Florida Personal Injury Lawyers Blog
A Florida prison guard was charged Saturday with pouring bleach in an inmate’s cup after the two argued.
The 28-year-old prison guard was taken into custody at Lowell Correctional Institution where she worked and charged with poisoning food or water. She has been released from jail. It’s unclear if she retained an attorney who could comment on the charge.
According to an interview with an agent for the Florida Department of Corrections, the woman admitted putting a cleaning agent into a cup, but said she would never hurt anyone on purpose. The state corrections agency said it obtained video showing the woman arguing with the inmate earlier in the shift, telling the prisoner, “I got something for you,” according to the report.
An officer saw the woman spray bleach on an empty cup while preparing breakfast for inmates, according to the report from state corrections officials. She allegedly told an inmate that the tray of food was special and placed the cup to the side.
The report said the woman volunteered to feed the lower cells of the two-story dormitory. The video shows Williams picked up the food tray and walk past other cells before placing it on a door flap at that inmate’s cell.
The report said the woman could be seen at the food cart close to the inmate’s cell door trying to conceal her activity. The inmate said the cup smelled like bleach and alerted another officer, who agreed.
There have been reports that the prison has had multiple problems with officers and employees in recent years. In August, a federal lawsuit alleges an inmate was beaten by four officers and left paralyzed.
Even though prisons and jails are closely monitored every day, 24 hours per day, by guards and surveillance systems, dangerous conditions still exist within these institutions. When a prisoner is injured or killed while serving their time, they could have grounds for a valid personal injury claim.
Police officers and prison guards are paid with taxpayer money to protect all citizens from harm, and not the other way around.
There are laws in place to protect people who are in prison, jail, or otherwise detained by law enforcement. These rights include:
- To live in humane facilities and conditions
- To be free from rape or sexual assaults
- Not to be racially segregated or discriminated
- To express complaints about incarceration conditions
- To enjoy required care and accessibility in case of disability
- To receive adequate medical care
- To receive adequate mental health care
- Not to be beaten, asphyxiated or subjected to unreasonable force
- Not to be unnecessarily endangered
- To receive adequate nourishment
- Not to be deprived of water
- To be free from psychological and emotional torture
Cops, prison guards, and other law enforcement officers are there to uphold and protect these rights. When they fail to do so, you could be able to file a personal injury or wrongful death claim to prevent further abuse and receive financial compensation for physical and emotional damages.
Physical abuse by officers and prison guards have left inmates with severe injuries that required hospitalization. Some of the most common injuries include:
- Broken bones
- Head trauma
- Broken noses
- Broken ribs
- Lacerations
- Second-degree burns
- Internal organ damage
When prison guards or jail officials violate inmates’ civil rights or allow other inmates to abuse those rights, they can be held liable for damages. However, proving these violations can be difficult to do. If you or your loved one is suffering abuse in jail or prison or has suffered in the past, we urge you to get in touch with our Florida Inmate Brain Injury and Death Attorneys at Whittel & Melton. We will do everything we can to help you with your case and fight to ensure you get justice.