairs Unit."
Travis County Sheriff Greg Hamilton said an internal affairs investigation will be conducted in regard to the allegations.