Monroe County, NY Sheriff Jail Deputy Raellen Ashley assaults woman
The concrete walls and steel bars inside the Monroe County, NY Jail in downtown Rochester, NY hold a lot of secrets.
Brutal, vicious beatings of inmates by jail deputies, as well as highly questionable, suspicious deaths.
Take, for example, a young black man named Kevin Sylar.
In 1998, Kevin Sylar was arrested by Rochester, NY Police and charged with robbing a corner store.
Sylar was handcuffed and searched by Rochester Police, as is standard practice, before being placed in custody.
What happened next, shortly after Sylar arrived at the Monroe County Jail, is just one of the many secrets at the jail, that to this day, remain unanswered.
According to the Monroe County, NY Sheriff's Office, as Kevin Sylar was being booked, he reached in his waistband, pulled out a gun, and shot himself in the head.
But how could someone who was searched by police before arriving at the jail, pull out a gun from his waist and kill himself?
Well, many, including myself never bought the Monroe County, NY Sheriff's Office story.
Simply put, their story doesn't add up.
Kevin Sylar's case is just one of the secrets those concrete walls at the Monroe County, NY Jail hold.
The jail is also known for brutal beatings of inmates by Monroe County, NY Sheriff's jail deputies.
Monroe County, NY Jail in downtown Rochester, NY
One such beating by Monroe County Jail deputies is that of Jennifer Merrow.
Merrow, who lives in Greece, NY, a suburb of Rochester, was arrested by Rochester Police for suspicion of DWI, on December 19, 2014, and taken to the Monroe County, NY Jail.
What happened next was captured by the jail's surveillance camera.
As Merrow was trying to put her shirt back on, while being booked, she's suddenly attacked by Monroe County, NY Jail deputy Raelle Gagnier Ashley.
Deputy Ashley starts punching and kicking Ashley, in a completely unprovoked attack.
"The use of force is objectively unreasonable," said Anjan Ganguly, Merrow's attorney, who added, "It doesn't pass the common sense test, let alone any precise legal test. She had no aggressive stance toward anyone. It couldn't be more clear."
Monroe County, NY Sheriff Jail Deputy Raelle Gagnier Ashley
Merrow's attorney filed a lawsuit in U.S. Western District Federal Court.
The lawsuit names the Monroe County, NY Sheriff's Office, including Deputies Raellen Ashley and Timothy Romach, as well as Monroe County, NY Sheriff Patrick O'Flynn.
Deputy Timothy Romach, who is also seen in the video punching Merrow, is the brother of Brighton, NY Police officer Mike Romach.
Click the link below to watch the video of the unprovoked assault and beating of Merrow, which is key to her lawsuit.
The video is important for many reasons, primarily because it offers a rare look into the civil rights abuses that occur on a daily basis inside the Monroe County, NY Jail.
CLICK LINK BELOW TO WATCH VIDEO
Monroe County, NY Sheriff Deputy Raellen Ashley Assaults Jennifer Merrow
Monroe County, NY Sheriff Jail Deputy Raellen Ashley
Monroe County, NY Sheriff Jail Deputy Tim Romach
Monroe County, NY Sheriff Patrick O'Flynn
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