MARION - A Marion man is suing the Williamson County sheriff and seven of the sheriff's employees for nearly $35 million, claiming that he was repeatedly assaulted and Tasered during a five-month stay in the jail.

Donald Huse, 39, filed the 30-count complaint last week in Benton's federal court and is one of a handful of recent cases alleging police misconduct in Williamson County. Huse's attorney, Hugh Richard Williams, said what was done to his client "amounted to a series of torture sessions."

From Aug. 30, 2006, to Jan. 13, 2007, Huse was incarcerated in the county jail. According to the county's court Web site, Huse was arrested on charges of aggravated criminal sexual abuse of a victim between the ages of 13 and 16, battery, domestic battery, home invasion and disarming a police officer.

However, records show all of the charges were dismissed at the prosecution's request except the misdemeanor battery charge, and in June Huse pleaded guilty and was sentenced to two years probation. It was unclear Wednesday evening whether the dismissed charges were part of a plea agreement.

During Huse's incarceration, he claims seven employees of the sheriff's department and jail assaulted and Tasered him at least 10 times. He also alleges he was denied his prescription medications and that Williamson County Sheriff Tom Cundiff didn't discipline the officers.

For that reason, Williams said Cundiff was included in the compliant. He said the sheriff is "at the root of the problem," and should be held responsible for the actions of his employees.

All eight defendants, including Cundiff, are being sued for $4 million each for allegedly violating the civil rights of Huse. The seven employees - Richard Beasley, Jeff Hutchinson, Josh Dunnigham, Carol Brown, Dennis Pinkerton, Dave Sweeney and CJ Watts - are also being sued for $400,000 each for battery and assault.

Cundiff said he could not comment and Joseph A. Bleyer, the attorney representing the law enforcement officers, said he did not want to discuss the pending case.

Bleyer is also representing Hutchinson and former deputy Kyle Rinella in an $8.8 million lawsuit filed last month by Williams on behalf of Sesser resident Tony Swift. Swift claims police brutality and excessive force took place after he was arrested Aug. 4 for disorderly conduct in Cambria.

Besides lawsuits, Rinella and three others are facing criminal charges stemming from the alleged Aug. 13 beating of Herrin resident Derek Wynn. Two of those other men were charged earlier this month in connection with the October beating of two Carterville men.

Williams said he and another attorney are working on two more similar cases and he has another case pending in federal court. All of the police misconduct cases involve Williamson County law enforcement officers, he said.

"Sooner or later, you have to wonder who is lying," he said.

bethany.krajelis@thesouthern.com

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