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Public Defender: San Francisco Jail Guards Forced Inmates to Fight Each Other

Guards at San Francisco's main county jail orchestrated "gladiator-style" fights between inmates.

Several guards at San Francisco's main county jail orchestrated "gladiator-style" fights between inmates, placed bets on the outcomes and threatened those who disobeyed, the city's public defender said on Thursday. The report released by San Francisco's elected public defender, Jeff Adachi, highlighted fights arranged between two inmates who were promised hamburgers if they won or beatings and other punishment if they refused. One of the inmates weighed about 350 lb (159 kg) and the other about 150 lb (68 kg).

Adachi alleged that San Francisco sheriff's deputy Scott Neu, who was accused in 2006 of forcing inmates to perform sex acts on him, forced the inmates to fight twice. The 2006 case was settled out of court.

Both inmates were injured in the bouts but were threatened not to seek medical treatment.

"Deputy Neu forced these young men to participate in gladiator-style fights for his own sadistic entertainment," Adachi said in a statement.

The San Francisco Deputy Sheriff's Association told the San Francisco Chronicle that the allegations were "exaggerated" and the fighting was "little more than horseplay."

Daniel Luzer is GOVERNING's news editor.
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