A federal civil rights lawsuit has been filed against Pitt County Sheriff Paula Dance by a former detainee that alleges she was unconstitutionally filmed during multiple psychiatric crises she was held at the Pitt County Detention Center.
According to the filing, the woman was held as a pretrial detainee when she experienced several mental health episodes. The suit claims that staff recorded these sensitive moments, violating her right to privacy and her constitutional protections against cruel and unusual punishment.
The filming was part of the A&E Network reality television series 60 Days In, which involves civilians going undercover as inmates to provide an inside look at jail conditions. Lawyers for the plaintiff argue that the filming was not for legitimate security purposes but instead constituted a gross invasion of privacy during a medical emergency.
Sheriff Dance and the Pitt County Sheriff’s Office have not released a statement regarding the specific allegations in the pending litigation.
