Inmates in SF staged-fight lawsuit receive $90,000 settlement

San Francisco is paying $90,000 to settle a lawsuit by three jail inmates who said sheriff’s deputies forced two of them to fight for the officers’ entertainment, a case that has led to criminal charges against three deputies. The incidents took place on March 5 and 6, 2015, in the jail at 850 Bryant St. Palikiko-Garcia and Harris said Neu threatened to beat them up or withhold their food unless they fought one another, while Neu and other deputies, including Chiba, bet on the outcome. Neu called a halt only when two female deputies, who weren’t in on the plans, rushed toward the scene, the inmates said. Palikiko-Garcia said he could no longer do his work in the jail kitchen because of pain from his injuries, but could not get treatment because Neu had threatened reprisals against inmates who contacted medical staff. Richardson, who is black, said Neu that insulted him with racial slurs and ordered him to fight a white inmate, but said that he refused despite threats of harm. Neu faces 17 criminal charges, including felony charges of assault under color of authority. Chiba is accused of two misdemeanor counts of inflicting cruel and unusual punishment and a third count of breaching his official duties.