Former prisoner of St. Tammany Parish jail sues sheriff for damages

A Jefferson Parish man jailed in St. Tammany has sued Sheriff Jack Strain after he fell off a top bunk and injured himself.

In the lawsuit filed this week, Michael Brouillette, who has a history of seizures, is claiming Strain was negligent when he assigned the inmate to the top bunk “even though the defendant knew or should have known” about his medical history.

Brouillette was “sleeping in his top bunk at the St. Tammany Parish jail when he experienced a seizure, causing him to violently fall to the floor causing injury,” his lawyer, Eric Labourdette of New Orleans, wrote.

The lawsuit is seeking damages for emotional distress, medical bills, permanent disability and potential loss of future earning capacity as a result of his injuries.

The injuries were not outlined in the suit.