Man Sues County Over Excessive Jail Time

A man sentenced to jail two years ago on two traffic violations has filed a lawsuit against Los Angeles County and the Sheriff’s Department, claiming he was mistakenly imprisoned for 300 days past his court-ordered release date.

Thao Huynh was convicted of hit-and-run and driving under the influence and sentenced to 180 days in jail, minus 30 days served, on May 22, 1997, according to his complaint. However, sheriff’s officials acknowledged at the time, confusion over Huynh’s court paperwork kept him behind bars for nearly 10 months.

Jail officials said last year that they discovered the mistake as deputies in the busy Inmate Reception Center were preparing to release Huynh in May. In an effort to persuade Huynh not to file suit, representatives from the department’s Risk Management Bureau met the man as he was leaving jail and offered him $9,000.

However, Huynh turned down the offer and sought legal advice. On Monday, Huynh’s lawyer filed a federal lawsuit.

Seeking unspecified damages, Huynh claims in the suit that the Sheriff’s Department has a policy of “deliberate indifference to the rights” of inmates, and has failed to train and supervise deputies to help curb the practice of over-detention.