He spent four days forgotten in the 5-by-10-foot windowless cell before Drug Enforcement Administration agents opened the door.

“I just couldn’t believe that this was legal,” Chong said in an interview Wednesday with the Associated Press. “I’m thinking ‘no way.’”

After his release, he spent five days in the hospital for dehydration, kidney failure, cramps and a perforated esophagus. He had lost 15 pounds.

His attorneys filed a $20 million claim Wednesday against the Drug Enforcement Administration, saying his treatment constitutes torture under U.S. and international law.

The five-page notice, a required precursor to a lawsuit, was sent to the DEA’s chief counsel in Washington. The $20 million figure refers to the maximum Chong and his lawyers would seek.

The top DEA agent in San Diego, William R. Sherman, said in a news release that he was “deeply troubled” by what happened to Chong.

Sherman said he has personally ordered an extensive review of his office’s policies and procedures. The agency declined to say what those were.

Chong said no one has contacted him personally to apologize.

The incident stands out as one of the worst cases of its kind, said Thomas Beauclair, deputy director of the National Corrections Institute, a federal agency that provides training and technical assistance to corrections agencies.

“That is pretty much unheard of,” he said, noting that, in his 40-year career, he has heard of instances where people were forgotten overnight but not for days.

A federal law enforcement official familiar with DEA operations said the agency’s protocols require that cells be checked each night. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the matter, said the cell where Chong was held is not intended for overnight stays because it does not have a toilet.

Federal lawmakers are demanding a thorough investigation. Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., sent a letter Wednesday to Attorney General Eric Holder.

“Please provide me with the results and the actions the department will take to make sure those responsible are held accountable and that no one in DEA custody will ever again be forced to endure such treatment,” the letter stated.

Chong told the AP that he went to his friend’s house April 20 to get high, part of a national, annual countercultural ritual.

Chong slept there that night and, the next morning, agents stormed into the house. The raid netted 18,000 ecstasy pills, other drugs and weapons. Nine people, including Chong, were taken into custody, according to the DEA.

Chong was questioned then agents told him he was not a suspect and would be released shortly. He signed some paperwork, was put in handcuffs and sent back to the holding cell.

As the hours dragged into days, he said he kicked and screamed as loud as he could. At one point, he ripped a piece of his jacket off with his teeth and shoved it under the door, hoping someone would spot it and free him.

Chong said he ingested a white powder that he found in the cell. Agents later identified it as methamphetamine. Chong said he ingested it to survive.

The next day, hallucinations started, he said. They included Japanese animation characters who told him to dig into the walls to search for water, which he tried, tearing apart the wall’s plastic lining.

People can die from dehydration in as little as three to seven days, said Dr. Wally Ghurabi at UCLA Medical Center in Santa Monica.

Ghurabi said Chong was wise to drink his own urine to stay hydrated.

As the days dragged on, Chong said he accepted that he would die. He considered taking his own life rather than withering away by dehydration.

“I thought ‘wow, this was a terrible way to go,’” Chong said. “I just wanted to have a little bit of dignity.”

He sat in the dark, his hallucinations deepening, his breath getting shorter and shorter, even the urine running out, and he screamed for the agents to at least let him have a quick death.

“That’s when the lights turned on and the agents opened the door with very confused looks on their faces,” Chong said. “They said, ‘Who are you? Where’d you come from?’”

Chong was not going to be charged with a crime and should have been released, said a law enforcement official who was briefed on the DEA case and spoke on the condition of anonymity because he wasn’t authorized to speak about the ongoing investigation.

Chong said he has no criminal record.

U-T San Diego was the first to report the ordeal.

Doctors said Chong’s wounds should heal, but he said he still breaks down in tears.

“I’m very glad they found me,” he said.

___

Associated Press writers Alicia A. Caldwell and Kevin Freking in Washington, Elliot Spagat in San Diego, and Amy Taxin in Orange County, Calif., contributed to this report.

Investigators found blank divorce forms in her Ford Explorer, according to a search warrant affidavit. Records indicated that she planned to leave her husband and move to Texas.

Her brother who lives in Missouri City, Texas, told the newspaper Thursday that his sister’s husband had known about the possibility of divorce for a while.

Alawadi’s daughter, who called 911, has told reporters that she found a note near her unconscious mother that read: “Go back to your country, you terrorist.” Detectives found a torn, handwritten note at the scene but analysis indicated it was a copy, according to an 11-page search warrant.

The affidavit did not mention the note’s contents but indicated that investigators wanted to search the house for similar paper stock.

El Cajon police have said the note indicated the possibility of a hate crime, but investigators have stressed they are exploring other possibilities.

Investigators have not identified any suspects. The daughter, Alawadi’s husband, Kassim Alhimidi, and a brother traveled to Iraq last week to attend her funeral.

