Ex-Inmate Sues, Accusing Group of White Jailers

A black former inmate of a Saugus jail filed a civil rights lawsuit Thursday against the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department alleging that he was beaten by deputies who he said are members of a white supremacist group known as the Wayside Whities.

Clydell Crawford alleged that he was beaten and his leg was broken on Dec. 2 while he was an inmate at the Peter J. Pitchess Honor Rancho. He said the six to eight deputies who allegedly beat him after removing him from a medium-security dormitory were members of the Wayside Whities, a large group of jailers who he said take their name from the jail’s former name, Wayside Honor Rancho.

A sheriff’s spokesman declined to comment on the allegations made by Crawford and other inmates or to comment on whether such a group exists.

The suit alleges that deputies in the group are involved in racially motivated intimidation and attacks on black inmates. The deputies exchange hand signals in which their fingers form the letter W, according to the lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles.

The suit was filed against Sheriff Sherman Block and 12 deputies assigned to the jail and seeks more than $1 million in damages.

At a news conference Thursday, Crawford and his attorney, George V. Denny, released statements from three other inmates who said they saw the beating, which allegedly followed a fight between Crawford and a white inmate.

The sheriff’s spokesman said the incident was under investigation.

“A complete and thorough investigation is being conducted into the incident,” Deputy Hal Grant said.

Crawford, 26, of West Covina, said the alleged beating occurred while he was serving six weeks at the Pitchess Honor Rancho for violating his probation for an earlier cocaine sales conviction.