Prison Guards Kill Prisoner With Shower

[Internationalist Bastard]

I recall reading about a similar case years ago (2008 or 2010 or something) where a Florida prison guard (I believe it was a facility for those with mental disorders) forced a 50-ish year old black male prisoner who smeared feces on the wall after defecating on himself into a shower with no controls and locked him in there. The shower was set to scalding hot and there was no room for the prisoner to move. When they opened the shower two hours later the skin of his dead body had literally peeled off.

What a world we live in.

EDIT: to clarify, the shower in the story I'm referring to was some kind of portable shower that there was basically no way to move out of the water, and I'm pretty sure even in a bigger shower the shear amount of steam would've have made it hard to breathe that he might have just passed out anyways

That is this case. The reason this is news now is because the prosecutor is not going to follow through on this case.

Wait why the fuck not?

[Neutraligon]

That is this case. The reason this is news now is because the prosecutor is not going to follow through on this case.

Wait why the fuck not?

No idea. Apparently they do no believe a crime was committed.
The close out memo
http://www.miamisao.com/pdfs/DarrenRain ... utmemo.pdf

[USS Monitor]

I think it's rather disturbing that people who were not there and were not involved with the autopsy or investigation think they somehow know, based on reading descriptions of the case, if the guards are guilty or not.

Based on the info provided in the OP, it's unclear whether the primary problem was the temperature of the water or the guy's heart condition. If you do something that would not be seriously harmful to a normal person, but it accidentally kills someone because they had a medical condition you didn't know about, that's not a crime. That's an accident. Just because someone ended up dead doesn't mean it HAS to be a crime. Just because they were mentally ill doesn't mean anything that goes wrong is automatically abuse. You have to understand that with people who are mentally ill and prone to throwing fits, you can't just back down and give in every time they start screaming. If you do, they'll figure out they can get whatever they want by screaming, and they'll do it all the time.

Rainey probably should have been in a hospital rather than a prison, but your average prison guard isn't making those decisions.

That said, it is suspicious that there are such contradictory accounts of what happened. We've got different people giving different versions of the story, and it's hard to be sure who is telling the truth. I'm a bit skeptical of dismissing someone who WAS there (unlike all the armchair invesitgators of NSG) as an "unreliable witness." I won't rule out the possibility that the water was too hot and people are trying to sweep it under the rug -- but it's going to take a stronger case than what's in the OP before I grab my pitchfork and join the angry mob.

[AiliailiA]

Wait why the fuck not?

No idea. Apparently they do no believe a crime was committed.
The close out memo
http://www.miamisao.com/pdfs/DarrenRain ... utmemo.pdf

Ta.

The medical examiner Dr Lew reported no thermal injuries.
I infer that Mr. Rainey's body was damaged by hot water after he died (presumably of the heart attack).

When found dead, his body was blocking the drain (which is shown at the end away from the door, approximately where the stream of water considered a shower comes out from high up on the wall). If Mr Rainey had been determined to avoid the water he easily could have (in fact, he did at first). If the water coming in had been scaldingly hot, he would have avoided it indefinitely.

By controlling the water from out of the prisoner's sight, a guard could deliberately scald him: turning up the hot and turning down the cold simultaneously while the prisoner was under the stream. But I don't think the heat damage to the dead body proves that happened ... since the damage could have happened after death.

Exhibit 10 has mention of tests done later on the shower. Running only the hot water produced a temperature of 126˚F, hot enough to scald and cause sloughing. But in my opinion, not hot enough to scald a conscious person who could react by getting out of the way. Whether it was deliberate or accidental that the water was too hot, it hardly matters if Mr. Rainey was already dead.

[The Realm of Lordaeron]

the United States really needs to reform their system of Justice. The Taxpayers should not foot the bill for these actions, the individuals involved should. On top of that, they should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law for neglecting their duty!

It's absurd.

[Donut section]

Was he black and could it have been possible that he may have looked like he might have a gun?

[The Realm of Lordaeron]

Was he black and could it have been possible that he may have looked like he might have a gun?

