A registered nurse working for Multnomah County’s jail system has filed a $100,000 lawsuit against the county, claiming he was retaliated against after he complained that correctional staff were abusing inmates at the downtown Multnomah County Detention Center.

Fabiano Johann alleges that after staff found out about his complaints, they refused to let him into the jail to treat inmates until he “apologized.” They even went as far as posting his picture along photos of criminals stuck to a wall behind the jail’s check-in desk, Johann claims in his lawsuit.

Sheriff’s spokesman Sgt. Brandon White declined comment, citing the active litigation. The sheriff’s office is the county agency that operates the county’s two jails.

County spokeswoman Jessica Morkert-Shibley also declined comment because of the pending litigation.

The lawsuit states Johann suffered embarrassment as co-workers made comments to him about his photo, asking “if he was a violent and dangerous criminal like the others whose pictures were posted behind the check-in desk.”

The suit doesn’t specify what types of alleged abuses Johann reported to supervisors about correctional staff in December 2017, other than to say he’d complained about “instances of physical abuse of inmates, negligence in housing of inmates, and the failure to provide or allow timely medical care to two pregnant inmates.” Johann’s Portland attorney, Jeremy James, couldn’t be reached Monday to provide more details.

Since his complaints, the suit alleges he’s been retaliated against with “negative performance assessments and criticisms without a valid basis," and he fears the harassment will be ongoing.

The suit also alleges Johann has been mocked and treated rudely because he’s from Brazil, he speaks with an accent and he’s gay.

The lawsuit was filed Friday in Multnomah County Circuit Court. Read the lawsuit here.

-- Aimee Green

agreen@oregonian.com

o_aimee

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