Dec. 09, 2006
BODYBUILDER: Titus says he fears jail staff
Inmate tells lawyer he was forced to lie 'butt naked'
By GLENN PUIT
REVIEW-JOURNAL
Bodybuilder Craig Titus has written a jailhouse letter saying that he was forced by corrections officers to lie naked in a jail cell at gunpoint in October, and that two female nurses observed him "butt naked" during the episode.
In the letter to his attorney, Titus also said he fears for his safety at the Clark County Detention Center because of the incident.
"I'm very scared right now," Titus wrote in the letter, a copy of which has been obtained by the Review-Journal. "For the first time in my life, I'm actually terrified. I need your help, my friend. But I'm also scared to even tell you in fear they may do something else to me."
Titus' attorney, Marc Saggese, declined to comment Friday on the letter.
If any inmates at the Clark County Detention Center feel they have been mistreated, Las Vegas police spokesman Jose Montoya said, they can file a complaint with the jail's internal affairs office or notify a supervising officer and the matter will be investigated.
Montoya referred the Review-Journal to Internal Affairs for further questions. Internal Affairs in turn referred the newspaper to the detention center's administration. Administrators did not return a call for comment.
It was unclear whether Titus or his attorney have filed a formal complaint with officials at the detention center.
Two weeks ago, the Review-Journal confirmed that Titus was placed in administrative segregation at the jail. Police would not say why.
Titus, 42, is a former competitor in Mr. Olympia bodybuilding competitions. He and his wife, fitness champion Kelly Ryan, 34, are charged with murder in the death of their personal assistant, Melissa James, 28. The young woman's body was found in the trunk of Ryan's Jaguar off state Route 160 a year ago.
Titus also has been the subject of an extensive investigation at the detention center regarding suspicions from authorities that he tried to orchestrate a plot to kill three witnesses in his murder case. A colleague of Titus has been charged in the episode, but Titus has denied any involvement. Titus has not been charged with plotting to kill witnesses. Saggese said last week that the details of that investigation have led him to believe police will do anything they can to set up his client.
In Titus' jailhouse letter, the bodybuilder references a "threat of escape" accusation lodged against him by officials at the jail. Titus denied the accusation in the letter.
In the letter, Titus pleads for help from his attorney as he relates an incident in late October at the jail.
"A code orange was announced over the facility speakers," Titus wrote. "I was then asked to step outside my cell on two separate occasions by regular module officers while they searched my cell. Nothing happened.
"I would say about 30 minutes later, approximately 8 to 12 officers in full riot gear stormed up to my cell door," Titus wrote. "They yelled, 'Inmate Titus, lay flat on the floor, arms extended, palms up, and cross your legs, face down.'
"They then told me if I did not completely comply, I would experience a great amount of pain," he said.
Titus said the officers had "lasers from Taser guns pointed at me along with shotguns."
His jail cell opened, two to three officers entered, and he was handcuffed, he said.
"They walked me out the door and proceeded to strap me into a chair on wheels designed for extremely crazy and violent individuals," Titus said.
"After they strapped me into the chair, they put a black-lensed pair of goggles on me so I was in total darkness," Titus said. "I was shaking so hard out of fear I was almost in tears."
Titus said he was wheeled into a room, still in total darkness, and was unstrapped from the chair. He was walked to a bunk bed, told not to resist, and placed flat on his stomach, he said.
"After they took my cuffs off, they pulled my pants and underwear off, leaving me totally nude," Titus said. "At this point, I'm shaking so bad I can't even begin to describe the fear."
Titus said his goggles were pulled off and he was told to keep looking at a wall until the jail cell door slammed.
"Then the officers put a red dot on the wall from either a Taser laser or a shotgun laser and asked me do I know what it is," Titus said.
Titus said he looked up and realized they were videotaping the incident. He said he was asked whether he had injuries.
"To make matters worse, two female nurses stood there looking at me butt-naked through the glass and took my vital signs," Titus said.
"After everything was over, I noticed one of the officers dropped his handcuff keys on my bunk," Titus said. "I immediately gave them to the sergeant on duty. After all this, they are now telling me they made a mistake, and I had nothing to do with whatever went on that night."
Titus said he is in the "psycho ward" in total isolation.
"I don't know what they are trying to do to me but now they have other charges filed against me," Titus said.
Titus also said he has been written up for altering or damaging jail property.
"Please help me," Titus said. "They won't let me use the phone as well. I haven't showered since Monday.
"(It's) keeping me from sleeping," Titus said. "I can't put my back to the door at night, and the nightmares are only getting worse!"