Students Touring D.C. Jail Forced to Strip

Brad Wright and Eileen O'Connor (CNN) report, "On May 17, 2001, 12 boys from Evans Middle School were taken on a tour of the D.C. jail. Some had been involved in an in-school suspension program and others volunteered. The boys allege they were told to strip so they could experience a strip search. When some refused, they allege D.C. jailers told them they could not leave until they complied, and then they stripped.

"One of the boys was held down by eight inmates while his shoes were stripped off," Wayne Cohen, an attorney for the victims' families, told a press conference announcing the lawsuit. "He was then told to take his boxers off. He had his hands covering his genitals. He was yelled at to remove his hands, to grab his ankles, to squat and to cough."

On May 18, 2001, the lawyers allege a group of girls from the same school was also forced to strip. They allege they were taken through the men's jail, while some inmates masturbated.

"One of the guards told one of the girls something to the effect of, 'He's doing that because he hasn't seen a girl in quite a while and he's very excited,'" Cohen said."

Families say students told to strip at D.C. jail
Brad Wright and Eileen O'Connor
CNN Washington Bureau
May 29, 2001
Posted: 6:50 PM EDT (2250 GMT)

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Lawyers for seven of more than two dozen middle school students recently toured the Washington city jail say they plan to sue the city, alleging the students were forced to strip and to witness prisoners engaging in masturbation and were intimidated and harassed.

Lawyers say they are suing on the grounds corrections and school officials violated the students' privacy and civil rights, committed assault and battery and intentionally inflicted emotional distress.

The lawyers are asking for $1 million in compensatory damages and $3 million in punitive damages per child.

The lawyers further allege students from a second school also were forced to strip while they toured the jail in April -- the first time allegations involving a second school have surfaced.

"We have to see the actual lawsuit and once we receive a copy we will handle it accordingly," said Daryl Madden, a spokesperson for the Department of Corrections.

The office of Mayor Anthony Williams is referring all inquiries to the corporation counsel, which acts as the lawyer for the District of Columbia. Calls to that office were not immediately returned.

On May 17, 2001, 12 boys from Evans Middle School were taken on a tour of the D.C. jail. Some had been involved in an in-school suspension program and others volunteered. The boys allege they were told to strip so they could experience a strip search. When some refused, they allege D.C. jailers told them they could not leave until they complied, and then they stripped.

"One of the boys was held down by eight inmates while his shoes were stripped off," Wayne Cohen, an attorney for the victims' families, told a press conference announcing the lawsuit. "He was then told to take his boxers off. He had his hands covering his genitals. He was yelled at to remove his hands, to grab his ankles, to squat and to cough."

On May 18, 2001, the lawyers allege a group of girls from the same school was also forced to strip. They allege they were taken through the men's jail, while some inmates masturbated.

"One of the guards told one of the girls something to the effect of, 'He's doing that because he hasn't seen a girl in quite a while and he's very excited,'" Cohen said.

The mother of one of the girls involved told reporters none of the employees involved, from the school or the jail, should keep their jobs. Constance Redd said her daughter doesn't want to return to school.

"Children can be cruel sometimes and make fun of things that happened to her," Redd said. "I'd rather not get into what happened to her, but they're making a lot of fun of her and she doesn't want to go to school.

School board officials, the Department of Corrections and the FBI are all conducting investigations. The principal of the middle school where the children were from has been placed on leave, as have a teacher and an aide. Several employees at the jail are also on leave, pending the outcome of the investigation.

"I felt horrible, but right now my feelings are turning to anger because I believe the entire school system is being victimized because of this incident," D.C. school superintendent Paul Vance told a press conference last Thursday.

School board officials did not immediately return calls concerning the lawsuit.

The lawyers said they also are representing some students from a different school -- Ballou High School -- who went on a tour of the jail on April 12 and allege they were forced to strip. An employee answering the phone at Ballou refused to comment, referring calls to the principal, who was unavailable.