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The inmate claims he was attacked in an area that employees knew was not visible on any cameras at the facility.
LAKEWOOD, Colo. — An employee at the Mount View Youth Services Center in Lakewood threw an inmate into a wall and then picked him up by his throat until his feet left the ground, according to a federal civil rights lawsuit that was filed Thursday.
FrankieRhea Chiles is suing the program manager, Michael Robinson, and two other employees, a supervisor and another guard who the lawsuit alleges closed a door and blocked a camera, which allowed the attack to occur.
Before the incident on Jan. 26, 2022, the lawsuit says, Chiles was sitting in an open pod and was told he could not participate in programming and as a result refused to go back to his room. Robinson responded there after a Code Yellow was called and began “trash-talking and provoking” Chiles to stand up, according to the lawsuit.
During this confrontation, the lawsuit says, Robinson punched Chiles in the face causing his nose to bleed. Chiles responded by calling Robinson names. Eventually, Chiles was walked back to his room.
Once in the room, the lawsuit says, Robinson ordered others to leave, and then program manager Brad Nestel closed the door “just enough” so that what was happening in the room was blocked and not captured by a camera in the hallway.
The suit alleges that Robinson assaulted Chiles by slamming him into a wall and picking him up by his throat until his head touched the ceiling. Robinson slammed Chiles to the ground and got on top of him with his knee on Chiles’ chest. The suit claims the assault was retaliation against Chiles for earlier insults and that Robinson had an “established history” of using excessive force against Black youth.
Nestel did nothing to intervene. according to the lawsuit; however, another worker, Jhamele Robinson, witnessed what happened from the hall and came forward the following day to report the incident to Director Taylor Lemuz, who was Michael Robinson’s supervisor.
Jhamele Robinson said he saw Michael Robinson choke-slam Chiles and did so in a location that was known to not have cameras.
Chiles also called the DHS Youth Hotline the next morning to report the incident, the lawsuit says. In response, the suit says, Lemuz concluded based on a review of the video – which did not include footage from the room – that there was “no concern.”
Michael Robinson was temporarily moved to another area for the remaining time Chiles was in the facility but not otherwise disciplined, the lawsuit says.
“I would like to bring light to a corrupt system full of injustices where accountability is not handed out equally. Staff need to be held accountable for provoking situations they are trained to deescalate,” Chiles said in a statement through his attorney. “Instead they are abusing their authority to justify physical assault and violence to youth. I know I cannot save every youth from these unsafe situations but if I could minimize it as much as possible, I would feel better.”
The suit requests a jury trial and asks for damages for economic losses and pain and suffering.
9NEWS has reached out to the Colorado Department of Human Services, which operates the facility, and has not yet heard back.
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