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| Three women sue Miami-Dade, say they were strip-searched |
| By South Florida Sun-Sentinel |
| Published: 03/15/2004 |
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Three activists arrested during free-trade demonstrations in downtown Miami, Florida, four months ago filed a class-action lawsuit in federal court March 5 against Miami-Dade County and several county corrections officials for what they called an unnecessary use of "invasive" strip-searches. Judith Haney, Liat Mayer and Jamie Loughner allege in the lawsuit that corrections workers perform cavity inspections of female arrestees as they are booked at correction facilities throughout the county. "For women, this is visual rape," said Randall C. Berg, Jr., executive director of the Florida Justice Institute, who is suing on behalf of the three activists along with California attorney Mark E. Merin. "It's about as bad as it comes." The lawsuit alleges that only women are selected for strip-searches -- a claim that county officials deny. It seeks a permanent injunction against the practice and unspecified monetary damages. Randy Duvall, an assistant county attorney, said he has not yet seen the lawsuit and could not address specific allegations outlined in the suit. But Janelle Hall, a spokeswoman for the county jails, said corrections officers do not automatically conduct strip-searches on every detainee. She said jail policies permit men and women to be strip-searched only in accordance with state law. Haney, 50, a project manager at a California biotech firm, said the way she was searched was demoralizing. Once in jail, she says she was ordered to take off her clothes so corrections officers could inspect her. Haney said corrections workers told her to squat and "hop like a bunny" three times before she was allowed to put her clothes back on. According to Florida law, people who have been arrested for minor offenses should not be subjected to strip-searches unless the person is arrested on a drug charge, is suspected of having contraband or is booked on a violent offense. The law requires supervisors to give written authorization for such a search. The lawsuit filed on Friday against Miami-Dade claims that its corrections officials routinely flout state law by indiscriminately strip-searching female detainees. |
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