A Whitfield County inmate is suing the sheriff’s department, claiming he was forced to remain naked along with 26 other inmates for 12 hours in the county jail.
David Bennett, 42, filed a lawsuit against Sheriff Scott Chittwood and six other officials in U.S. District Court of Northern Georgia on Jan. 20, claiming his civil rights were violated.
In the suit, Bennett says that, after he was arrested on Oct. 25, he was told to undress and apply a lotion to his entire body. For the next 12 hours, he and his cellmate were forced to remain naked with temperatures in the 50s, according to the lawsuit.
He is asking for $5 million in punitive damages, the lawsuit states.
Bennett was in jail for sale of methamphetamine, use of communication facilities in drug transactions, giving officers false information and probation violation charges, jail records show.