Pa. prisoner sues Norristown State Hospital, employees over alleged assault

A prisoner has filed a pro se civil complaint against a suburban Philadelphia psychiatric facility over claims that he was severely beaten by an employee while at the institution in the spring of 2012.

George Wadis filed his lawsuit Oct. 3 at the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania against Norristown State Hospital and two employees identified only by their first names, Theodore and Isaiah.

In his complaint, Wadis, who lists his current address as the detention center on the 8200 block of State Road in Northeast Philadelphia, claims that he was assaulted by forensic security employees.

The plaintiff claims that after complying with orders to lie on the ground facedown, one of the two men, without provocation, began to beat him in the back of his head and on the sides of his face.

That employee, identified as Theodore, then enlisted the assistance of other employees, defendant Isaiah included, who began to kick the plaintiff, the lawsuit states.

Wadis stated that many people witnessed the beating, including employees and patients at the psychiatric hospital.

As a result of the alleged beating, the plaintiff claims he sustained a large lump and swelling on the back of his head, facial swelling, and injuries to his arms, back, neck and legs.

Wadis claims he was treated with nothing more than an ice pack and pain medications.

The plaintiff says he previously filed an internal battery grievance with Norristown State Hospital, and that he was told an investigation proved the allegations to be correct.

“They practically admitted liability, however, they failed to compensate for damages!” Wadis wrote in his lawsuit.

Wadis says he is seeking $3 million in damages, “especially on the basis of my pain and suffering and the degradation, humiliation, along with damages intended as punishment for their improper behavior, because their conduct was malicious and willful.”

Because of his injuries, the plaintiff claims, he was unable to exercise, and he was barely able to walk, talk or sleep.

Wadis also wrote that he should be awarded punitive damages due to the “cruel and unusual nature of the conduct.”

“It was truly unfair, inherently wrong and shocking especially by contemporary standards to people in which the battery was inflicted,” wrote Wadis, who says he is studying law during incarceration and is representing himself in his criminal matter.

(The crimes for which the plaintiff is incarcerated are not mentioned in court papers).

Wadis wrote that the security officials “purposefully acted in a way that caused me to suffer severe & extreme emotional distress.

“They had a duty to keep me safe & to protect me from unreasonable risk,” he wrote. “They failed in their duties.”

 

The federal case number is 2:13-cv-05812-HB.