Man sues sheriff’s department alleging deputies broke his spine in jail

A 33-year-old man from Perris is suing the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department due to an incident that occurred at the Robert Presley Detention Center in Riverside on October 25 of last year.

Watch: KESQ & CBS Local 2 online

David Manzo and his attorney are alleging jail deputies broke Manzo’s spine after they were called to assist him when he was attacked by another inmate in a common area of the Robert Presley Detention Center in Riverside.

Surveillance video was just released by Manzo’s attorney and it shows the events that took place at the jail that day.

The video shows a violent fight break out between Manzo and another inmate with a Mohawk. After being injured and left on the jail floor, several deputies enter the common area to help Manzo. The lawsuit is alleging the improper care by deputies led to his spine being broken.

“I was in complete shock. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. It was torture watching it to say the least just sad and angry at the same time,” said Genny Manzo, David’s sister who saw the security video.

The lawsuit was filed last Wednesday.

“A basic boy scout could have provided better first aid than what we have seen here from these trained first responders,” said Robert Trujillo, Manzo’s lawyer.

KESQ News Channel 3 and CBS Local 2’s Joe Galli spoke with Manzo’s attorney on Thursday to get more information about the incident and the pending lawsuit.

Learn more about the lawsuit on KESQ News Channel 3 at 5 p.m. and on CBS Local 2 at 5: 30 p.m. You can catch Galli’s full report at 11 p.m.

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