Columbia-based Strom Law Firm has filed a lawsuit on behalf of former detainee Roger Gooden against the Sumter County Sheriff's Office for what they say was "gross negligence" at the Sumter-Lee Regional Detention Center (SLRDC). They allege that negligence led to the violent attack that left Gooden severely beaten, bleeding, stabbed in the eye, and suffering for days in extreme pain.
According to the lawsuit, Gooden was attacked by another detainee after detention officers left the dormitory unsupervised and left the cell holding another detainee unlocked when it was supposed to be in lockdown. Unsupervised with no guards in sight, the detainee violently attacked Gooden with his fists and a jail-fashioned shank.
“The public should be outraged at the Sumter-Lee Regional Detention Center’s lack of humanity,” said attorney Bakari Sellers. “What happened to Mr. Gooden is absolutely inexcusable.”
Detention officers did not immediately respond and the attack on Gooden continued for nearly five minutes. Despite his severe injuries, Gooden was sent to multiple hospitals and returned to the SLRDC where he was denied his prescribed pain medication for several days while he waited for surgery to remove his eye. Following surgery, Gooden was immediately returned to the SLRDC where he was again denied his prescription medication and received no post-surgical follow up care.
“The SLRDC says its primary responsibility is to provide humane treatment and security to its detainees,” said attorney Alexandra Benevento. “They failed to do either for Roger Gooden.”
