Kentucky inmates given choice to drink urine or get tased after failing drug tests: lawsuit

Seven inmates at an eastern Kentucky prison have filed a federal lawsuit saying officers at the facility forced them to either drink their own urine or be tased after failing a drug test.

The lawsuit filed Tuesday in Ashland says four officers at Eastern Kentucky Correctional Complex told the inmates who failed drug tests "they would be able to ‘throw away’ their urine sample if they chose to be subjected to electrocution by taser or to drink their own urine," WDRB-TV reported. However, the suit also claims the seven inmates were "forced" to either be tased or drink their urine.

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Attorneys representing the inmates did not immediately return messages from the station seeking comment.

Kentucky Department of Corrections spokesperson Lisa Lamb declined to comment on the lawsuit but told WDRB that the allegations led to an investigation.

"This incident was thoroughly investigated and multiple disciplinary actions were taken including employee terminations," she said.

She declined to give details about the personnel actions or additional details about the investigation.

The lawsuit seeks a jury trial and unspecified monetary damages.