The events occurred in a warehouse known as the Valiente Cave. Dozens of people say they were ill-treated during police interrogations and searches.
The FBI announced Friday that it had opened an investigation to lawsuits filed alleging that police in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, “may have abused their authority” by using force against drug trafficking suspects at a warehouse, AP reported.
According to a document A man claims he was taken to a warehouse known as the Valiente Cave., and they beat him so badly that he needed medical attention before being taken to prison. In another case, a woman reports that she was subjected to a strip search.
A lawyer representing some of the victims said his team had received information from dozens more people They report sexual abuse and humiliation in the camp and they plan to file additional lawsuits.
“This type of misconduct is so deeply rooted that people had little reason to expect positive change,” he said. He praised the FBI’s decision to launch an investigation.
On his part Baton Rouge Police Chief Murphy Paul said “some mistakes were made” acknowledged that his department had not conducted sufficient investigations and promised to “get to the bottom of the matter.”
Since the first complaint was filed last month, The authorities ordered the so-called “Cueva Valiente” to be closed. Police disbanded their street crimes unit and an officer at the center of the allegations, the son of the current deputy chief, resigned and was arrested.
Baton Rouge Police Department She has previously been accused of misconduct in connection with the 2016 murder of African-American Alton Sterling, 37. In addition, an investigation into corruption in the ministry’s narcotics department will be launched in 2021 led to criminal charges against officers accused of drug theft of evidence and lies in police reports.
