|
|
| Ohio Jail Employee Lawsuit Against CiviGenics Settled |
| By Morning Journal News |
| Published: 03/05/2003 |
|
A lawsuit brought by a Columbiana County Jail employee has apparently been settled out of court, with the worker to receive $8,000. The terms of the settlement were included in documents that turned up this week in county Common Pleas Court regarding interest on the settlement. None of the money is coming from Columbiana County, however. The lawsuit was filed in 2001 by John Bertolo, of Pancake-Clarkson Road, Rogers, against CiviGenics Inc. and several other defendants. Bertolo was employed as a corrections officer for CiviGenics, which has been operating the jail since 1998 under a contract with county commissioners. The lawsuit was over an inmate assault of Bertolo in September 1999. Bertolo was assigned to the medical department that day when he was told to check on inmate Timothy Hawkins, who was acting agitated. Bertolo and another employee went to Hawkins' cell and asked what was bothering him. Hawkins knocked Bertolo backward out of the cell and then punched him in the face. Hawkins had been transferred to the jail from Cuyahoga County, CiviGenics has a contract to rent out excess bed space to non-violent offenders sentenced out of Cuyahoga County courts. Bertolo alleged CiviGenics failed to follow proper procedures in neglecting to require a medical transportation sheet accompany Hawkins, which would have indicated whether he had psychological problems. He also said the company failed to screen inmates to determine whether they had psychological problems, which Hawkins supposedly had, and if inmates were required to take medications. Cuyahoga County was named as a defendant because officials there supposedly failed to take the appropriate steps to prevent the problem from occurring. According to court documents, CiviGenics has agreed to pay Bertolo $3,500 and Cuyahoga County $4,500, for a total settlement of $8,000. Judge C. Ashley Pike scheduled a hearing for March 28 to further consider the issue of requiring the defendants to pay interest on the settlement. |
advertise
|
privacy policy
|
add URL
|
about us
|
terms/disclaimer
|
contact us
|
join our team
|
help
Do you know someone who has been arrested in Waco or McLennan County? It’s important to find a good Waco lawyer to represent you in the matter involving your own liberty. Look for the best Waco Attorney that you can find. Whether you have been accused rightly or wrongly, it’s important to know your legal rights that concern whether you go to jail.