A former inmate at the Mount View Youth Services Center in Lakewood is accusing a program manager of picking him up by his neck and slamming him into the ground for no reason and accusing other staff leadership of covering it up, according to a civil rights lawsuit filed Thursday morning.
According to the suit, Program Manager Michael Robinson used excessive force against FrankieRhea Chiles while Chiles was an inmate at the juvenile detention center. The suit says the then-20-year-old’s first, eighth and 14th amendment rights were violated during the January 2022 incident.
Moreover, the suit also alleges that fellow Program Manager Brad Nestel took part in the altercation by closing the door to Chiles’ room, blocking the view of a camera in the hallway and allowing the 6-foot-6, over 300-pound Robinson to continue his actions. According to the suit, Nestel knew that Robinson had a penchant for using disproportionate force against Black youth.
“What’s important here is that we’re talking about the abuse of authority in a youth facility,” said Attorney Mari Newman over the phone Thursday afternoon. “This kind of thing isn’t a one-off. This particular program manager was called ‘Big Mike.’ He had a reputation for being very rough with Black youth, for provoking fights with Black youth and using excessive force.”
According to the suit, Robinson denied Chiles’ repeated requests to speak with an attorney. Only after Chiles called the Colorado Department of Health Services Youth Hotline was any video footage — though none from inside the room — reviewed by the center’s administration.
Fellow Program Manager Jhamele Robinson, who witnessed the incident through a window in Chiles’ door, corroborated Chiles’ account with Director Taylor Lemuz. But rather than terminating Michael Robinson, who had previously faced complaints for his use of force, Lemuz temporarily reassigned him to a different post while Chiles finished serving his sentence at the facility.
The suit states the three defendants — Mike Robinson, Nestel and Lemuz — are white, whereas Chiles and Jhamele Robinson are Black. The allegations include mention of a gang mentality, which, “was rampant among the White staff at the (center), and that culture was perpetuated from the top, specifically (center) Director Defendant Lemuz,” according to the suit.
Although the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office did investigate the case, it found conflicting witness statements, and therefore did not file any charges, said Public Information Officer Karlyn Tilley. The case remains open.
The Colorado Department of Human Services declined to comment on this lawsuit. Nestel, Lemuz and multiple administrative staff at Mount View Youth Services Center were unresponsive to a request for comment on the lawsuit. The Denver Post could not find contact information for Michael Robinson.
Sign up to get crime news sent straight to your inbox each day.
