Inmate files suit against jail, Sheriff

In documents filed Dec. 17, inmate Ralph Hill McElroy Jr. claimed he has been repeatedly harassed by Sigman despite filing several grievances asking for relief. McElroy is currently serving a two year sentence after being convicted for sexual battery. According to the Sheriff's Office, McElroy was originally charged with child molestation as well, but that charge was merged with the sexual battery charge as part of a plea agreement. McElroy is currently scheduled to be transferred to the State Department of Corrections.

McElroy stated the harassment began after he filed a grievance against Sigman in July. McElroy claims Sigman used a pocket knife to cut a piece of bread in half after the bread had fallen on the floor. McElroy stated Sigman then placed the bread back on a food tray. McElroy complained that Sigman was not wearing gloves while handling food and that he should not have been carrying a pocket knife while working in the detention facility.

According to McElroy, Sigman began harassing him a few days later. McElroy alleges that Sigman began searching his cell every day he was on duty. The searches resulted in the room being “demolished,” McElroy alleged.

McElroy listed several additional complaints against Sigman. According to McElroy, Sigman reportedly:

• took food off inmate trays and gave it other inmates.

• ridiculed a mental health inmate and deprived him of his blanket.

• prevented McElroy from having his blood pressure checked for what McElroy describes as a “chronic care health problem.”

McElroy subsequently filed additional grievances against Sigman which he said were ignored.

In his lawsuit, McElroy also leveled several claims against the Barrow County Detention Center. McElroy said he has been deprived of access to his public defender because of the rules regarding administrative segregation. McElroy also alleged that he and other inmates have not been allowed to watch weekend church services on a routine basis. Lastly, McElroy accused the detention center of placing his health in jeopardy by not checking incoming prisoners for tuberculosis.

McElroy is seeking $50,000 in punitive damages for harassment. Additionally, he has asked the court to force the Barrow County Detention Center to change its existing grievance system, test incoming prisoners for tuberculosis and change the rules for administrative segregation to allow those inmates to have the same access to public defenders as the general population. He has also asked that Sigman be relieved of duty for alleged unprofessional actions.