Python at center of federal lawsuit aimed at AL county jail
DALE CO., AL, (WSFA) - A lawsuit was filed in Federal Court in Alabama's Middle District Monday morning over a civil rights issue involving python that was reportedly used inside the Dale County Jail. According to Attorney Martin Weinberg, the snake was used to intimidate and terrorize inmates.
"In our eyes it's a very serious matter", Weinberg said, "one that needs to be dealt with."
Two years after Trawick Redding, Jr. reportedly awoke to a Dale County Corrections Officer holding a yellow Burmese python close to his face in his jail cell, he's suffered anxiety, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and night terrors over the whole ordeal. That's why his attorney, Weinberg, drove to Montgomery to file the case, to settle the issue for good.
The defendants include: Dale County, Dale County Sheriff's deputies, Sheriff Wally Olson and two corrections officers who reportedly carried out the act, Zeneth Glenn and Ryan MittelBach.
[DOCUMENT: Dale County Jail lawsuit (.pdf)]
"He was in there for a non-violent offense," Weinberg said of his client. "He was a trustee in the jail, and he was in good standing or a model prisoner. He's been released, and he's trying to get his life back together."
Weinberg said Redding warned the jail staff he didn't like snakes before the incident occurred back in 2013, and believes he wasn't the only inmate who was subjected to the treatment. "This is not a case of a yellow garden snake found outside the jail that got in," Weinberg explained.
"Our belief is that this was a thought out plan by some of the guards to torture, control and harass the inmates, specifically my client, Mr. Redding."
WSFA 12 News spoke to Sheriff Wally Olson after obtaining a copy of the lawsuit. Olson immediately remembered the incident and saidboth the corrections officers were terminated less than half an hour after he learned of the incident, on the same day it occurred.
Sheriff Olson has not received an official copy of the lawsuit and reserved the opportunity to comment until after he was affordedan opportunity to review the lawsuit. Redding's attorney is seeking court costs and putative damages for up to $3 million.
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