Four Florida Department of Corrections (DOC) investigators filed a federal whistle-blower complaint Monday against the state, saying they faced retaliation when they tried to expose wrongdoing, the Miami Herald reports.
They claim that several state prisoners, based at different facilities, were beaten and tortured, and that guards smuggled in contraband in exchange for bribes or sexual favors, and used gangs to control the prison population, according to the Herald. A DOC declined comment.
In the lawsuit, investigators Aubrey P. Land, John Ulm and Doug Glisson said that one death investigation “was either intentionally misleading or the Department of Corrections’ investigators...had been grossly negligent.’’ The fourth plaintiff, David Clark, was involved in other claims mentioned in the lawsuit.