A federal lawsuit has been filed against Racine County and two guards at the Jonathan Delagrave Youth Development and Care Center after video surfaced showing a 15-year-old boy being beaten by staff last year.
In a 10-page complaint filed April 27 in Milwaukee, an attorney for Kianna Reed claims the center and two of its guards violated her son Anthony Lamar Elliott Jr.’s eighth amendment rights by using excessive force.
The incident, which involved four guards, occurred on May 27, 2025, roughly four weeks after the 70,000-square-foot, 48-bed center opened in Racine.
Anthony was placed at the center after he was found guilty on charges of retail theft and obstructing an officer. He had previously been diagnosed with four mental illnesses, including disruptive mood dysregulation disorder and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder.
On that night, Anthony became “emotionally dysregulated” and got into an argument with another detention center youth, and additional detention center personnel was called for backup to de-escalate the conflict, according to the lawsuit.
Robert Knight and Jordan Knight, both safety and security coordinators, responded to the dayroom, and spoke with Anthony who later walked with the two men to an intake area.
During the walk to the intake area, Anthony “mouthed off” to Robert Knight and Jordan Knight, who, according to the lawsuit, both reciprocated by egging on the teen, escalating the situation.
“Keep playing with me, dog,” Jordan Knight reportedly said to the teen no fewer than six times, according to the lawsuit.
Once inside the intake area, Robert Knight got in Anthony’s face, pointed in his face, and screamed at the teen to “stop making threats,” the lawsuit reads.
At some point, Anthony took off his shirt, but, according the lawsuit, didn’t get physical with the safety and securitycoordinators.
Anthony, surrounded by the Knights and a third staffer, was then instructed to enter a holding room to be locked down. A fourth facility staffer also was close by.
Then, Robert Knight punched Anthony in the face with a closed fist without physical provocation or physical resistance, the lawsuit said.
Robert Knight and Jordan Knight pinned Anthony’s arms against the wall, while both men continued to punch his body, ribs and face, according to the document.
“Concentrated knee strikes and elbow strikes to A.E.’s side, back, and torso were excessive and unjustified,” said Thomas Lenz, the Milwaukee attorney representing Elliot and his family. “Although [he] verbally resisted entering the safe room, he was not physically violent or resistant toward any of the safety and security coordinators, and he was never armed with any weapon.”
Anthony was struck more than 20 times with closed fists, knee strikes, and elbow strikes, lawyers say in the lawsuit.
“When we saw the video, I said, ‘They beat my son like he was Rodney King,'” Reed told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel in an interview in December.
Racine County issued a statement on May 7, saying county officials conducted an internal review of policies, procedures, and operational practices at the facility after the incident was reported. The ensuing protocol updates received final approval from the Wisconsin Department of Corrections.
“As part of that review, the county implemented additional measures focused on supervisory practices, staff training, and continued development in the areas of de-escalation, trauma-informed care, and evidence-based responses for youth with complex behavioral and mental health needs,” the county statement said.
The statement said the county also reviewed treatment-oriented models used by other facilities serving youth with significant behavioral and mental health challenges to inform ongoing operational improvements.
“Racine County remains committed to maintaining a safe environment for both youth and staff. Policies, training, and operational practices are regularly reviewed to support that mission,” the county’s statement said. “Because this matter is now in active litigation, the county will respond to the allegations through the legal process and will not further discuss the pending lawsuit.”
Jordan Knight still works at the facility. Attempts to reach him on May 5 were unsuccessful.
Robert Knight resigned three days after the incident. He told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel in December that his actions were justified based on Anthony’s history at the center. Knight said Anthony had been violent in the past but that despite other incidents, the two had a positive relationship at times.
Robert Knight disputed resigning due to the investigation. He said then he quit because of a shift toward working with more youth with mental health issues.
Chris Ramirez covers courts for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. He can be reached at caramirez@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Federal lawsuit claims excessive force against Racine County, youth center
Reporting by Chris Ramirez, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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