Amber Swink Case

The Brannon Law Firm and Dayton injury attorney, Douglas Brannon have filed a complaint in Federal Court against the Montgomery County Sheriff’s office and Capt. Judith L. Sealey for violently assaulting Amber Swink with pepper spray when she was confined in a restraint chair while in the jail on November 15, 2015. The entire assault of Amber Swink was captured on videotape and should have been documented in a detailed use of force report, which is required anytime pepper spray is utilized against an inmate in the jail. In an effort to cover up the incident and prevent it from becoming public, members of the Montgomery County Sheriff’s office deliberately destroyed the videotape and use of force report. The destruction of the video and use of force reports were confirmed on July 5, 2016 by Capt. Charles Crosby who stated:

“The use of force report cannot be located and as it is a paper document cannot be reproduced. The video that was attached to the original cannot be located and cannot be found where it is normally saved for future use pursuant to the records retention schedule. The video was not located and cannot be reproduced.”

Despite the Montgomery County Sheriff’s office’s best efforts to conceal the tortious conduct of Capt. Sealey, the Brannon Law Firm was able to obtain a copy of the video showing the assault. The attached video clearly shows Amber Swink completely restrained in a restraint chair and unable to move in an isolation cell. At that point Capt. Sealey walks into the isolation cell with a can of pepper spray and proceeds to discharge the entire can of pepper spray directly into the face of Amber Swink at point blank range. Unable to protect herself or seek cover, Amber Swink is forced to inhale huge amounts of pepper spray, is unable to breathe and eventually falls unconscious. The wrongful conduct of Capt. Sealey can only be described as torture. Even more alarming is the fact that Capt. Sealey was promoted within the department by Montgomery County Sheriff Phil Plummer after this incident took place. Now that the Brannon Law Firm has the video, Capt. Sealey and the Montgomery County Sheriff will have to answer to a jury for their unlawful conduct.

Watch The Video Here

Complaint Filed against the Montgomery County Sheriff’s office and Capt. Judith L. Sealey

Memo from Capt. Charles Crosby