An inmate at the Sharp County Detention Center has filed a civil rights lawsuit in the U.S. District Court Eastern District of Arkansas against Jail Administrator Stephen Davis.
According to the documents filed by Chase Richard, 31, who has been incarcerated in the Sharp County Detention Center since December of 2021, “I have put in several med calls stating my issue of problems I’m having with severe pain in my abdominal area as Steven Davis has notified me to do so,” Richard wrote in his claim filed Feb. 2.
Richard said on Jan. 10 of this year, he placed a medical call and again placed calls on Jan. 11 and Jan. 14.
He also noted he filed grievances on Jan. 10, Jan. 11 and Jan. 18 “with the same response every time,” the documents state.
Richard alleged inmates have had COVID and “the staff has lied saying they can’t confirm or deny it being in the building. There is not an on-sitedoctor like there should be,” Richard said.
On Jan. 28, the date Richard began the process to file his civil rights complaint with the state, Richard stated he couldn’t eat peanut butter due to abdominal pain and was instead given a cheese sandwich.
“There needs to be an investigation done on the Sharp County Detention Center and the violation of civil rights that goes on in this facility,” Richard wrote.
In the section asking what Richard wished the court to do he wrote, “I would like the court to punish for my pain and suffering for violating my civil rights and remove me from this facility so I can get proper medical attention.”
On Feb. 8, Judge Edie R. Ervin ordered an initial Pro Se Prisoner-Plantiffs granting a motion for Leave to Proceed in pauperis.
“The Court will assess an initial partial payment of $18.40. Plaintiff’s custodians are directed to collect the initial payment along with future monthly payments and forward them to the Clerk of Court until a total of $350 has been paid. The Clerk of the Court is directed to send a copy of this Order to the ADC Trust Fund Centralized Banking Office, the ADC Compliance Office, and the Warden of the Sharp County Detention Center,” The documents stated.
Judge Ervin also ordered a summons be prepared for the defendant, Steven Davis and issued a partial response to Richard’s complaint.
“The Court does not interpret Mr. Richard’s general comment that there should be
a court-conducted investigation into the Detention Center as an actual request for such an
investigation. However, if that was his intent, the Court would recommend dismissal of
such a request. First, the Court cannot involve itself in the day-to-day operations of the
Detention Center. Second, Mr. Richard can only pursue claims for unconstitutional conduct
he has personally experienced. Third, Mr. Richard cannot bring unrelated claims in a single
lawsuit. However, he can file a new lawsuit to pursue claims that are unrelated to the
medical deliberate indifference claim he is pursuing in this action,” Ervin stated.
He further noted “The United States Marshal is directed to serve Defendant Davis with a
summons and a copy of the complaint ( Doc. 2), without requiring prepayment of
fees and costs or security. Service for Defendant Davis should be through the Sharp
County Detention Center.”
No court date has been set at this time.
In July of 2019, Richard entered a negotiated plea and pleaded guilty to manufacturing a controlled substance, a class C felony and possession of a controlled substance, a class D felony.
At that time, he was given a 120-month suspended sentence and placed on 48 month’s probation.
On Nov. 12 of 2019, a petition for revocation of probation was filed as Richard had failed to meet with his probation officer.
Additional warrants for failure to comply with the conditions of his probation were issued on Aug. 10, 2020; Jan. 25, 2021; and a final revocation warrant was served Dec. 3, 2021.
On Jan. 3 of this year, Richard appeared before Judge Rob Ratton and entered a negotiated plea of guilty. He was sentenced to 24 months in the Arkansas Department of Corrections with a 48-month suspended sentence.
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