Oversight commissioners have repeatedly accused the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department of retaliating against inmates at Men’s Central Jail after inspectors called attention to the ongoing problem of fires burning unchecked inside the decrepit downtown lockup. For years, inmates have been using batteries, razors, toilet paper and other items to set blazes when they want to cook food or heat water. But last summer, oversight inspectors — alarmed by three particularly large fires they’d... Read this story
