8 isolation incidents at center of first Wyoming Boys’ School trial
A former resident alleges staff at the state-run facility in Worland violated his constitutional rights through isolation and force, while defendants argue they made tough calls to keep the campus safe.
By Alyssa Parker ·
Casper, Wyo. The first of six trials concerning abuse allegations at the Wyoming Boys’ School began Monday in U.S. District Court. The proceedings focus on the case of Blaise Chivers-King, a former resident who says he was mistreated at the state-run facility near Worland. The school detains delinquent boys ages 12 to 21 and is overseen by the Wyoming Department of Family Services.
Chivers-King spent time at the 38-acre facility between 2020 and 2022. He alleges that staff violated his 14th Amendment rights by placing him in isolation, using excessive force, and infringing on his due process. The defendants in this specific case are Thad Shaffer, Mike Nelson, and Dale Weber, the school’s superintendent. The three men sat in the courtroom on the first day of trial.
Attorneys for Chivers-King and the state presented opposing views of the events. Ciara Boerman, representing Chivers-King, described him as a child who struggled with anxiety and anger but needed help. She told the jury that instead of managing his emotions, staff locked him away. "Instead of helping him manage his emotions, they locked him away," Boerman said of defendants Nelson and Weber. She noted that at some points, Chivers-King no longer wanted to live.
Catherine Young, an attorney for the defense, countered that the case involves difficult decisions made in difficult circumstances. She asserted that the staff responded to safety concerns and did their best to keep everyone, including Chivers-King, safe. "It was far more work when Blaise was on detention status," Young said, arguing that the decisions were not easy but did not violate constitutional rights.
A central point of contention is the eight times staff isolated Chivers-King, with one stint lasting 15 days. Boerman referred to this as solitary confinement, a label the defendants contest. She showed the jury images of the isolation room, which had a single window in the door that staff sometimes covered with a magnet. When Chivers-King tried to look under the door, a staff member covered the crack with a mattress, Boerman said. She claimed staff kept him isolated even after he had calmed down and that he sometimes hurt himself to get human interaction.
Boerman showed photos of an injury to Chivers-King’s head after he hit his head against the wall in the isolation room. According to the prosecution, staff made Chivers-King clean his own blood from the wall. Young said staffers attended to him and that it was not solitary confinement because he required individual attention.
The trial also addresses an allegation of excessive force by Shaffer. Boerman played a video for the jury showing Shaffer entering the isolation room with a riot shield and several other staffers. Chivers-King backed up as Shaffer pushed him against the wall, and the group restrained him. Young said the altercation followed repeated problematic behavior and that the riot shield was used to keep both parties safe. She noted that Chivers-King was over 6 feet tall and weighed about 270 pounds, making him capable of hurting people.
Boerman concluded her opening statement by noting that Chivers-King continues to struggle with mental health issues. A doctor diagnosed him with PTSD, which the medical professional opined is directly related to his treatment at the school. "Blaise left the boys’ school, but the boys’ school has not left him," Boerman said. Chivers-King is now described as more reclusive and hardly leaves his room.
Young argued that Chivers-King’s mental health struggles, including PTSD, preceded his time at the school. She described his early childhood as marked by repeated abuse and neglect, stating that for much of his childhood, chaos was his normal experience. Young contended that the school actually helped Chivers-King, noting that he developed relationships with staff. She showed a photo of him walking a dog at an off-campus animal shelter, which she said helped him stay calm.
The trial began after attorneys spent the morning choosing jurors. It is expected to last five to seven days. Chivers-King is expected to testify Tuesday.
