Woman sues Sheriff's Office, claims jail abuse

TAMPA -- A woman alleges she was abused when she was booked into the Hillsborough County jail in late 2006, and she plans to speak about it at a news conference later today, according to her attorney's law firm.

The woman, Marcella Pourmoghani-Esfahani (left), has filed a federal suit against the Hillsborough Sheriff's Office, according to a spokeswoman for her attorney, Virlyn B. Moore III.

A BayNews9 report includes video of the incident.

Moore said he felt "shock, outrage, horror" over the woman's treatment at the jail.

"My client was pulled by the hair in an unprovoked attack," he said.

He called for an external investigation of the treatment of Hillsborough jail inmates.

"This is not an isolated situation," he said. "This is a culture of the institution."

Jail records show she was arrested Nov. 11, 2006, on charges of driving under the influence and driving with a suspended or revoked license. Once at the jail, she was also charged with battery on a law enforcement officer, but said the charge was later dropped after prosecutors reviewed a tape of the alleged beating incident.

According to the sheriff's arrest report from the incident in question, Pourmoghani-Esfahani was being "disruptive" during the booking process and continued after "being counseled several times." When Deputy Shanna Marsh attempted to escort her to a holding cell, Pourmoghani-Esfahani pulled away from her grasp. The deputy wrote that when she tried to grip Pourmoghani-Esfahani's arm, the inmate pulled away and grabbed a chair railing instead. So, Marsh decided to direct Pourmoghani-Esfahani to be seated on the floor, at which time the inmate, Marsh wrote, grabbed the deputy's leg and refused to let go.

"I then delivered several defensive strikes to her upper body in attempt to get her to  release her hold on my leg," Marsh  wrote.

After Pourmoghani-Esfahani was finally taken to a holding cell, a nurse examined her and determined the inmate had suffered a nose injury and "appeared to be having symptoms of possible overdose," the arrest report says. She was then taken to Tampa General Hospital for treatment.

 

Sheriff's spokeswoman Debbie Carter said the sheriff's office could not immediately comment on the pending legal matter. But she did say that there is more to the story. "We don't believe this is an ongoing issue," she said.

Records show Pourmoghani-Esfahani has a previous criminal history, including a stint in prison from September 1999 to February 2001 for grand theft, traffic in stolen property and battery on a law enforcement officer.

-- Abbie VanSickle and Rebecca Catalanello, Times staff writers

Photo courtesy of Hillsborough jail.

Comments

One more seeking her macluhanees and the SPT is an accomplice.

[Cindy]

2006? What she had a memory laspe and now she remembers? Give it up lady you are only trying to sue because the Young man that was dumped out of his wheelchair probably will sue, and he should. They are going to be coming out of the woodwork now and the target will be the Hillsborough County Sheriffs office. I'm not a sheriff but this is so typcial.

[Rodger]

Once you have put yourself in place for an arrest and a visit to jail weather you be a women or wheelchair man you get what you get. if your a jailbird you have lost your rights when the bars slammed shut. WHO SAID JAIL WAS FUN? IF YOU WERE IN JAIL YOU NEEDED A BOOT TO THE BACKSIDE AND YOU GOT IT. wake up people these folks are in jail not on a picnic.

[Honest Joe]

Oh, here we go. Another gutter-trash hoe-bag with dollar signs in her eyes trying to jump on the band-wagon. By the way all you bleeding hearts, when did jail, a place for murderers, molesters and thieves become Club Med? We pamper our scumbags too much. Treat her like they do in Saudi Arabia, 200 lashes!

[marc]

Hey Rodger innocent people are sent to jail everyday in this country, you need some jail time to get in touch with the real world. Being put in jail does not make you guilty of a crime and to be punished, you need a fair trial first wake up!!!

I thought I was looking at file footage from Abu Ghraib prison.

Rodger, jail does not mean someone was convicted. People can be in jail for numerous things. Speeding. That deserves a beating? I'm sorry, WHERE do you live?

Guilty til proven innocent, eh?

[Rodger]

Im in pinellas county and I did spend the weekend once. what I saw was people that were a problem getting a problem. seemed fair then and still does.

