Home > Settlements > San Bernardino, CA Detention Centers Strip Searches Class Action Settlement
San Bernardino, CA
September 25 2007
San Bernardino, CA: (Sep-24-07) A class action lawsuit was filed against San Bernardino County by seven plaintiffs, alleging that the county conducted strip searches for at least 3 ½ years. The suit claimed that strip searches were carried on from May 2003 to December 2006, at West Valley Detention Center in Rancho Cucamonga and the Central Detention Center in San Bernardino. Sources stated that the sheriff's strip search policy has been in place for decades. Spokesmen for the county and the Sheriff's Department denied that jailers have acted wrongly, saying the searches were aimed at ensuring jail security and the safety of inmates and staff. They stated that jailers clearly have a right to strip search suspects who are booked for crimes involving drugs, violence or weapons, or when there is some other reasonable cause to believe they may be likely to smuggle contraband into the jail. The suit claimed that both men and women were often body cavity searched in areas that could be viewed by anyone nearby, including officers of the opposite sex and even visitors.
In a settlement reached, the county agreed to pay $25.5 million to resolve the class action litigation. Sources claimed that there are potentially as many as 160,000 plaintiffs, so a $25.5 million settlement would amount to only $159 per plaintiff.
[PRESS ENTERPRISE: STRIP SEARCHES]
Legal Help
If you have a similar problem and would like to be contacted by a lawyer at no cost or obligation, please fill in our form on the right.
I was in West valley detention center in 1993 and they. Came to are pod to strip search are unit and brought a camera and filmed the strip search
Posted by Chance Garrison
on
I was involved, informed, and probably filled out the claim form in a timely manner but was never contacted afterwards. Is there anything that can be done?
Posted by Dawn Lane
on
I sign up years ago and never got paid!
Posted by Demarcus Miller
on
I never received anything from the law suit against West Valley or Central
Posted by Alfred Allen
on
I received a phone call from some one wanted my address about my settlement but never heard any thing else
Posted by Elena Warn
on
My name is Elena Warn and I was doing a year in Westvalley Detention Center in 2003 and I did not receive no class action lawsuit paper work or any kind of contact letting me know anything about this class action lawsuit.
Posted by Elizabeth Robbins
on
I was a part of the class action lawsuit I filed my claim in a timely manner as I had been illegally strip searched several times, however I didn't receive a dime although my brother in-law who was only strip searched twice received a few thousand dollars so the settlement ended up being just as unfair as the illegal strip search.
Posted by Terri Finks
on
I moved from my old address
Add Your Comment on This Issue
Request Legal Help
Please complete this form to request a review of your complaint by an attorney.
There is absolutely no cost to you to submit this form. Doing so places you under no obligations and does not establish an attorney-client relationship.
