3 former inmates allege Oklahoma jailers tortured them by playing the 'Baby Shark' song on repeat and are suing authorities for $75,000

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• Three former inmates say an Oklahoma jail tortured them with the youngsters's track "Child Shark."
• They're looking for $75,000 in damages for being pressured to take heed to the tune for hours whereas handcuffed.
• Final yr, three officers have been charged with misdemeanor counts for utilizing the earworm to bully prisoners.

"Child Shark," the viral song beloved by toddlers and the tune behind the second-most downvoted video on YouTube, was used to torture prisoners in Oklahoma County Jail, say three former inmates who at the moment are suing those that managed the power on the time.

Daniel Hedrick, Joseph "Joey" Mitchell, and John Basco filed a federal lawsuit on Tuesday in search of $75,000 in damages from Sheriff Tommie Johnson III, Oklahoma County commissioners, the jail belief, and two former detention officers, in response to courtroom paperwork seen by Insider.

The ex-convicts stated they have been handcuffed and compelled to face towards a wall for hours in 2019 whereas "Child Shark" was performed on loop at a excessive quantity by way of a pc within the subsequent room, the courtroom paperwork present.

The lawsuit cites medical psychologist John Mayer, who stated in an article by the magazine Health that songs like "Child Shark" can "elicit a painful response within the mind" as a result of they've "high-pitched tones" and "screechy" sounds that harm one's ears.

The lawsuit added that loud music has beforehand been used to "hurt and torment" prisoners in Auschwitz and Guantanamo Bay.

A spokesperson for the Oklahoma County Sheriff's workplace advised The Kansas City Star it was not conscious of the lawsuit and stated the workplace not runs the jail. The Oklahoma County Sheriff's workplace didn't instantly reply to Insider's request for remark.

In 2020, three jailers have been charged misdemeanor counts of cruelty to a prisoner and conspiracy for exposing Hedrick, Mitchell, Basco, and a fourth inmate to "Baby Shark" for extended periods of time.

Prosecutors stated the punishment induced "undue emotional stress on the inmates" and was "merciless and inhumane," courtroom paperwork present.

The 2 officers concerned, Gregory Butler and Christian Miles, resigned throughout an inner investigation, the native sheriff who ran the jail informed The Oklahoman. Their supervisor, Christopher Hendershott, retired. The sheriff's workplace beforehand ran the detention facility, however a belief took over administration in July.

Butler and Miles are to face trial for the legal case in February, KOKH reported.

"Child Shark" is featured in a 2016 video that has accrued 9.5 billion views as of November 5, making it the most-watched video on YouTube. Nevertheless it's additionally acquired 14.45 million dislikes, placing it behind solely "YouTube Rewind 2018: Everybody Controls Rewind" on the platform's listing of most disliked movies, according to consumer intelligence platform BrandWatch.