Frivolous Inmate Lawsuits

Inmate lawsuits from the jails are a common occurrence. Every jail has them and ours is no exception.

The vast majority are usually without merit and dismissed promptly but it still remains a real nuisance to everyone involved.

So far, we have not had a case like the one in Arkansas although we have had some pretty ridiculous lawsuits.

In Arkansas, an inmate filed his lawsuit against Benton County alleging the jailhouse menu was leading him to starvation.

Despite his claim, the man jailed for fatally stabbing and beating someone currently weighs over 300 pounds. But in his complaint, he says the jail's 3,000-calorie-a-day meals aren't enough and claims he weighed over 400 pounds when he was first arrested eight months ago.

He said that on several occasions he started to do some exercising and his vision went blurry and he felt like he was going to pass out.

He also claimed that about an hour after each meal his stomach starts to hurt and growl and he feels hungry again.

It is very difficult to feel sorry for this individual. I think the jail should consider charging him for a weight loss program that is actually going to potentially improve his health.