Nicole Lane says sheriff’s deputies kept her shackled to a hospital bed throughout six hours of unmedicated labor back in 2024, when she gave birth to her daughter.
“I was in so much pain. Anybody that has given birth knows how much pain you’re in,” Lane said.
The Washington County mother is speaking out about what happened while she was pregnant and in labor after she was rushed from the Washington County Jail to Magee-Womens Hospital during what she says was a high-risk pregnancy.
“They were making me give birth shackled to the bed, with nobody there besides two male sheriffs,” Lane said.
Lane is now suing Washington County, the Washington County Prison Board, several sheriff’s deputies and others.
At the time, Lane was pregnant and incarcerated on a misdemeanor drug charge. She was released from jail, then rearrested for what she says was a probation violation involving an address discrepancy.
“The address wasn’t good enough for them, and they issued a bench warrant for me, so I had to go back to jail,” Lane said.
Lane says she was rushed to Magee the very next day.
She alleges deputies shackled one wrist and her opposite leg to the hospital bed. She says the restraints were removed only so she could receive an epidural, then put back on after she gave birth.
Lane says the handcuffs remained on for the five days she spent in the hospital postpartum.
“They were treating me like I was Hannibal Lecter,” Lane said.
Pennsylvania law says incarcerated women shall not be restrained during any stage of labor or any period of postpartum, unless there is a substantial risk of flight or security concerns.
Jackie Perlow, an attorney with the Women’s Law Project, is representing Lane. She says those exceptions did not apply in this case.
“Keeping her restrained, not just for labor and delivery but also for five days postpartum recovery, and she was in the hospital for those five days because of the seriousness of her labor and delivery. And that preeclampsia, that all violated PA law and the U.S. Constitution,” Perlow said.
“Jails in Pennsylvania cannot continue to ignore laws that protect incarcerated people simply because they disagree with them. They have a duty to provide incarcerated individuals with dignity and humane treatment, something Washington County denied Ms. Lane at every turn,” says Alexandra Morgan-Kurtz, co-counsel on this case and Deputy Director for the Pennsylvania Institutional Law Project, or PILP.
PILP protects and advances the constitutional and civil rights of people incarcerated in Pennsylvania through litigation, advocacy, and legal advice.
“No person should be shackled while their life is in danger,” said Morgan-Kurtz.
Lane says she knows she is not alone now that she has begun sharing her story.
“It’s happening. It’s not just me. I’m speaking out for not just me, but for other people so it doesn’t happen again,” Lane said.
Lane says she is doing well now and hopes sharing her story and taking legal action will prevent another woman from experiencing what she says happened to her.
Washington County leaders tell Channel 11 they cannot comment due to pending litigation.
You can view the full lawsuit below.
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