Opinion ID: 385707
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Liability of Sheriff

Text: 59 The sheriff, as custodian of the prisoners and operator of the jail, must preserve the ... prisoners ... from any injuries or attacks and keep the jail in a clean and comfortable condition, Miss. Code Ann. § 19-25-69 (1972), and, as jailer, provide daily wholesome and sufficient food and drink, proper lighting and sufficient and clean bedding for all inmates. Id. § 19-25-71. In addition, the sheriff has the duty to obtain sufficient guards to protect and secure any prisoner lawfully in his custody. Id. § 19-25-75. 60 Mississippi law imposes a duty on sheriffs and jailers having custody to exercise ordinary and reasonable care, under the circumstances of each particular case, for the preservation of (a prisoner's) life and health. This duty of care is one owing by him to the person in his custody by virtue of his office .... Farmer v. State, 224 Miss. 96, 105, 79 So.2d 528, 531 (1955) (quoting Indiana ex rel. Tyler v. Gobin, 94 F. 48, 50 (1899). In adopting the prevailing standard, the Mississippi Supreme Court expressly rejected a minority view providing a lower standard of care: 61 The authorities are not unanimous in upholding liability in a case like this but they are numerous. See Clark v. Kelly, 101 W.Va. 650, 133 S.E. 365, 46 A.L.R. 799; Annotations 14 A.L.R.2d 353, et seq. Mississippi seems to have heretofore aligned itself with those jurisdictions which hold liability of the sheriff and his surety in a case of this nature. 62 Id. at 105, 79 So.2d at 531. Under this ordinary and reasonable care standard, a prison official is expected to take adequate measures to ensure the safety of prisoners: (H)e cannot be charged with negligence in failing to prevent what he could not reasonably anticipate, but he is responsible for the consequences of his own neglect. Roberts v. Williams, 302 F.Supp. 972, 986 (N.D.Miss.1969), aff'd, 456 F.2d 819 (5th Cir.), cert. denied, 404 U.S. 866, 92 S.Ct. 83, 30 L.Ed.2d 110 (1971). 63 This court has recognized and applied the Mississippi ordinary and reasonable care standard in two significant decisions. In Mississippi v. Durham, 444 F.2d 152, 157 (5th Cir. 1971), we held that a sheriff under Mississippi law cannot escape his responsibility to take reasonable care of prisoners in his custody by simply making a casual examination of one who obviously needs medical attention .... In Roberts v. Williams, 456 F.2d 819, 823 (5th Cir.), cert. denied, 404 U.S. 866, 92 S.Ct. 83, 30 L.Ed.2d 110 (1971), we reaffirmed that Farmer v. State is the law of Mississippi and imposes a duty of reasonable care on prison officials. Of course, Sheriff Ledbetter and Jailer Broadus are not liable for acts committed during Sheriff Diamond's administration. The liability of each defendant must be separately established.