BENTONVILLE, Ark. (AP) - An inmate awaiting trial on a murder
charge is suing the county, complaining he has lost more than 100
pounds because of the jailhouse menu.
Broderick Lloyd Laswell says he isn't happy that he's down to
308 pounds after eight months in the Benton County jail. He has
filed a federal lawsuit complaining the jail doesn't provide
inmates with enough food.
According to the suit, Laswell weighed 413 pounds when he was
jailed in September. Police say he and a co-defendant fatally beat
and stabbed a man, then set his home on fire.
"On several occasions I have started to do some exercising and
my vision went blurry and I felt like I was going to pass out,"
Laswell wrote in his complaint. "About an hour after each meal my
stomach starts to hurt and growl. I feel hungry again."
But Laswell then goes on to complain that he undertakes little
vigorous activity.
"If we are in a small pod all day (and) do next to nothing for
physical exercise, we should not lose weight," the suit says.
"The only reason we lost weight in here is because we are
literally being starved to death."
The suit also asks that the county be ordered to serve hot
meals. The jail has served only cold food for years.
The meals, provided through Aramark Correctional Institution
Services, average 3,000 calories a day, jail Capt. Hunter Petray
told The Morning News of northwest Arkansas for a story Saturday.
A typical Western diet consists of 2,000 to 3,000 calories a
day.
Laswell's suit was filed without a lawyer in U.S. District Court
in Fayetteville.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

AP-NY-04-27-08 1753EDT