'Baby Shark' Repeatedly Tortured: Trial of American Prisoners

Police in the U.S. state of Oklahoma has filed a lawsuit alleging torture and ill-treatment in custody, alleging that the popular children's song "Baby Shark" was used to "torture" detainees.

The federal civil rights lawsuit was filed by people who were held in the Oklahoma County Jail in 2019 before the trial began. The lawsuit alleges that police used excessive force on him.

Oklahoma County Sheriff Tommy John III, the County Commissioners' Board, the Prison Trust, and two former prison officials have been named in the lawsuit.

It said the defendants failed to properly train and supervise prison officials. The lawsuit also alleges that supervisors were aware that prison officials were abusing inmates, but no action was taken to stop the practice.

According to court documents, officers released a detainee named Joseph Mitchell from his cell at 11:45 pm on November 30, 2019, took him to a room, and kept him in a "painful condition" for four hours.

The lawsuit alleges that officers then started playing the popular (but often painful) song "Baby Shark" among children.

According to the lawsuit, Mitchell was forced to listen to the song over and over again and was locked in a meeting room with a lawyer. The sound of singing was so loud that it was echoing in the corridors.

According to the lawsuit, inmates, John Basco and Daniel Hedrick were also forced to listen to the song while standing in a painful position.

The lawsuit also alleges that Jali Foreman Jr. was not forced to listen to the song, but was kept in critical condition. They were kicked in the back, an officer pushed them against the wall and an officer spat on them.

According to court documents, an investigation into the claims revealed that none of the complainants posed a threat to prison officials.

Two former detainee officers and a supervisor have been charged with cruelty to detainees.

The trial is set to begin in February 2022.