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New lawsuit filed in Cuyahoga County jail scandal; another is settled for $140,000

Multiple lawsuits against the county remain pending, and several top officials have been criminally charged.

CLEVELAND — Attorneys from the law firm Friedman and Gilbert announced Thursday another lawsuit against Cuyahoga County in the ongoing county jail scandal.

The suit is being filed by the sister of Gregory Fox, who died after being found hanging in his jail cell in 2018. He was the second inmate in two days to die at the jail and the fourth in two months, and nine total have died at the jail since the start of 2018.

"Greg died because of multiple infractions of a broken system that could and did fail so many…" his sister Wendy said Thursday. "I hold…Cuyahoga County accountable for his death and for the deaths of the others in the jail."

Fox's death and the others sparked multiple state and federal investigations against the jail, with reports showing "inhumane" conditions along with excessive force used by staff. Multiple lawsuits have been filed and several top officials have either been indicted or convicted for their roles in numerous incidents.

RELATED: Another lawsuit for the troubled Cuyahoga County jail

RELATED: Former Cuyahoga County Jail Director Ken Mills indicted on new charges of making facility 'unsafe'

3News streamed today's presser live, and you can watch it again in the player below:

In addition to the new lawsuit, the Chandra Law Firm has also announced a separate case brought by former inmate Corrionne Lawrence has been tentatively settled for $140,000. The agreement is pending the approval of the County Council.

The 25-year-old Lawrence alleged several officers—including Christopher Little, Brandon Smith, Barry Hickerson, and Beverly Witt—threatened to kill him and "make it look like suicide." Among other accusations, Lawrence also said he was handcuffed and beaten in an elevator, and that when he reported these abuses to federal investigators he was denied proper food and hygiene.

RELATED: Cuyahoga County Jail officers accused of threatening to murder inmate

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