Lawsuit Claims Suffolk Deputies Beat, Kicked Inmate Who Later Died

RIVERHEAD, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- A wrongful death lawsuit has been filed against Suffolk County, over allegations that sheriff's deputies brutally beat an inmate who later died.

As WCBS 880's Sophia Hall reported, Andre Seabrook was in the Suffolk County Jail after he was accused of stealing tent from a Target store.

According to the multimillion-dollar lawsuit, Seabrook was singing and whistling as he was picking up his personal items from the ground after a routine search of his cell in June 2015.

Attorney Frank Andrea said sheriff's deputies got upset over the whistling and began beating Seabrook, so severely that he became paralyzed and died in the hospital five weeks later.

"They beat him pretty good and the pulled him out in the hall, and then they brought him into a dayroom and continued to kick him and beat him," Andrea said.

The claims came, Andrea said, from Seabrook before his death. Seabrook had a history of nonviolent crimes.

The Target store charge was dropped after the 46-year-old died.

The lawsuit was filed against Suffolk County. County representatives did not return Hall's request for a comment.