Federal Lawsuit Alleges St. Louis Jail Correctional Officers Abused Detainees

A series of disturbances at the St. Louis City Justice Center earlier this year brought attention to conditions inside the downtown jail. Now, a new lawsuit accuses jail staffers of routinely using chemical agents to punish and harm detainees. And, it says, as punishment, they turn off the water — depriving detainees of both hydration and the ability to flush toilets, sometimes for days.