Terre Haute Vice News

Warning: Extremely Graphic Content

Findings from Indianapolis Star investigative reporters has been used to create a short documentary film titled, “Safe Place,” which focuses on the 2018 death of Jerod Draper in the Harrison County jail.

Video footage from the facility’s security system shows jailers strapping Draper naked to a restraint chair, and then choking and tasing him repeatedly while he was unable to move.

Draper informed jail staff that he had used drugs the night of his arrest and according to medical examiner Bill Smock died due to lack of appropriate medical treatment for methamphetamine toxicity.

In response to the video Dr Smock said, “what I saw was a corrections nurse…torturing an inmate.” Jail commander Dustin Cundall claimed the pain compliance techniques used were justified.

Harrison County settled a lawsuit for $1 million dollars with the family of Jerod Draper, whose teenage daughter received the money, but even after video evidence was provided to the FBI no criminal charges have been filed.

According to the Indy Star’s investigative series “Death Sentence” they identified, “more than 300 deaths since 2010. All told, the toll amounted to the death of a prisoner every two weeks for more than 11 years.”

Questions still remain about the treatment of Danny Hicks and Adam Bryant in the Vigo County jail last year. Terre Haute Vice News has filed public records requests with the Indiana State Police for the investigations into their deaths.