Black Hawk County inmates file lawsuit over jail food

Three inmates at the Black Hawk County jail in Waterloo have filed federal lawsuits claiming their civil rights are being violated by skimpy meals.

The Des Moines Register says the lawsuits filed this month allege that small amounts of food and a 5:30 p.m. suppertime add up to a mid-evening hunger that constitutes "cruel and unusual punishment." The lawsuits were filed by Tony Grider, Jessie Davis and Charles Mack Jr. The lawsuits say the cuisine pales in comparison to what the inmates have experienced in other jails. They seek $1,000 per day for pain and suffering sparked by their unsatisfied stomachs.

Chief jail administrator Capt. Reinhard Boeschen says the company in charge of jail food has promised the meals meet all nutritional requirements.