Lawsuit: Josephine County Jail Held Man in Psychiatric Crisis in Full-Body “Wrap,” Used Tasers and Force

Abuse alleged to violate the Fourteenth Amendment, Americans with Disabilities Act, and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act

MEDIA CONTACTS

Disability Rights Oregon: Melissa Roy-Hart | (503) 444-0026 | [email protected]
Stritmatter Law: Alicia LeDuc | (360) 723-1986 | [email protected]
Rex Legal: Michael Rex | (303) 381-1045 | [email protected]

MEDFORD, Ore.-A federal lawsuit filed November 6 alleges that Josephine County and jail staff responded to a man's acute mental health crisis by repeatedly locking him in a full-body restraint device known as "the Wrap" - sometimes for eight to 12 hours a day - while using electrical shocks, chemical spray, kicks, and punches, withholding meals, and blocking his access to his attorney.

The complaint, Roberts v. Josephine County, was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon, Medford Division, on behalf of Sephiran Roberts, a man with bipolar I disorder with psychotic features. Mr. Roberts was a pretrial detainee at the Josephine County Jail from November 2024 until his transfer to the Oregon State Hospital in January 2025.

"Restraint is not mental health treatment. A person in psychiatric crisis needs care from qualified clinicians, not hours strapped into a device and shocked when he struggles. The law requires that people with disabilities be given a real chance to access services - including the ability to talk to their lawyer, to eat, and to be assessed by someone qualified to help." - David Boyer, Managing Attorney of Disability Rights Oregon's Mental Health Rights Project

According to the complaint, Mr. Roberts entered the jail in psychiatric crisis and, by a sergeant's own account, spent roughly half or more of
his first weeks in custody in a restraint chair or "the Wrap."

The complaint alleges:

• Jail staff kept Mr. Roberts restrained for hours at a time - including nearly 12.5 hours on December 7, 2024 - and repeatedly made release from the restraint dependent on "cool, calm, collected" behavior, even though his psychiatric symptoms made that standard difficult to meet without appropriate treatment.

• Staff used Tasers, pepper spray, kicks, and closed-fist strikes, often when he was already handcuffed or restrained and under the control of multiple officers.

• His wrists developed open wounds and his hands became swollen, yet he was returned to restraints without adequate clinical medical reassessment. The jail's physician, Dr. Lake, noted on December 27, 2024: "(Roberts) has several sores around his wrists and arms with differing degrees of healing … He stood up most of the time to stretch because he is usually encased in a gurney system that keeps him from moving."

• Jail staff withheld meals and did not provide safe assistance with eating or hygiene while he was immobilized.

• Staff denied or cut short attorney visits and document signing instead of making reasonable modifications for his disability.

• The jail's own medical provider questioned whether it could care for Mr. Roberts, and he was held on suicide watch because no clinician was available to clear him.

• The County did not retain the video footage of the conduct, an issue federal judges have addressed in the past.

The lawsuit also alleges that the County had been on notice of the dangers of managing psychiatric crisis through restrictive custody since the 2018 suicide death of Janelle Marie Butterfield in the same jail, which resulted in federal litigation.

The complaint asserts claims against Josephine County and seven jail staff members under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 for unconstitutional conditions of confinement, inadequate medical and mental health care, excessive force, and municipal liability, as well as claims under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, and Oregon law claims for negligence and battery. Mr. Roberts seeks damages for the physical and psychological harm he suffered.

"Mr. Roberts told staff he did not want to go back into 'the Wrap,' and his body was already showing the toll: open wounds, swollen hands, and visible pain. Instead of stopping to reassess, the jail kept escalating. The County had been warned by a prior death in that jail about the dangers of this approach." - Alicia LeDuc of Stritmatter Law

"People with mental illness should not be punished for the symptoms of their illness. When a jail treats a psychiatric crisis as a discipline problem, the response becomes more force, more restraint, and more suffering. This case is about holding Josephine County accountable for that failure and ensuring that people in crisis are treated with dignity and care." - Michael Rex of Rex Legal

The lawsuit was filed by attorneys at Disability Rights Oregon, Stritmatter Law, and Rex Legal.

Resources

• Download the Complaint

Download the Press Release

About

For nearly 50 years, Disability Rights Oregon has upheld the civil rights of people with disabilities to live, work, and engage in the community. Serving as Oregon's Protection & Advocacy system since 1977, the nonprofit works to transform systems, policies, and practices to give more people the opportunity to reach their full potential.

Stritmatter Law represents real people whose lives have been shattered by the negligence and wrongdoing of others. We champion our clients by seeking real justice. We battle defendants no matter how big and powerful they may be. Our mission is to fight for our clients as best and as hard as we can.

Rex Legal is a Denver-based trial law firm representing individuals and families who have been harmed by the wrongful conduct of others. Founded by attorney Michael Rex, the firm combines personal attention with rigorous trial preparation and a commitment to holding powerful defendants accountable.