Jackson County appealing judge’s ruling in former OSF actor’s 2019 lawsuit

JACKSON COUNTY, Ore. – Attorneys representing Jackson County and the Sheriff’s Office are appealing a judge’s decision to allow a trial after the way a former Oregon Shakespeare Festival actor was treated in Jackson County Jail back in 2019.

Ashland police arrested then OSF actor Juan Anthony Sancho and took him to the jail.

Sancho claims jail deputies used excessive force in Jackson County Jail.

The suit says Sancho was handcuffed to the urine grate of his cell for approximately 2 and a half hours after he knocked on his cell door.

This week, a federal judge in Medford said the deputies involved did not violate Sancho’s rights through the use of force during the intake and takedown.

However, the same order said they did not qualify for immunity for shackling Sancho to his cell grate.

Jackson County filed its appeal to the ruling in federal court Thursday.  It previously told us it can’t comment due to the pending litigation.

A charge of resisting arrest against Sancho was later dropped.

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Taylar Ansures is a producer and reporter for NBC5 News. Taylar is from Redding, California and went to California State University, Chico. After graduating, she joined KRCR News Channel 7 in Redding as a morning producer. She moved to Southern Oregon in 2022 to be closer to family and became KTVL News 10’s digital producer. Taylar is currently finishing her Master's Degree in Professional Creative Writing through the University of Denver. In her free time, Taylar frequents independent bookstores and explores hiking trails across Southern Oregon and Northern California.
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