‘Baby Shark’ song was used as torture in Oklahoma County jail, inmates say in lawsuit
“Baby Shark” — a well-known song, often loved by children and despised by parents — was used as a tortuous punishment in an Oklahoma jail, according to a lawsuit filed on behalf of former inmates.
This comes two years after detention officers in the Oklahoma City jail were accused of handcuffing inmates to a wall before blaring “Baby Shark” on repeat in late 2019, as previously reported by McClatchy News. Those officers were then charged in late 2020.
The lawsuit, representing former inmates Daniel Hedrick, Joseph “Joey” Mitchell and John Basco, is seeking $75,000 in damages, plus interest accrued after the Nov. 2 filing date. They, along with one other inmate who says he was subjected to other types of punishment, are suing the Oklahoma County sheriff, the Oklahoma County Criminal Justice Authority, the Board of County Commissioners for Oklahoma County and two citizens who were officers at the time of the alleged torture.
A spokesperson with the Oklahoma County Sheriff’s Office was not aware of the lawsuit and did not provide a statement, citing that the office no longer runs the jail. The Oklahoma County Criminal Justice Authority did not immediately respond to a request for comment from McClatchy News, and the commissioners and former officers could not be reached.
All three inmates, on different occasions, were forced to stand in a room handcuffed and secured to a wall for as long as four hours, according to the lawsuit. This is “a well-known ‘enhanced interrogation’ or torture tactic,” the lawsuit says.
Then, after the men were secured to the wall, the officers played “Baby Shark” at a “high volume” from a computer in an adjacent room, the lawsuit says. The song was played on a continuous loop as the inmates were restrained.
The lawsuit cites clinical psychologist John Mayer, who found “Baby Shark” is an agonizing song that can “elicit a painful reaction in the brain” with its high-pitched tones and “screechy” sounds.
“When you combine nonsensical words, insulting words, and demeaning words with bad music, you have the perfect storm for a horrible song,” Mayer said, according to Health.
Officers Christian Miles and Gregory Butler, along with supervisor Christopher Hendershott, were charged with misdemeanor cruelty to a prisoner and conspiracy in connection to the mistreatment, McClatchy News reported in October 2020.
“It was unfortunate that I could not find a felony statute to fit this fact scenario,” Oklahoma County District Attorney David Prater told The Oklahoman at the time. “I would have preferred filing a felony on this behavior.”
The punishment was found to be “cruel and inhumane,” the lawsuit says, and created “undue emotional stress on the inmates who were most likely already suffering.” The lawsuit compares the punishment to heavy metal music that’s blasted during interrogations at Guantanamo Bay.
Miles and Butler resigned during an internal investigation, and Hendershott retired, The Oklahoman reported.
Miles and Butler are expected to stand trial in February, KOKH reported.
Sheriff P.D. Taylor was in charge of the county jail at the time of the incidents, The Oklahoman reported. The sheriff’s office no longer runs the jail, and Taylor lost reelection in 2020.
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