Female inmate left paralyzed after being beaten ‘within an inch of death’ by prison guards

A female inmate who requested medical assistance at a Florida prison was allegedly brutally beaten by four male guards and has been left paralyzed, a lawsuit states.

Four officers at Lowell Correctional Institution are accused of leaving Cheryl Weimar, 51, with ‘serious and life-threatening injuries, including a broken neck’ following the incident at Lowell Correctional Institution on August 21.

An 18-page lawsuit, filed by Weimar and her husband, Karl, claimed that Weimar has lost the use of her arms and legs as she continues to recover from the assault at  Ocala Hospital.

On August 21, Weimar complained to corrections officers that she was in pain and unable to clean the toilets. 

Cheryl Weimar, (pictured), was allegedly ‘beaten within an inch of her life’ by four correctional officers at Lowell Correctional Institution on August 21 and is taking action against officials 

She has a pre-existing hip condition that limits her from performing tasks such as walking, standing and bending, according to the lawsuit. 

Weimar has a history of physical and mental issues and corrections officers were aware of these, according to the suit.

She later requested ‘a reasonable accommodation for her physical disability in connection with her prison work assignment,’ but her request was denied.

The officers became angry when Weimar complained and officers should have requested medical assistance as she ‘declared an inmate medical emergency.’

She continued to complain and then ‘experienced an adverse psychological episode’ as she the officers came towards her. 

One or more of then officers then allegedly slammed her to the ground and ‘brutally beat her with blows to her head, neck, and back,’ according to the lawsuit.

One of them ‘elbowed Plaintiff Cheryl Weimar in the back of her neck, causing her to suffer a broken neck,’ according to the document.

She as then ‘dragged like a rag doll’ to a wheelchair and then taken to an area not covered by surveillance cameras where the officers allegedly continued the brutal attack.

She is now ‘quadriplegic and has lost the ability to use her arms and legs,’ according to the suit, which described her as defenseless. 

An 18-page lawsuit, filed by Cheryl Weimar and her husband, Karl, (pictured) claimed that she has lost the use of her arms and legs as she continues to recover from the alleged assault

The officers became angry when Weimar complained and officers should have requested medical assistance as she ‘declared an inmate medical emergency’

Weimar is serving time for aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and resisting an officer with violence and is due for release in February 2021.

Following the alleged attack, she now needs a tracheotomy to breathe and is tube-fed.She is expected to remain in hospital ‘for the foreseeable future,’ the report states.

Officials have confirmed an incident involving corrections officers and an inmate who sustained an injury. 

Her action is being taken against the state Department of Corrections and the four corrections officers were not named. 

Ryan Andrews, the attorney filed the lawsuit on behalf of Weimar and her husband, told Fox News: ‘She is going to need lifelong care, around-the-clock care for the rest of her life.

Officials have confirmed there was an incident involving corrections officers and an inmate who sustained an injury at Lowell Correctional Institution 

‘It was one of the most sad meetings with a client I ever had – she couldn’t talk… I had to write the alphabet out so she could nod and wink and tell me what to do. It’s the worst case of prison abuse in Florida I’ve ever seen.’

The Florida Department of Corrections said Wednesday that it is ‘unable to comment on pending litigation’ and it had not been served with the lawsuit on Wednesday. 

Secretary Mark Inch told the Ocala Star Banner: ‘We recognize that preliminary reports from this incident are concerning. We’re committed to examining all the details regarding this situation and ensuring appropriate action is taken.’ 

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is leading the investigation, with assistance from the FDC Office of Inspector General.

The officers involved have been reassigned to posts that ‘do not have contact with inmates, pending the outcome of this investigation.’

They claimed the injured inmate, who they did not name, ‘is receiving appropriate care and treatment.’

Another attorney involved in the case, John M. Vernaglia, told the outlet she was ‘beaten within an inch of her life’ and that the plaintiffs have not been allowed to take pictures or video of their client’s injuries. 

 

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk