Taser incident at jail under investigation

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A man who is suing Jefferson County because of an incident involving his father at the Jefferson County Jail a year ago was himself involved in an incident July 12 at the jail during which a Taser was used to subdue him.

Kele Ryan Lorecki has been in the jail on charges of residential burglary, theft and resisting arrest. His father, Thomas Lorecki, died Sept. 16, 2016 after hanging himself in the jail.

Kele Lorecki filed suit in March against Jefferson County for an unspecified sum because of that incident. In the suit, he alleges the county failed to adequately supervise his father “despite his obvious suicidal state.” See related article, page A1.

Art Frank, Jefferson County Sheriff’s chief criminal deputy, said a corrections officer was holding a door partially closed, and Lorecki “refused orders to stop, and continued to try to push out the door of his cell.

“Ultimately, two other corrections officers arrived and assisted the officer,” Frank wrote in an email about the incident. “He continued to resist and OC [capsium oleoresin, the ingredient in pepper spray] was used with little to no effect and then a Taser was used to gain compliance.”

Frank said use of both the Taser and spray “was due to Lorecki trying to force his way out of an open cell door during a routine cell check.”

He said use of the Taser in the jail facility is rare.

Frank said an investigation into the incident is ongoing, and the case is to be forwarded to the prosecutor’s office for review regarding additional charges.

Four deputies were involved and Frank said he could not release any more information as the investigation is continuing.

Lorecki was taken to Jefferson Healthcare for a medical condition that Frank said was unrelated to the Taser deployment.

As of July 18, Kele Lorecki was listed as in custody at the jail, but Frank said Tuesay Kele Lorecki still was in the hospital and should be released soon.