Legislative committee approves $200K contract to defend Corrections in excessive force suit
Apr 02, 2026 | 12:48 pm ET
Description
An inmate in the custody of the Department of Corrections. The Contract Review Committee approved a contract to defend a corrections officer against a lawsuit for alleged excessive use of force. (Brian Lyman/Alabama Reflector)
The Contract Review Committee Thursday approved a legal contract to defend corrections officers sued over allegations of beating an inmate.
The two-year contract was awarded to the W. Allen Sheehan, Esq. of Capell & Howard, PC law firm based out of Montgomery for $200,000 at a rate of $195 per hour.
“The Attorney General’s Office represents 15 correctional officers, and we have a conflict with one of the correctional offices, so Mr. Sheehan is going to represent that individual,” said Clay Crenshaw, chief deputy attorney general.
Crenshaw did not name the individual in the case titled Jairo Pal v. Michael Jones, et al. from the U.S. District Court of the Middle District of Alabama.
Pal filed a civil lawsuit in December against correctional officers, supervisors and several medical staff, alleging that he was beaten by a group of more than 10 officers at Limestone Correctional Facility in May 2024.
According to the complaint, officers dragged Pal outside the building and “beat him until he lost consciousness, and continued to beat him as he lay on the sidewalk. Jairo was in handcuffs the entire time and never posed a threat to anyone.”
The complaint also states that officers beat Pal to “teach a lesson.”
Pal is also suing YesCare, the firm that DOC awarded a contract that totaled $1 billion to provide medical services at several facilities as well as several individuals responsible for overseeing the well-being of people incarcerated at the facility.
The medical team at Limestone documented the injuries and took photographs. The complaint states that Pal had bruises across his legs and arms and covering the bottom of one of his feet. He had a black eye and swelling on his cheek and the surrounding area,” the complaint states.
One member of the medical staff applied antibiotic cream and bandaged one of the cuts, according to the complaint.
However, Paul alleges the staff did not address injuries he suffered to his head.
Montgomery