I think in this case, the fact that the perpetrators are government officials/law enforcement-related than the fact the victim was black.

[Crockerland]

A schizophrenic man should not have been in prison.

[Frank Zipper]

What would Horatio Caine say?

[Chestaan]

Is locking someone in a confined space shower, which may or may not have been too hot/cold, for such a long time considered an acceptable punishment in US prisons?

[Risottia]

So, are the prison guards guilty or not? What say ye, NSG?

Manslaughter likely (criminal negligence). Possibly felony murder, if the prosecution can prove that there was an abuse of power.

I'd also slam some responsibility on the prison's top-jobs.

[AiliailiA]

As to what actually happened though, I would say this



was used to spray Mr. Rainey with hot water for a protracted period of time, causing his death by hyperthermia (heart failure being a typical outcome of that) along with the widely-reported heat damage to his skin.

The "shower" made with a masonry drill and five bucks of pipe from the nearest hardware store, is not what killed Darren Rainey. And if he was already dying of a heart attack when he fell in the shower, that wasn't what parboiled him.

I can respect a clever criminal. But there is nothing clever about this.

[AiliailiA]

Is locking someone in a confined space shower, which may or may not have been too hot/cold, for such a long time considered an acceptable punishment in US prisons?

Of course not.

But I can understand the situation of prison guards facing the 'dirty protest'. They cannot stop prisoners defecating, and cannot be watching and present every moment to prevent prisoners from grabbing ahold of their own faeces and spreading it around. But, to provide a safe environment for prisoners, the guards are required to deal with that 'biohazard' once it is out there. They can order the prisoner to clean it up, but they can't really enforce that order. If the prisoner refuses, the guard or some other employee of the prison has to clean it up.

And that pisses the guards off. I understand that. If I was a guard, I'd be demanding better pay. It's a hard job but someone has to do it, and I'll hang in there and get shit on me to get the job done, forever and so long as I'm payed what that is worth.

The prisoners have found a way to hurt the guards, and that way (messing up their cell and their furnishings and themselves) is hard to exact further punishment on. So guards have to be paid bonuses for the extra work. Or else they'll quit, and their place be taken by lesser people.

[Imperium Sidhicum]

Well, not that I'd see anything wrong even with a deliberate killing of a convicted criminal, but this case really doesn't seem to be one of either detainee abuse or criminal negligence.

The guards most likely didn't know the victim was insane, most of their regular customers being maladjusted to some degree, and even if they did, they are no doctors and couldn't have possibly known the victim's insanity may also lead to fatal heart problems. So they simply did what they would have done normally, taking the filthy inmate to the showers and making him clean himself up.

So as far as I'm concerned, the guards did everything by the book and are guilty of nothing. It was simply an accident, and I won't even label it tragic or unfortunate.

[Community Values]

So, a person with schizophrenia is thrown in a jail for a non-violent offense, and dies while being forced in a scalding hot shower from an un-diagnosed heart disease?

Something tells me we need a bit of prison reform.

[Crockerland]

Well, not that I'd see anything wrong even with a deliberate killing of a convicted criminal, but this case really doesn't seem to be one of either detainee abuse or criminal negligence.

The guards most likely didn't know the victim was insane, most of their regular customers being maladjusted to some degree, and even if they did, they are no doctors and couldn't have possibly known the victim's insanity may also lead to fatal heart problems. So they simply did what they would have done normally, taking the filthy inmate to the showers and making him clean himself up.

So as far as I'm concerned, the guards did everything by the book and are guilty of nothing. It was simply an accident, and I won't even label it tragic or unfortunate.

Well, I agree it wasn't the guard's fault, but it's still unfortunate. Who ever made the decision to put him in prison, and not in an institution where he could have gotten the help he needed, should be held accountable.

[Neutraligon]

Well, not that I'd see anything wrong even with a deliberate killing of a convicted criminal, but this case really doesn't seem to be one of either detainee abuse or criminal negligence.

