Michael Jackson is a former inmate at the Hamilton County, Ohio Jail.   From April 8, 2007, until August 10, 2007, he was housed in the administrative segregation unit at the jail.  On August 10, 2007, Hamilton County deputies forcibly removed him from his cell and placed him in a restraint chair.  Even though he was fully under the control of several officers, one officer shot Mr. Jackson in the chest with pepper balls at point blank range.  The use of the pepper ball launcher was gratuitous and cruel.  Jackson sued Hamilton County and the deputy alleging a civil rights violation.  United States District Judge J. Michael Barrett and a panel of judges from the Sixth Circuit rejected efforts to dismiss the case and ruled that it should be tried.  At that point the County settled with Mr. Jackson for $30,000.00.  Jackson’s attorney, Al Gerhardstein, stated that,

“Through cases like this government is held accountable for abuses of power.  Hopefully this settlement will cause Hamilton County, Ohio deputies to respect the rights of inmates in their custody.” 

Pleadings can be viewed here.