Female prisoner who asked for help 'beaten so badly by prison guards she was left paralysed and in need of 24hr care for rest of her life'
Cheryl Weimar says alleged attack was in violation of her civil rights
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.A female inmate in a Florida prison who said she was beaten by four guards has sued the state’s corrections agency.
Cheryl Weimar said the alleged beating left her paralysed with “serious and life-threatening injuries, including a broken neck” in a complaint filed in district court on Tuesday.
The inmate and her husband, Karl Weimar, said in the lawsuit that her civil rights had been violated when she was nearly beaten to death by the guards.
“Under FDC policy and procedure, prison officials should have called medical personnel to intervene once Plaintiff Cheryl Weimar declared an inmate medical emergency,” the lawsuit read. “The more Plaintiff Cheryl Weimar complained of her physical condition, the more angry, aggressive, and violent the John Doe Defendants became. “
The complaint lists the Florida Department of Corrections along with four John Does in the alleged 21 August attack at the Lowell Correctional Institution.
“One or more of the John Doe Defendants slammed Plaintiff Cheryl Weimar to the ground … while down, they brutally beat her with blows to her head, neck, and back,” it continued. “At least one John Doe Defendant elbowed Plaintiff Cheryl Weimar in the back of her neck, causing her to suffer a broken neck.”
Ms Weimar is being cared for at a local hospital while under guard, according to the lawsuit.
Her attorney, Ryan Andrew, accused the guards of preventing him from taking photos or videos of the injuries she said she received in the alleged attack.
The lawyer also said he is seeking an injunction to prevent the guards from stopping the photos from being taken.
“She is going to need lifelong care, around-the-clock care for the rest of her life,” Mr Andrew said in an interview with Fox News.
“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,” he added. “It’s the worst case of prison abuse in Florida I’ve ever seen.”
A spokesperson for the Florida Department of Corrections said the claims are being investigated.
“We recognise that preliminary reports from this incident are concerning,” the department’s statement read. “We’re committed to examining all the details regarding this situation and ensuring appropriate action is taken.”
Additional reporting by AP
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments