Petition to fire Juvenile Intake and Assessment Center (JIAC) and Juvenile Detention Facility (JDF) staff

Attention: Steve Stonehouse, County Commissioners (Pete Meitzner, Sarah Lopez, David Dennis, Lacey Cruiz, and Jim Howell) Russell Leeds, and Mario Salinas 

It has been one year since five JIAC and JDF Officers Jason Stepien, Brenton Newby, Karen Conklin, Billy Buckner, Benny Mendoza murdered Cedric Lofton - a teenage foster youth in the midst of an obvious mental health crisis. 

After a brief scuffle with staff that fateful night, CJ was viciously assaulted and forced into a cell by two officers, one who violently yanked on his neck. Upon getting him in the cell officers called for backup and proceeded to kneel on top of CJ as he laid face down on the ground for 40 minutes. Being tightly restrained by officers on all limbs further restricted blood flow to his lungs. Since 1995 the Department of Justice has issued multiple warnings about asphyxiation caused by the prone position. Despite these warnings Sedgwick County as an institution and you as County Commissioners have allowed policies enabling the use of this position to remain intact. 

It goes without question that after CJ was restrained for five or ten minutes that he was not a threat to any officers, but they still continued to physically restrain him for 40 minutes in a cell while cuffed in leg shackles. Once CJ went into respiratory snores - a clear sign of critically compromised breathing - your officers still cuffed his hands behind his back BEFORE attempting to perform CPR on him. These staff used excessive force on CJ throughout this entire encounter illustrating an obvious dangerous lack of judgment, and wanton disregard for human life. Not to mention these same staff didn’t even attempt to de-escalate this encounter before using excessive force. All of these outstanding - outrageous failures and problematic decisions resulting in the death of a human life are reason enough to demand that these violent offenders should never be allowed to work around children a day more in their lives. 

We feel that the youth under Sedgwick County’s jurisdiction are not safe because they have been forced to be under the direct supervision of murders this last year. The staff involved in this homicide have never faced consequences for the way they acted and reacted the night CJ was murdered. They continued working for multiple weeks before they were placed on administrative leave while DA Bennett made his decision on whether or not charges would be filed. He refused to file charges despite the fact that the County’s medical examiner declared CJ’s death as a homicide. We demand that you 

Fire the five staff who were involved in CJ’s murder 
Make a public statement to the family apologizing for your lack of transparency and lack of urgency to act &
Immediately ban the use of excessive force policies in the Juvenile Intake and Assessment Center, Juvenile Detention Facility, and Juvenile Residential Facility. 

Cedric’s family and Kansan’s have demanded these corrections officer’s be fired and held responsible for CJ’s murder. Your refusal to fire these staff is a slap in the face to Cedric’s family, youth, and to all Kansans watching you. 

We are calling on you to finally fire Jason Stepien, Brenton Newby, Karen Conklin, William (Billy) Buckner, and Benito (Benny) Mendoza.

It should not have taken a year for county employees responsible for killing a foster youth in the midst of a mental health crisis to be held accountable.

If our demands are not met we DEMAND Steve Stronehouse resign effective immediately!!!