Women file federal class-action lawsuit over strip searches in SF jail | KTVU

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[00:00:00]A rally and announcement of a new lawsuit happened today at the San Francisco jail 1 year after a female inmates say they were strip searched in a degrading fashion. Our crime reporter Henry Lee is out at the jail with their allegations. Henry.

[00:00:15]Christina, they say they were humiliated, forced to strip naked and expose themselves with male deputies nearby, but the sheriff's office says female inmates were searched by female deputies.

[00:00:27]This morning, my firm filed a federal class action lawsuit.

[00:00:32]>> Attorney Elizabeth Berdalino announcing a civil rights lawsuit against the San Francisco Sheriff's Office. 20 women accusing deputies of strip searches at the jail a year ago that they say were abusive with some caught on body camera video. The allegations include unequal protection and the illegal strip searches amongst other claims. This isn't going away. Stop the abuse. The suit says deputies, including men, corralled female inmates in the jail near 7th and Bryant streets and forced them to strip naked and expose themselves. The women say the male deputies knew what was happening and did not look away. These women were incredibly courageous.

[00:01:11]Inside a place that usually silences people, they spoke up. The suit says a sergeant told a female deputy not to turn off her body worn camera during the searches because the footage could quote be used for training purposes. The suit names San Francisco, the Sheriff's Office, Sheriff Paul Miyamoto, and five sworn members. The Sheriff's Office said Friday the incident remains under administrative review and that their investigation showed women were searched by female deputies in single stalls. In a statement, the Sheriff's Office said in part, "As previously stated, male deputies did not strip search female inmates at County Jail 2. The female inmates who were strip searched were searched individually in a private setting."

[00:01:51]Taylor Ross is one of the plaintiffs.

[00:01:53]She tells me she was jailed for evading and says she was strip searched while pregnant. No privacy. Like everything is just like you're in our house and you're going to do what we want you to do and you can't say anything about that. But today, we came today and handle. This is an epidemic of state-sanctioned sexual violence. Katie Dixon is a community advocate. Our demand for accountability will ring all the way from City Hall, all the way through Washington.

[00:02:23]We will not stop until it stops.

[00:02:29]So this suit is just beginning in federal court. Supporters of the women have been here outside the jail all day in support of these plaintiffs. Live in San Francisco, Henry Lee, KTVU Fox 2 News.