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Hernando Today

Inmate Claims County Jail Negligent - Again

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By KYLE MARTIN

Hernando Today

Published: November 26, 2008

BROOKSVILLE - A former inmate at the county jail is suing the facility three years after he was allegedly injured in a "heinous melee" over microwave use.

The lawsuit filed Nov. 19 by Jeffrey McLaughlin accuses the Hernando County Jail and its operator, Corrections Corporation of America, of negligence. Their failure to quickly intervene and stop the other inmates from beating McLaughlin caused "major physical and mental damage," according to the lawsuit.

Court records show that this is McLaughlin's second lawsuit regarding this incident. The first, filed in March 2007, was quashed almost immediately by a judge.

McLaughlin filed the lawsuit from a Polk County prison, where he is currently serving a 10-year sentence for drug and aggravated battery charges, records show.

Warden Russell Washburn, who was not warden at the time of the incident, said Tuesday he did not recognize McLaughlin's name and could not comment on pending litigation.

The lawsuit stems from March 17, 2005, when McLaughlin was standing in line to use the microwave. Records show he was waiting for trial at the time for possession of cocaine.

Another inmate began yelling at McLaughlin, then knocked him to the ground with his fists, where he was further beaten, according to the lawsuit. McLaughlin claims he couldn't talk for some time after the incident because he was kicked in the throat.

The lawsuit alleges negligence on the jail's part, claiming that the "emergency call function" button wasn't working and that corrections officers were not closely monitoring surveillance cameras.

"They were unresponsive to this heinous melee until it was too late," the lawsuit states.

Reporter Kyle Martin can be reached at 352-544-5271 or kmartin@hernandotoday.com.

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