A former inmate from Tennessee has filed a federal lawsuit against the sheriff's department alleging abuse at the hands of deputies.
Jordan Norris, who was 18 at the time, says his jailers used excessive force on him as he was restrained in a chair.
The lawsuit says the force was caught on video and is referred to as being “sadistic, malicious and unreasonable.”
A Tennessee sheriff says he has asked the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation to investigate the Nov. 7, 2016 incident.
The three officers were placed on administrative leave with pay.
Sheriff Mike Breedlove says Norris was taken in for felony drug and weapons charges.
Breedlove says Norris has a long criminal history and has reportedly made numerous threats against law officers.
“He made the comments if we arrested him he would shoot us or kill us. We have a duty to protect other inmates while they are in there as well.”
Breedlove says Norris was aggressive, wouldn't comply and it was then deputies spent a lot of time just trying to calm him down..
“[We put a] spit guard on him because he was spitting and was attempting to bite.”
It was only after the deputies tried multiple times to get Norris to comply, that's when Breedlove says the Taser was brought out.
The lawsuit says Norris was tased multiple times and he reportedly suffered red marks on his legs and torso.