Ramsey Kettle v. Otter Tail County et al.

Partner Andy Crowder of Norton Rose Fulbright and staff attorney Catherine Ahlin-Halverson of the American Civil Liberties Union of Minnesota secured a significant settlement and policy reforms for Ramsey Kettle, a pretrial detainee subjected to extreme conditions at Otter Tail County Jail that violated his constitutional rights and basic human dignity.

In February 2024, Otter Tail County officers held Kettle in solitary confinement for days in a feces-covered cell without food, water, or appropriate medical and mental health care while he experienced a mental health crisis. The abuse was carried out by 11 correctional officers, including two acting sergeants and the acting jail administrator, who allegedly approved withholding food and water as punishment. As Kettle showed increasing signs of distress, officers mocked him and withheld medical attention. Jail administration then attempted to cover up the abuse, which was only uncovered when a staff member reported it to the Minnesota Department of Corrections.

The ACLU and Norton Rose Fulbright filed a lawsuit on behalf of Kettle in December 2024. The legal team included Crowder, Ahlin-Halverson, and Norton Rose Fulbright attorneys Sheila Niaz, Peter Estall, Erica Spilde, Gabriel Ramirez-Hernandez and ACLU attorneys Ian Bratlie and Teresa Nelson, with support from Brett Weber. The Norton Rose Fulbright team committed nearly 1,000 hours of pro bono time to the case.

In August 2025, Judge Kate M. Menendez of the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota rejected defendants’ motions to dismiss, achieving a significant victory on Monell claims and qualified immunity issues in the Eighth Circuit.

Following this legal victory, defendants agreed in October 2025 to pay Kettle $200,000 and implement sweeping policy changes to protect other pretrial detainees. The settlement required the jail to end the practice of rolling over disciplinary segregation time, mandate reporting and documentation when correctional officers withhold food or water, and require meaningful welfare checks that assess signs of life, mental health concerns, safety compromises from biohazard material, and access to water. The case established important legal precedents in the Eighth Circuit and changed how jails operate in Minnesota.