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ACLU sues Utah Department of Corrections

Posted at 7:17 PM, Jun 04, 2013
and last updated 2013-06-04 21:17:18-04

SALT LAKE CITY – The ACLU has filed a lawsuit against the Utah Department of Corrections over their use of tear gas.

Officers at a prison used tear gas in August of 2011 when an inmate refused to leave the courtyard and return to his cell. The lawsuit alleges the tear gas entered air vents and made several inmates sick.

The ACLU’s complaint says in part: “We commonly heard that people thought they were going to die… We think the circumstances of the case amount to the use of cruel and unusual punishment.”

Utah Department of Corrections officials said they occasionally use tear gas when inmates refuse to comply with orders.