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| County settled with inmate for $100,000 |
| By El Defensor Chieftain |
| Published: 12/01/2003 |
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Socorro County, N.M. this spring settled a civil lawsuit brought against it by a former Socorro County Detention Center inmate who was raped by a former jailer. Although the case was settled months ago, the details have just recently become available. Socorro County officials settled with the inmate, who wished to remain unnamed, for $100,000 in a civil lawsuit that claimed that the inmate's civil rights had been violated, said her lawyer, James Owen. "Even when a person is in jail for whatever crimes they might have committed, they still have their civil rights and deserve and have every right to be treated humanely -- everyone needs to remember that," Owens said. "She (the victim) did not deserve what happened to her and the county was responsible for not providing reliable, safe conditions." Steven Kopelman, risk manager for the New Mexico Association of Counties, confirmed that Socorro County settled the lawsuit with Owen's client for $100,000. The lawsuit stems from a June 2001 incident in which Owen's client was raped at the county jail by former detention center employee Ignacio Chavez, who entered into a plea agreement in the case. Owen said that his client, who did not want to disclose her name, said she wanted everyone to know about the settlement and that there are repercussions when a government-run entity does not follow procedure and allows atrocious incidents, like rapes, to occur at the jail. |
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