Has the state been hiring sado-masochists? I thought screening measures were in place.

[Steve]

You people who think people being arrested deserve to be beaten are sick, disturbed human beings.

What the hell is wrong with you?

I bet you're church-goers, too.

Sick freaks.

[tony]

rodger's a punk.

[melissa]

RODGER... Are you one of them P.I.G.S?? It's obvious.. by your words! Just because a person is sent to jail does not mean they deserve to be abused. If I am not mistaken wasn't the guy in the wheelchair a traffic violation and the lady a DUI. Maybe a mass murderer may deserve such treatment!!

I am so over cops with POWER TRIPS .. I mean cops abusing people you see it all the time on the news. Maybe they need to have their heads checked before they are allowed to what do what they call..."protect and serve" Yeah, looks like the police force in Fla has defianly lost their "mission"!!

I hope both po po guards that treated these people in such a manner def get their JUST punishment! They need to and so called cops like them need to not be in the police force in any shape or form.

Give someone a badge and alittle bit of power in the wrong hands and you get jerks in patrol cars and working the jails!

Oh and the person who runs these jails and cannot keep their personal under control! Well, maybe they also need to look for a new job!!

[Dave]

The enemy of a decent society is the person who supports these beatings.

I think YOU need to be slapped around by a bad cop for awhile, see what you think about it.

[steve oneal]

Just getting arrested DOES NOT mean you have no rights. 1st of all you are innocent until convicted in a court of law. The video was plain enough for the PA not to press charges. I'm not saying force is not necessary at times, but this clearly appears to be excessive. The guards should do their jobs properly and there would be no problem.

[Dave]

I'm pretty sure some of the people who comment here would have been quite happy in Nazi Germany or Soviet Russia.

They were really good at keeping order, you know.

Used to be, Americans held themselves to a different standard. Nowadays, the real face of humanity is apparent.

[Simba]

I'm glad when I read comments from people like Rodger. I know who the enemy is now.

Why don't you just go out and beat up homeless people? I'm sure they deserve it for something!

Rodger and Honest Joe...you actually get it!!! Check out her DOC record, she has this thing for authority types...6yr stint for batleo.

http://www.dc.state.fl.us/AppCommon/searchall.asp?Action=Find&SexOffOnly=0

[Jeb]

Abuse is prevelant throughout the jail system in the State. Gestapo comes to mind.

It's Marcella Alonso...

http://www.dc.state.fl.us/AppCommon/searchall.asp?Action=Find&SexOffOnly=0

[Amanda]

2006, 2007, 2008....and she's just now remembering this? Sounds to me like a woman trying to jump on the money wagon while it's moving. She put her hands on a deputy and wouldn't let go. The man with the wheelchair incident is totally different because he didn't hold down a deputy. If someone had a hold of my legs and wouldn't let go, I would probably attempt some bodily harm too. She's trash and trouble. Don't give her a dime of our tax money!!

TO THE IDIOT THAT POST THE COMMENT ONCE THE DOORS ARE SLAMMED YOU GET WHAT YOU DESERVE .......ONLY IDIOTS SAYS THINGS LIKE THAT YOU ARE A HUMAN BEING WITH FEELINGS AND RIGHTS AND REGARDLESS OF THE SITUATION THAT PUT YOU BEHIND THOSE BARS YOU STILL HAVE RIGHTS WHAT IF THAT WAS ONE OF YOUR FAMILY MEMBERS THAT WAS IN THAT SITUATION OR YOUR CHILD YOU WOULD BE RAISING CANE .......THEY THINK THEY CAN DO WHATEVER THEY WANT TO YOU BECAUSE THEY HAVE A BADGE AND THAT'S NOT RIGHT AT ALL THEY NEED TO BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR ACTIONS AS WELL

[D24]

