Marvin Silva
In March 2021, Marvin Silva was beaten by jail guards in New Mexico, USA.
The county jail officer took Silva to a cell, which had no video surveillance, and asked him to undress as part of his intake into the jail. Silva took off all his clothes, except for a medical mask, as required by the rules of the jail. The ill-fitting partial denture in his mouth loosened and he pushed it back with his tongue. The guard interrogated Silva, accusing him of “swallowing something”.
Silva took off his mask and showed the guard his dentures. The guard squeezed Silva’s cheeks so hard the metal in the partial denture pierced Silva’s cheek. Unable to find the contraband, the guard slammed Silva’s head against the wall and then started beating him. Other guards ran to the noise and joined their colleague. Silva claims that after being beaten and pepper sprayed, he was refused medical care.
In August 2021, Silva filed a civil rights lawsuit against the city and the police department, alleging that guards used excessive force against him.
MASS MEDIA ABOUT THE CASE:
“There’s a specific standard of care. He was not convicted of any crime. He was not sent to prison, not convicted by a court. He has to be treated in a reasonable way. His rights under the 14th Amendment were violated. He has a right to medical care,” Steven Allen, Silva’s lawyer said.
CASE STATUS:
The initiative group has requested the clarification from US President Joseph Biden and Attorney General Merrick Garland. The initiative group believes it is important to fight against jail staff violence and, if necessary, will provide legal and financial assistance to the victim.
Letter to Biden
Letter to Garland