The guards most likely didn't know the victim was insane, most of their regular customers being maladjusted to some degree, and even if they did, they are no doctors and couldn't have possibly known the victim's insanity may also lead to fatal heart problems. So they simply did what they would have done normally, taking the filthy inmate to the showers and making him clean himself up.

So as far as I'm concerned, the guards did everything by the book and are guilty of nothing. It was simply an accident, and I won't even label it tragic or unfortunate.

Well, I agree it wasn't the guard's fault, but it's still unfortunate. Who ever made the decision to put him in prison, and not in an institution where he could have gotten the help he needed, should be held accountable.

We don't have that option in the US for those who have committed crimes but who are also mentally ill. Also, the given that he was on medication to deal with his mental illness, the prison most certainly knew of his mental illness. Also, why was he left alone in a shower for that long a period of time. Even if it was punishment (and what a shit form of punishment) you at least ensure that those whom you are guarding are watched.

[Thermodolia]

Wow. Just wow. This is why I advocate for US military style screening for all those wishing to into the police and corrections.

[Thermodolia]

Oh, a fellow Miamian?
Anyway, this is pretty messed up. I will be very disappointed if that guard gets off with anything less that a manslaughter charge.

this happened 4 years ago. the reason it is in the news now is that the prosecutor just announced he was not pressing charges against the guards.

You've got to be fucking kidding me!?

[Thermodolia]

It is no good if the water was scalding hot, but unless if the nozzle covers the entire area of the room, there are still ways to avoid getting wet in a shower. Simply go right underneath the nozzle so you're out of its way, or cling closely against a portion of wall that isn't getting hit with much water.

When you have a mental illness you don't exactly think clearly at times

[Neutraligon]

It is no good if the water was scalding hot, but unless if the nozzle covers the entire area of the room, there are still ways to avoid getting wet in a shower. Simply go right underneath the nozzle so you're out of its way, or cling closely against a portion of wall that isn't getting hit with much water.

When you have a mental illness you don't exactly think clearly at times

Particularly with that mental illness.

[The Liberated Territories]

Unsurprising. Give anyone a bit of power and they'll abuse it. And then be bailed out by their friends.

[Novus America]

Well, not that I'd see anything wrong even with a deliberate killing of a convicted criminal, but this case really doesn't seem to be one of either detainee abuse or criminal negligence.

The guards most likely didn't know the victim was insane, most of their regular customers being maladjusted to some degree, and even if they did, they are no doctors and couldn't have possibly known the victim's insanity may also lead to fatal heart problems. So they simply did what they would have done normally, taking the filthy inmate to the showers and making him clean himself up.

So as far as I'm concerned, the guards did everything by the book and are guilty of nothing. It was simply an accident, and I won't even label it tragic or unfortunate.

Well, I agree it wasn't the guard's fault, but it's still unfortunate. Who ever made the decision to put him in prison, and not in an institution where he could have gotten the help he needed, should be held accountable.

Thanks to the disaster of deinstitutionalization, we no longer have institutions. We largely dismantled our mental health system, dumping the patients from shuttered mental hospitals out on the street. Where the end up getting in trouble, going to jail and this happens.

Obviously we do not want to go back to the abuses that occurred at some mental hospitals (as if prison as any better), but we must undo deinstitutionalization.

Just with more humane, better maintained and staffed facilities.

[Novus America]

Wow. Just wow. This is why I advocate for US military style screening for all those wishing to into the police and corrections.

While I agree that we need better screening, ordinary prison guards cannot possibly cope with the seriously mental ill. We need dedicated mental hospitals again, the seriously mental ill should not be dumped in with the general prison population.

Obviously the hospitals of the past sometimes had problems. But shutting them down althogether instead of reforming them was obviously a mistake.

[Thermodolia]

Wow. Just wow. This is why I advocate for US military style screening for all those wishing to into the police and corrections.

While I agree that we need better screening, ordinary prison guards cannot possibly cope with the seriously mental ill. We need dedicated mental hospitals again, the seriously mental ill should not be dumped in with the general prison population.

Obviously the hospitals of the past sometimes had problems. But shutting them down althogether instead of reforming them was obviously a mistake.

Oh I definitely agree with that