Barrow County Jail inmate describes eating breakfast tainted with pepper spray

BARROW COUNTY, Ga. - A Barrow County Jail inmate is sharing his experience of eating food tainted with pepper spray. A veteran jailer was arrested by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation last week and subsequently fired after  

Lolita Lightner, 50, was charged with cruelty to inmates and violating her oath of office. 

Inmate recalls Barrow County Jail pepper spraying incident

Brantavious Sims, 20, has been in the Barrow County Jail awaiting his trial for murder and gang charges; but just like other inmates without a conviction, he is considered innocent until proven guilty. So, he is upset at the "punishment" he received during one particular breakfast. 

"Excruciating pain. It’s hard to explain. I don’t even wish this experience on my worst enemy," Sims explained.  

He says he was one of six inmates who ingested pepper spray during a jailhouse breakfast last month. Sims says he is flabbergasted that a veteran jailer has been arrested by the GBI for the stunt.  

Lolita Lightner (Barrow County Sheriff's Office)

Barrow County Jail officials would not allow FOX 5 to talk to Sims behind bars, but he talked through his attorney, Jackie "The Fly Lawyer" Patterson, who recorded the conversation. 

"I was coughing up blood, I couldn't breathe, my stomach was hurting. They had to put me on some medicine called Maloff," the inmate said.  

"It's not our job to delve out punishment, and this was certainly not justified," Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith remarked.  

The sheriff condemns the alleged act and was not sure of the motive, but in an interview on Thursday, he did offer an assumption. 

"Obviously, she did it, I would assume, to give extra punishment to the inmates," Sheriff Smith pondered.  

Sims claims the fired officer gave him and five other inmates a subliminal warning the day before. 

"What she was mad about, it was nothing physical towards her. She said she smelled smoke in our dorm, talking about, ‘We should have done that on somebody else's shift,’" Sims said.  

Patterson says he and Sims will sue Barrow County over the alleged food tampering. 

"We do plan to sue this county. No question we are going to send our ante litem notice. We are asking for $2 million and if they don't pay this within the 30 days required by law, we will add some zeros on it," Patterson said. 

He says the lawsuit will increase to $20 million if the county does not respond in 30 days.  

What is OC spray? 

Pepper spray is made from oleoresin capsicum with the active ingredient derived from the capsaicin, an oily extract from plants in the Capsicum genus, such as chili peppers. While its base ingredient is edible, albeit more bitter and extremely spicier, it is not designed to be, especially with the aerosolizing agents used in it. Ingesting OC spray can cause severe burning in the mouth, throat, and stomach, leading to nausea, vomiting, and potentially more serious health issues. 

Pepper spray is considered a lachrymator, or tear gas product, that irritates the eyes, causing pain, burning, watering, and temporary blindness. It can also cause the eyes to close, which takes away vision. These effects typically last between 30 minutes to an hour, depending on the concentration of the spray and the individual’s susceptibility. Despite its discomforting effects, OC spray is generally considered safe when used correctly, with most symptoms subsiding without the need for medical intervention. 

It is used primarily for subduing individuals who pose a threat to officers or others, offering a safer alternative to more lethal means. The adoption of OC spray by law enforcement agencies began in the 1980s, and its usage has since expanded globally. It is favored for its portability, ease of use, and effectiveness in quickly incapacitating suspects without causing long-term harm.