Barrow County inmate reports food sprayed with pepper spray
An inmate at the Barrow County Jail speaks out after eating food contaminated with pepper spray. The GBI has charged a prison guard with cruelty to inmates and violation of her oath of office. She has since been fired. An inmate reports eating the breakfast that was allegedly contaminated with pepper spray.
BARROW COUNTY, Georgia. – An inmate at the Barrow County Jail recounts his experience eating food contaminated with pepper spray. A veteran prison guard was arrested last week by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and subsequently fired after
Lolita Lightner, 50, was charged with cruelty to prisoners and violating her oath of office.
Inmate recalls pepper spray incident at Barrow County Jaw
Brantavious Sims, 20, is in the Barrow County Jail awaiting trial on murder and gang charges. But like all other inmates with no criminal record, he is presumed innocent until proven guilty, so he is upset about the “punishment” he received during one particular breakfast.
“Unbearable pain. It’s hard to explain. I wouldn’t wish such an experience on even my worst enemy,” Sims explained.
He says he was one of six inmates who ingested pepper spray at a prison breakfast last month. Sims says he is baffled that a veteran prison guard was arrested by the GBI for the action.
Lolita Lightner (Barrow County Sheriff’s Office)
Barrow County Jail officials did not allow FOX 5 to speak with Sims behind bars, but he spoke through his attorney, Jackie “The Fly Lawyer” Patterson, who recorded the conversation.
“I was coughing up blood, couldn’t breathe and had stomach pains. They had to prescribe me a drug called Maloff,” the prisoner said.
“It is not our job to impose penalties, and this was certainly not justified,” noted Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith.
The sheriff condemns the alleged crime and is unsure about the motive, but expressed a suspicion in an interview on Thursday.
“I guess she obviously did it to inflict additional punishment on the inmates,” Sheriff Smith mused.
Sims claims the fired officer gave him and five other inmates a subtle warning the day before.
“She was angry, it was nothing physical against her. She said she smelled smoke in our dorm and said, ‘We should have done that during someone else’s shift,'” Sims said.
Patterson says he and Sims will sue Barrow County over the alleged food tampering.
“We plan to sue this county. We will undoubtedly send our ante-litem notice. We are demanding $2 million and if they don’t pay it within the 30 days required by law, we will tack on a few zeros,” Patterson said.
Prison guard allegedly used pepper spray on food
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation has charged 50-year-old veteran prison guard Lolita Lightner with cruelty to inmates and violation of her oath of office after agents discovered she had mixed pepper spray into inmates’ food.
He says the lawsuit will increase to $20 million if the county does not respond within 30 days.
What is OC Spray?
Pepper spray is made from capsicum oleoresin, with the active ingredient derived from capsaicin, an oily extract from plants in the Capsicum genus, such as chili peppers. Although the base ingredient is edible, albeit more bitter and extremely hot, it is not intended to be, particularly due to the aerosol agents used in it. Ingesting OC spray can cause severe burning in the mouth, throat and stomach, which can lead to nausea, vomiting and potentially more serious health problems.
Pepper spray is considered a tear gas, which irritates the eyes and causes pain, burning, watering, and temporary blindness. It can also cause the eyes to close, resulting in loss of vision. These effects usually last between 30 minutes and an hour, depending on the concentration of the spray and the person’s susceptibility. Despite its unpleasant effects, OC spray is generally considered safe when used correctly, as most symptoms resolve without medical intervention.
It is primarily used to subdue individuals who pose a threat to police officers or others and is a safer alternative to more lethal means. The adoption of OC spray by law enforcement agencies began in the 1980s and its use has since expanded worldwide. It is preferred for its portability, ease of use and effectiveness in quickly incapacitating suspects without long-term harm.
