300-Pound Inmate Sues Jail Over Food - AOL News

Broderick Lloyd Laswell says he isn't happy that he's down to 308 pounds after eight months in the Benton County jail. He has filed a federal lawsuit complaining the jail doesn't provide inmates with enough food.

According to the suit, Laswell weighed 413 pounds when he was jailed in September. Police say he and a co-defendant fatally beat and stabbed a man, then set his home on fire.

"On several occasions I have started to do some exercising and my vision went blurry and I felt like I was going to pass out," Laswell wrote in his complaint. "About an hour after each meal my stomach starts to hurt and growl. I feel hungry again."

But Laswell then goes on to complain that he undertakes little vigorous activity.

"If we are in a small pod all day (and) do next to nothing for physical exercise, we should not lose weight," the suit says. "The only reason we lost weight in here is because we are literally being starved to death."

The suit also asks that the county be ordered to serve hot meals. The jail has served only cold food for years.

The meals, provided through Aramark Correctional Institution Services, average 3,000 calories a day, jail Capt. Hunter Petray told The Morning News of northwest Arkansas for a story Saturday.

A typical Western diet consists of 2,000 to 3,000 calories a day.

Laswell's suit was filed without a lawyer in U.S. District Court in Fayetteville.



This cracks me up..if 3,000 cals/day has caused this man to loose over 100 pds, I wonder what kind of cal intake would be required to maintain his original 400 pd weight??? Does he REALLY think the jail should provide that much food?? That would cause others to gain ALOT of weight....Although, on a side note, I do think the jail should provide warm meals though......although if that was my dad he stabbed, he could eat dog food the rest of his life for all I'd care, lol

He is utterly redicloious! Who in their right mind would WANT to weigh that much? Its one thing to let go or not care about your weight, but its a whole nother ball of wax when you strive to be that big.

They should throw the dumb ass judge who let this frivolous lawsuit go to trial in the slammer too with Laswell.

It's backward country Arkansas, what do you expect?

I so agree with this. LOL

What a wonderful world we live in......

I love the fact that taxpayers are supposed to maintain a 415lb man.

I need to move to Canada.

lol, well they are not "supposed" to, thats the whole point...this guy is nuts!

That is what I am saying. He expected the taxpayers to maintain a 5000 cal or so diet and is now suing because of this...

Oh Canada! Our home and native land..........

Damn. I wish I could go to jail and get fed for free and lose a significant amount of weight with controlled meals and little exercise.




This man embarassses me.

Whew! This thought also crossed my mind...but i thought I'd be the only one thinking it Although I truly would not want to be in jail at all.

Aramark supplies food to our campus, too...

That explains a lot.

And certainly not what he was in jail for.

what a loser, he should be thanking them.

I couldn't believe the story when I read it on Sky news - most people would be grateful for the weight loss!

Wait Wait



Keep your butt out of jail and then you can eat whatever you want.