The daughter, 17-year-old Fatima Alhimidi, told police that she was at the family’s Lakeside home and heard glass break and her mother squeal but thought it was a dropped plate. She said she found her mother unconscious 10 minutes later.

Alawadi had suffered at least six blows to the head, possibly caused by a tire iron. She died three days later.

A neighbor reported seeing a man carrying a brown box running from the area of Alawadi’s house around the time of the attack.

While police were interviewing Alhimidi after the attack, she received a text message reading, “The detective will find out tell them (can’t) talk,” according to the search warrant affidavit.

The affidavit also indicated that the teenager had been upset about her pending arranged marriage to a cousin and that in November she jumped from her mother’s moving car and possibly broke her arm.

Alhimidi said, “‘I love you, Mom,’ opened the vehicle door and jumped out while the vehicle was doing approximately 35 miles per hour,” the documents said. “Police were informed by paramedics and hospital staff that Fatima Alhimidi said she was being forced to marry her cousin and did not want to do so, (so) she jumped out of the vehicle.”

Lt. Mark Coit, a police spokesman, said Thursday the department was not commenting on the ongoing investigation in which the FBI is assisting. But he noted authorities were “not happy” the sealed documents were released.

The board’s recommendations go to a general who will either accept or deny them. If the general disagrees with the board, the case could go to the secretary of the Navy.

Stein’s lawyers argued that the 9-year Marine, whose service was to end in four months, was expressing his personal views and exercising his First Amendment rights.

“We’re truly surprised and disappointed but it was an honor to fight for a hero like Sgt. Stein and every other Marine’s right to speak freely,” Stein’s defense attorney Marine Capt. James Baehr said.

Stein addressed board members during Thursday’s hearing, tell them he loved the Marine Corps and wanted to re-enlist, Baehr said.

Baehr expressed hope that the recommendation would be rejected by the general, saying the case will go forward. “The issues are too important for this to end today,” he said.

During the hearing, the prosecutor, Capt. John Torresala, said Stein went as far as superimposing images of Obama’s face on a poster for the movie “Jackass.”

Torresala argued that Stein’s behavior repeatedly violated Pentagon policy that limits the free speech rights of service members, and said he should be dismissed after ignoring warnings from his superiors about his postings.

The government submitted screen grabs of Stein’s postings on one Facebook page he created called Armed Forces Tea Party, which the prosecutor said included the image of Obama on the “Jackass” movie poster. Stein also superimposed Obama’s image on a poster for “The Incredibles” movie that he changed to “The Horribles,” the prosecutor said.

Torresala also said anti-Obama comments by Stein that were posted on a Facebook page used by Marine meteorologists were prejudicial to good order and discipline, and could have influenced junior Marines.

Stein’s security clearance was taken away and he has no future in the Marine Corps because he can’t do his job without that clearance, Torresala said.

“The Marine Corps community views the command’s lack of action as some kind of knock on good order and discipline,” Torresala said. “Our own people are questioning why this Marine is not being held accountable.”

Baehr said during the hearing that prosecutors were trying to dredge up any damaging information they could against Stein.

“There is no basis in this case,” Baehr said. “Sgt. Stein has broken no law.”

The military has had a policy since the Civil War limiting the free speech of service members, including criticism of the commander in chief.

Pentagon directives say military personnel in uniform cannot sponsor a political club; participate in any TV or radio program or group discussion that advocates for or against a political party, candidate or cause; or speak at any event promoting a political movement.

Commissioned officers also may not use contemptuous words against senior officials.

Backed by a team of lawyers and congressmen, Stein has said he is fighting for his constitutional rights and should be allowed to stay in the military. His lawyers and the American Civil Liberties Union contend his views are protected by the First Amendment.

“Think about how dangerous this could be if the U.S. government can prosecute you for something you say on your private Facebook page,” Baehr said.

Stein has said his opinions are his own and has put a disclaimer on his Facebook page saying so. His attorneys argued service members have a right to voice their opinions as long as they do not appear to be presenting their views as being endorsed by the military. They say the Pentagon policy is vague and military officials do not understand it.

The Marine Corps has said it decided to take administrative action after Stein declared on Facebook that he would not follow orders from Obama and later clarified that statement saying he would not follow unlawful orders.

Stein said he was removed from his job at the Marine Corps Recruiting Depot in San Diego last month and given a desk job with no access to computers.

Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., a former Marine, wrote a letter to Stein’s commanding officer stating the sergeant should not face dismissal for an opinion shared by a majority of Marines. Hunter said he was referring to Stein’s statement that he would not obey unlawful orders. Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., also expressed support for Stein.

Stein said his statement about Obama was part of an online debate about NATO allowing U.S. troops to be tried for the Quran burnings in Afghanistan.

In that context, he said, he was stating that he would not follow orders from the president if it involved detaining U.S. citizens, disarming them or doing anything else that he believes would violate their constitutional rights.