From [HERE] NEW YORK — Eleven current and ex-New York City inmates have filed a lawsuit charging correction officials have tolerated unprovoked beatings of inmates by guards.

The New York Times says the complaint seeks class-action status to cover almost all of the city's current and future inmates. It was filed last week in Manhattan federal court by the Legal Aid Society and two private law firms.

The lawsuit names as defendants Correction Commissioner Dora Schriro and other officials and officers. It says they've "created and now perpetuate a policy of permitting uniformed staff to use unlawful, excessive force with impunity."

Correction officials denounced the lawsuit. Spokeswoman Sharman Stein said "to suggest ... the department condones improper uses of force in any way ignores the reality of the department's many actions to the contrary."