I am a detention deputy (not in the Tampa Bay area, but in Fl). I will be the first to admit that not everyone in uniform deserves to wear it. Don't let a couple of officers wrong doing or "power trips" set your judgement on a department as a whole. It is just like any and every profession, we all have bad apples, but their are so many good ones that don't get the recognition they deserve. The media doesnt report when a deputy saves the life of an inmate, but when one claims to be mistreated, the media jumps all over it. Most of the people who criticize detention deputies probably could not do the job. Before criticizing, I challenge you to take a tour of the jail and see how foolish MOST of the inmates act. This is not a job for everyone. It probably has the highest turnover rate than any other profession. About the HCSO jail video of the officer and the wheelchair. When I saw that video on the internet, I admit I was shocked. You and I dont know what lead up to that event, but regardless that was not a professional way to handle that. This profession came be very stressful at time and it is hard to keep your professional demeanor. There are very good people who work in this profession and I ask you to please not make your judgement on all officer/deputy because of a few isolated incidents.

Clearly, She's no saint. That said, just because she had a DUI and driving on a suspended license violation doesn't justify that beating. Can a prostitute be raped, or do we summarily dismiss that allegation because she's a prostitute? A checkered past is not enough to warrant an unprovoked assault. And give me a break about her disobeying orders or whatnot. It was way over the top. Orient Road appears to be replete with bad cops and shady goings-on. There should be a federal investigation.

She could be jumping on the bandwagon. Very possible.

Also possible is that she feels safer now that another allegation with video has come to light and the response to that video.

Also possible is that the time lapse between the incident and now has allowed her to straighten out some. Is she still on probation? Is she off? If she is no longer on probation, perhaps she feels safer like they have less control over her now.

It is not uncommon for victims to not come forward for awhile. It is not uncommon for victims to not report a crime. The time in between should be questioned, but not cause for ruling out her accusations.

Those who think that those in jail deserve what they get: Well, if you're only as good as your weakest link. These people are one of them so it is one example of how good this area is. And we are supposed to teach others to lessen violence and be a democracy? How?

What nobody is saying she was brought in on a out standing warrant for violation of probation stemming from
a dui and driving with a suspended license also which name to use she has 11 aliases, this video surface back in 11-06 which showed the entire booking process with her. HCSO is suppose to release it again watch it again and then voice your opinion. I am just glad my husband daughter or myself was not on the road when she was driving. This female is not as innocent as she and her lawyer are trying to portray.

[Roger]

This is the proof that inmate allegations of abuse at the Hillsborough and Pasco County Jails are NOT always sour grapes. It is a problem that the County Sheriff's either will not investigate, can't resolve, or condone. It can't be anything else. There exists a pattern of abuse of inmates, MAKE NO MISTAKE ABOUT IT. The end result will be costs to the taxpayers for settlements, investigations, legal fees etc etc. The County Commission in both instances are aware of it, and let it persist. Why....I don't know. I personally contacted one County Jail office of Professional standards.Told them I could document 107 claims of abuse, over a 10 month period, form 30-40 different inmates, involving numerous detention Deputies. I was told "the Deputies have the right to confront their accusers and they would be present when making the allegations". I told them I would gather all the people making the allegations, they should gather all of the deputies (accused), and give me a date, time, place to do it. The response from that office was, " GO F--- YOURSELF", and hung.
I got an e-mail from that office with a "canned" response of basically the same response, minus the profanity. The purpose is to intimidate anyone wishing to make a complaint from doing so, by insinuating RETRIBUTION. This is a serious, REAL problem in both Counties. I even took my story to the SPT and they were not interested 4-5 months ago. BOTTOM LINE.....BOTH JAILS ROUTINELY ABUSE INMATES, AND MOST OF THE DETENTION DEPUTIES ABUSE THEIR POWER, AND SEEM TO ENJOY ABUSING PEOPLE IN THEIR CUSTODY. You have not seen or heard the end of this. People will come out of the woodwork, now that it is Public. The fear of retribution from The COUNTY EMPLOYEES has been eradicated.

[Roger]

Adding to my "blog", with the exception of a very few, at both of these jails, I WOULD BE ASHAMED TO ADMIT THAT I WORKED FOR EITHER AGENCY. The stigma of these, and future exposed abuses, will remain for a VERY LONG TIME.HEADS ARE GOING TO ROLL.