Insane inmate who assaulted prisoners, jailer sparks lawsuit against Brule County

Manhunt undertaken after prisoner overwhelmed jail staff and escaped

An inmate who was savagely beaten by another prisoner has filed suit against Brule County, alleging its sheriff and his staff were negligent in protecting himself and others from attack.

Joshua Denke was incarcerated in the Brule County Jail in Chamberlain for a drug offense on Sept. 30, 2021, according to his complaint. By Oct. 4, he was being airlifted to a Sioux Falls trauma unit following the attack. That assault, committed by Jesse Knight, was the start of an escape in which Knight beat another inmate and a jailer to escape from the jail.

SCOUTING REPORT | Wrangling buffalo, counting fish, ‘Spirit of Dakota,’ Hurricane Helene relief

The escape led to a manhunt after Knight stole a police car and drove away.

Denke blames Brule County, Sheriff Darrell Miller and his staff with creating an environment that was unsafe for the inmates there. The jail was understaffed and had on occasion been closed because of staffing challenges. A week before Denke was incarcerated, Miller appeared before the Brule County Commission to warn that the jail was understaffed, prompting the commission to increase staffing salaries, the lawsuit says.

Meals on Wheels shuttering in seven western South Dakota communities