CHARLESTON — A former employee is suing the State of West Virginia claiming he was retaliated against for reporting discrimination against inmates at Southern Regional Jail.
The State of West Virginia, the West Virginia Department of Homeland Security, the West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation and an unknown and unnamed employee or agent of the defendants were all named as defendants in the suit.
Scotty Moore was employed as a correctional officer at Southern Regional Jail within the West Virginia Division of Corrections for approximately 24 years prior to his retirement on Aug. 31, 2021, according to a complaint filed in Kanawha Circuit Court.
Moore claims during his tenure, he witnessed numerous incidents at the jail that gave rise to both his claims and recent state investigations into the correctional facility.
On various dates in 2020 and 2021, Moore witnessed instances of other officers roughing up offenders for no reason, assaulting offenders and one instance where an officer was punching an offender who had overdosed, according to the suit.
Moore claims after complaining about the incidents he witnessed, he was reprimanded for reporting the issues.
"Plaintiff was an exemplary employee prior to his disclosure of the brutal and discriminatory acts that were occurring inside the jail," the complaint states.
Moore claims the defendants violated the West Virginia Human Rights Act and created a hostile work environment.
The defendants retaliated against Moore for duly reporting the discrimination and brutal conduct of inmates at Southern Regional Jail and adverse action was taken against him for reporting the inhumane and disparate treatment of inmates, according to the suit.
Moore claims the defendants' actions were willful, intentional and retaliatory.
Moore is seeking compensatory damages. He is represented by Robert P. Dunlap II of Dunlap & Associates in Beckley.
The case is assigned to Circuit Judge Kenneth Ballard.
Kanawha Circuit Court case number: 22-C-561