Obese Inmate Sues Jail Because He's Lost 100 Pounds

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — An inmate awaiting trial on a murder charge is suing the county, complaining he has lost more than 100 pounds because of the jailhouse menu.

Broderick Lloyd Laswell says he isn't happy that he's down to 308 pounds after eight months in the Benton County jail. He has filed a federal lawsuit complaining the jail doesn't provide inmates with enough food.

According to the suit, Laswell weighed 413 pounds when he was jailed in September. Police say he and a co-defendant fatally beat and stabbed a man, then set his home on fire.

"On several occasions I have started to do some exercising and my vision went blurry and I felt like I was going to pass out," Laswell wrote in his complaint. "About an hour after each meal my stomach starts to hurt and growl. I feel hungry again."

But Laswell then goes on to complain that he undertakes little vigorous activity.

"If we are in a small pod all day (and) do next to nothing for physical exercise, we should not lose weight," the suit says. "The only reason we lost weight in here is because we are literally being starved to death."

The suit also asks that the county be ordered to serve hot meals. The jail has served only cold food for years.

The meals, provided through Aramark Correctional Institution Services, average 3,000 calories a day, jail Capt. Hunter Petray told The Morning News of northwest Arkansas for a story Saturday.

A typical Western diet consists of 2,000 to 3,000 calories a day.

Laswell's suit was filed without a lawyer in U.S. District Court in Fayetteville.

Comments

[rimmer]

I knew someone who worked as a jail guard and she said that prisoners spend most of their time filings lawsuits about various things.

[slayer2369]

As a 350 pound man myself, I'd like t o say the following:

BWWWWWWWWW­WWWAAAAAAA­AAAAAAAAAA­AAAAAhahah­ahahahahah­ahahaha xD!
Does the dumbass realize he's in for a murder charge? They're doing him a favor by making him lose the weight. He'll be able to bend down and get the soap faster, if he dares to try.

[ConcernedAboutRFuture]

Lawyers who take these cases should be DISBARRED.

[wadenelson1]

Hey st---d read the article THEN comment:

Laswell's suit was filed without a lawyer in U.S. District Court in Fayetteville.

[BadCompany]

Fat chance!

[Careful]

I agree. Any lawyer who dares follow his oaths and any lawyer who dares to give someone his day in court and representation in our legal system (especially if it seems frivolous to any average Joe), and any lawyer who dares not to pre-judge deserves to disbarred.

[Henk]

Right on. If we have learned anything from the Bush years it is that all this justice stuff is just a load of crap. Judges? We don't need no stinking judges!

[M.S. Bellows, Jr. - Huffpost Blogger]

These suits are filed on binder paper by the inmates themselves. Remember, all it takes to file a lawsuit is a piece of paper and a filing fee -- and the filing fee is waived for most prisoners. Lawyers fulfill an important screening function -- they don't want to waste their time, so they tend to take only cases with a credible chance of success, not ones like this.

[adamsmith]

Another example of why this country needs a loser pay legal system. Trial lawyer lobbyists don't want that to happen though.......Big reason John Edwards bombed out early. Everyone hates attorneys..

[wadenelson1]

Since when don't we have a loser-pay legal system? Maybe I'm not understanding you.

[hoopesaz]

I think he means the loser should be required to pay all legal expenses, including those of the other party. That rarely occurs today. If I take you to court, even on borderline frivolous claims, and I lose, you are still stuck with the huge bill required to defend yourself.

[ErinDanger]

And Hillary and Obama are what again?

[G24]

Obama was a civil rights lawyer. Big difference.

[chinacatsunflower]

"Everyone hates attorneys.." - yeah, until they need one.

[pros54]

Exactly the comment I wanted to make.

[M.S. Bellows, Jr. - Huffpost Blogger]

"Loser pays" sounds like a great idea until you learn more about how the system actually works. Think this inmate has enough money to pay the State's attorney fees? No? Then he doesn't care whether he's ordered to pay them or not. Think that potential liability for attorney fees would significantly deter big insurance companies and corporations from frivolous suits or defenses? Not at all; it's a relatively minor cost for them. So who would be deterred from filing lawsuits under "loser pays"? Answer: middle class citizens and small businesseople -- exactly the people who are least likely to bring frivolous suits and who most need the law's help when they get into a dispute.

