In March 2012, James Stewart, a 65-year-old raw dairy farmer from California with a completely clean criminal record, endured what he described as a nightmarish ordeal inside the Los Angeles County jail system. Stewart, known locally as a beloved provider of unpasteurized milk to willing customers, was subjected to conditions that legal observers compared to prisoner-of-war treatment.
Starvation, Hypothermia, and Sleep Deprivation Behind Bars
According to Stewart’s own recorded testimony, jail staff withheld adequate food during his detention. He was placed in a frigid cell wearing only a thin T-shirt and pants, causing violent shivering as his body temperature plummeted dangerously. Throughout the night, constant screaming and banging from other inmates made sleep entirely impossible, compounding the physical toll on the elderly farmer.
Before reaching his cell, Stewart recounted being restrained with heavy chains wrapped multiple times around his midsection, with his wrists cuffed so tightly behind his back that he feared they would fracture. He was then shackled to a metal bench with barely six inches of movement and left there for roughly four to five hours. During this period, guards forced him to undergo chest X-rays while still handcuffed.
Raw Sewage Flooded His Cell for Over 30 Hours
Perhaps the most disturbing element of Stewart’s account involved raw human sewage. His cell was inundated with two to three inches of untreated biological waste, soaking his shoes and clothing. Rather than relocating him, guards handed Stewart a small squeegee and instructed him to clean the contaminated mess himself. He was then forced to remain in the sewage-soaked cell for more than 30 hours, battling nausea and exposure to hazardous pathogens.
Stewart noted the bitter irony that the county had pursued him for supposedly distributing milk containing harmful bacteria, yet deliberately confined him in conditions saturated with genuinely dangerous biological contaminants.
Denied Legal Representation and Due Process
Throughout the entire detention, Stewart said he was never permitted a single phone call. His repeated requests to speak with an attorney were refused. At no point did officials present him with an arrest warrant or explain the specific charges against him. County records apparently showed no trace of his location, a situation Stewart believed was intentional to prevent anyone from checking on his welfare or legal status.
During interrogation, deputies reportedly accused Stewart of being a member of the sovereign citizen movement and affixed a red armband to him, falsely marking him as a threat to other inmates.
Bail Set at $1 Million for a Dairy Farmer
The bail amount assigned to Stewart reached an extraordinary one million dollars, a figure that drew sharp criticism from civil liberties advocates. For context, the bail set for Jerry Sandusky, the former Penn State coach facing allegations of child sexual abuse, had been only $100,000 and was unsecured.
Constitutional attorney Jonathan Emord called the treatment of Stewart “horrendous” and argued that the case exemplified government overreach against ordinary citizens exercising their right to produce and distribute natural food products.
Calls for Civil Rights Organizations to Intervene
Stewart’s ordeal prompted calls for both Amnesty International and the American Civil Liberties Union to investigate the conditions at the LA County facility. Advocates pointed out that the treatment he described violated not only California state law but also federal statutes and international conventions governing the humane treatment of detained persons.
In his recorded interview, Stewart expressed disbelief at what had transpired. He described the experience as traumatic, saying he had difficulty sleeping afterward and struggled to comprehend how such conditions could exist within the American justice system. He compared his detention to something out of a foreign prison system, expressing shock that it had happened on United States soil.
The Larger Battle Over Raw Milk in California
Stewart’s case became a flashpoint in the broader debate over raw milk legality. His sole alleged offense was organizing the distribution of fresh, unpasteurized milk to customers at the Rawesome Foods co-op in Venice, California, where people voluntarily sought out the product. Supporters argued that adults should have the freedom to choose what foods they consume, while regulators maintained that unpasteurized dairy posed legitimate public health risks.
The case drew attention from food freedom advocates, constitutional scholars, and political figures who viewed the aggressive prosecution as disproportionate to any alleged offense. Stewart’s co-defendant in the case, farmer Sharon Palmer, faced similar charges related to the food co-op operation.
