Back in 2018,
Phoenix New Times broke the story about how the inmate who was attacked, Shane McGough, filed a federal complaint against Maricopa County Sheriff Paul Penzone, K9 handler Shaun Eversole and other involved deputies, and a U.S. Forest Service Officer over the incident. McGough alleged in the filing that the deputies committed assault and torture, lied in police reports, and violated his civil rights. The Maricopa County Sheriff s Office (MCSO) also opened internal and criminal investigations into the incident, but the probes faced delays. McGough s lawsuit is ongoing and expected to go to trial. However, the Forest Service Officer and one of the deputies have been removed from the case as defendants.