I was a litigator for 15, now a mediator for 6, and I've seen way, way too many cases where the parties could resolve their underlying lawsuit but were continuing to trial because the attorney fees had become more than the underlying amount in controversy and neither one could afford them -- tail wagging the dog. "Loser pays" is a God-awful idea that sounds terrific only at first.

My $.02.

[Warmglobe]

ANd there are those who say we don't need court reform? In my state we have one who wants us to pay for his ex change operation..sorry "Gender-re­assignment surgery"!

[Christopher1]

He neede to lose the weight he should be paying the jail for the healthy food.

[blytzd]

I think he is just afraid that if he loses all his fat the rapist may have a chance to plug his arse, currently the rapists are unable to move his 100+ pounds of flab from his back end to plug said arse. Maybe we should lock up all fat people since it seems like a healthy way to reduce our insurance premiums.

[RFuqua]

"rapists are unable to move his 100+ pounds of flab from his back end to plug said arse"

To freakin funny

[HappyHumanist]

Yeah, anal rape is hysterical.

This guy is still a human being with the right to NOT be assaulted.

And, BTW, hs is still innocent, as his case has not gone to trial.

This is not to say that he has a case. 3000 calories is enough and not starvation.

[BBackSoon]

I guess since he is awaiting trial we should be a little more compassionate but really how much exercise did he do before he was in jail?

I say have him checked over by a doctor and decide if he has special dietary needs such as more frequent feedings instead of more food. And then we should put his attorney in the cell next to him for taking this case.

[wadenelson1]

Suggest you read the article THEN comment:

Laswell's suit was filed without a lawyer in U.S. District Court in Fayetteville.

[BBackSoon]

Thanks for correcting me. So what about the rest of the comment, did I misspell something?

[mx711]

It's disgusting to me that his complaint would be taken seriously, especially considering the meals he is receiving are on the higher side of the average daily diet. If he was receiving 1000 calories a day it would be one thing but 3000...?

[lacitepq]

The guy obviously has nothing better to do except sit and rot in jail. Why not file a frivolous lawsuit - it might relieve the boredom...

But seriously perhaps he should be thankful. People shell out thousands of dollars a week to go to Canyon Ranch just to lose a few pounds. He's lost 100+ and hasn't come a penny out-of-pocket. Sounds like a sweet deal to me - gov't subsidized weight-loss

[fcsakes]

OH my! A lot of people would pay good money to lose that kind of weight....and how is the massage service working out for you? Is that up to your standards?

[petecook5]

He should just be happy his food isn't full of weevils and maggots. That's how they roll in a lot of other countries.

[CitizenRob]

You mean the man who hasn't been found guilty of anything yet and is in jail awaiting his trial? You mean that man should be fed maggots and weevils? God forbid anybody ever point an accusatory finger in your direction and you'd have to endure the same humiliation, pain, and detachment from those you love, your career, home, and surroundings.

[Warmglobe]

Those like myself and petecook (I assume) don't have to worry about such problems since we are law abiding citizens....maggots and weevils are fine for them in my book. Prison should be a bad place that nobody should want to be in. If you are in jail you shouldn't expect much sympathy from law abiding citizens...gee he is accused of beating and stabbing a man, and then buring down his home....sounds like someone we all need to feel sorry for huh?....Rob when he gets out we will send him to your home so you can coddle him ok?

[petecook5]

Life's a bitch CitizenRob. Sometimes people get falsely accused. Doesn't mean they should be dining on surf and turf. Most people would and do pay BIG MONEY to get weight loss results like this. Do you think we should really indulge this fat pig's overeating, regardless of his innocence or guilt?

[Robert59]

F*** him. Jail is the best thing for him. Hopefully it will add lots of years to his life to correlate with the long sentence he'll receive.

Socipaths just don't get it.

[cathye]

Since when is being in jail supposed to be a pleasant experience?

[CitizenRob]

He hasn't been found guilty of any crime yet.

How is it that those we accuse of crimes must spend months/years in jail in conditions none of us would find acceptable in our day to day lives? What if the man is found innocent after having been in jail for all that time during the trial? Imagine yourself in the same situation.