5:44 PM Houston County Commission Chairman and Commissioners' Negligence Get County Under A Lawsuit

Rickey Stokes

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Posted by: RStokes
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Date: Nov 18 2024 5:46 PM

HOUSTON COUNTY:     In the United Stated Federal Court, in the Middle District in the State of Alabama, due to the negligence of Houston County Commission Chairman Brandon Shoupe and the Houston County Commission, a lawsuit has been filed.

The lawsuit is filed by Attorney Lance Swanner and Carl Underwood for Jacoby and Meyers in Dothan. The Plaintiff is John Hobson, a former inmate in the Houston County Jail. The suit names the Sheriff and Command of the Houston County Jail and the Houston County Commission.

While the allegations are against the Sheriff and Command Staff, the real blame rests on Houston County Commission Chairman and Houston County Commission. 

On Page 4, item number 10, "Defendant Houston County Commission is an elective county board comprised of five (5) commissioners. At all relevant times, the Houston County Commission administered the county's finances and was responsible for ensuring for ensuring a safe, secure, and well-administered structure of the county jail."

On page 5, item 16 "The Houston County Commission was responsible for adopting a budget that includes reasonable expenditures for the safe operation of the county jail, including expenses for secure and properly functioning cell door locks."

The Houston County Jail door's were not secure and inmates were able to unlock cell door's themselves, which allowed inmates out of their cells without authorization or supervision. The defendant's, Houston County Commission Chairman and members of the Houston County Commission are responsible for ensuring that the budget for the jail included providing properly functioning locks on cell doors. 

Houston County Sheriff Donald Valenza had asked the Houston County Commission Chairman and Houston County Commission in two budget years for the money to repair the doors at the Houston County Jail. The Houston County Commission Chairman, Brandon Shoupe, denied those requests. Chairman Shoupe is reported to have made the statement that he had rather pave roads then fix the doors at the Houston County Jail.

LAWSUIT ALLEGATIONS 

On February 12, 2024, John Hobson was taking a shower in B-Pod while lunch trays were being passed out. When Hobson got out of the shower he pressed the intercom button and told the on-duty officer that had not received a tray. Hobson was told the officer passing out the trays in A-Pod would be notified when she finished. When the officer returned to B-Pod she gave Hobson's tray to another inmate. When Hobson approached the inmate and asked for his lunch tray, the inmate is alleged to have spit on the food. This caused an altercation between the two inmates which caused the inmates to be placed on lockdown. Hobson was told he better watch himself around that inmate.

On February 14, 2024, Hobson was warned by inmates that two other inmates were plotting to unlock their cell doors and jump Hobson. Inmates asked Hobson to come talk to them, unaware they had been able to unlock their cell doors, Hobson knelt down talking to the inmate when two inmates snuck up behind them. As Hobson started to stand up the two inmates attacked Hobson knocking him unconscious, followed by picking him up and dropping him on his head. The two inmates and others are alleged to have kicked Hobson while he lay unconscious on the floor.

Hobson was taken by ambulance to Southeast Health. Hobson was later flown by medical aircraft to UAB in Birmingham. Hobson underwent surgery for a broken jaw and was treated for a broken nose and nerve damage in his chin. Hobson will have hardware in his jaw for the rest of his life and has permanent nerve damage in his chin.

ABOVE WRITTEN FROM THE CIVIL LAWSUIT FILED IN UNITED STATES FEDERAL COURT. 

The current capacity of the Houston County Jail is 379 inmates. Today, November 18, 2024 at 5:30 PM there are 424 inmates listed in the Houston County Jail. Which is 45 inmates over designed capacity.

CLICK FOR JAIL INMATE LIST

The brings major challenges for Houston County Sheriff Donald Valenza. He and his staff work hard for a safe and secure environment. And Sheriff Donald Valenza takes it personally when someone is not protected in the jail of which he is responsible. Valenza began in 1979 with then Sheriff A.B. Clark as a Corrections Deputy, so he personally knows the responsibility.

But Sheriff Donald Valenza can only ask the commission for the money to make the repairs or upgrades of the jail. And he has asked and been denied for two years before the injuries to Hobson occurred. Sheriff Donald Valenza was denied both times.

Houston County Commission Chairman Brandon Shoupe and members of the Houston County Commission removed some $800,000 from the budget of Houston County Sheriff Department last year. The commission gave themselves and other county employees cost of living raises in the 2023 - 2024 budget EXCEPT for the Houston County Sheriff Corrections Deputies. 

While the lawsuit makes allegations against the Sheriff Department, all Sheriff Valenza and his staff can do is to work to make it as safe as possible. They knew there were issues with the doors, but all Sheriff Valenza can do is ask. And then try and manage the capacity over what the jail id designed for.

Because of the actions of Houston County Commission Chairman Brandon Shoupe and the Houston County Commissioners, this county is under a major lawsuit that will cost this county a lot of money.

ADECA AND ALABAMA STATE REP. PAUL LEE  

As a result of the negligence of Houston County Commission Chairman Brandon Shoupe and the Houston County Commission, Alabama State Representative Paul Lee went to work. Lee went to ADECA, under the leadership of former Enterprise Mayor Kenneth Boswell, and secured $ 1 million dollars to make the lock repairs. The estimated cost is $1.2 million. Houston County Commission will have to pay $200,000.

THANK YOU Sheriff Donald Valenza and Alabama State Representative Paul Lee for your diligent work to secure the funding for the repairs.

When you hear Houston County Commission Chairman Brandon Shoupe and the Houston County Commission complain they have no money, well, tell them to become leaders!!!

Hobson v Houston County by Rickey Stokes on Scribd

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