Recently filed cases in Pennsylvania courts include a wrongful death suit against the United States over the rape and assault of a federal inmate, plus plenty of Delco officials in hot water and a case over literal hot water.
Cynthia Santiago, administrator of the Estate of Kevante Washington, vs. United States of America
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
The allegations in this case concern a May 10, 2023, attack on Kevante Washington while an inmate in a federal facility who was in protective custody. Washington had told staff that he feared for his life, but instead they failed to adequately protect him, the suit says.
His alleged murderer - Robert Smith - had a history of violent convictions before and during his incarceration, it adds. No criminal charges have yet been brought against him concerning Washington's murder.
The feds are accused of a lack of staffing that led to the brutal attack, the details of which can be read in the complaint.
"The attack on Mr. Washington in the Federal Prison is one of several recent attacks on inmates within the Bureau of Prisons, which further shows the negligence of the Federal Prison through the lack of security staffing to prevent such attacks," the suit says.
Emeka Igwe represents the plaintiff.
Kevin Foote, aka Kevin Kelly, et al., vs. All Elite Wrestling, et al.
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
Foote, known professionally as AEW announcer Kevin Kelly, and wrestlers Brandon and Brent Tate challenged the nature of their employment agreements with AEW. In August, they sued the company and owner Tony Khan, who is the son of the NFL's Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shahid Khan.
The heavily redacted complaint, since removed to Philadelphia federal court, alleges Foote's and the Tate's designations as independent contractors while working for AEW. The employment contract also prevented the plaintiffs from working for other wrestling companies without AEW's approval.
The plaintiffs are hoping to turn their case into a class action of AEW talent who signed independent contractor agreements, which also included arbitration clauses.
"AEW has control over the Talent and Wrestler's wardrobe; the performance of the Wrestlers in the ring; provides statements to the announcers during broadcast; the time and place of performance of the services; and the speech and conduct of the Wrestlers and Talent," the suit says, hoping to prove they were actually employees entitled to benefits.
Megan Rims, administrator of the Estate of Jeremy Scott Rawlins, vs. Carbon County, et al.
U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania
Megan Rims' husband, Jeremy Rawlins, died while in custody after being arrested in Langford on outstanding warrants based on late payments of costs and fines on a 2021 charge. In 2022, he was taken to Carbon County Correctional Facility, where he showed signs of drug withdrawal.
The suit says staff at CCCF failed to acknowledge the seriousness of Rawlins' condition despite being aware that he had a history of drug abuse and depression and a family history of suicide.
A visit from the mother of his two children in October 2022 notified Rawlins that his best friend had died from an overdose, which led Rawlins to tell prison staff he wished to kill himself, the suit says.
On Oct. 6 2022, one officer saw Rawlins "sitting on his bed, looking at the wall." After that bed check, he used a bed sheet tied around the rail of his bunk and asphyxiated himself with it.
Jacqueline Kahler vs. County of Delaware, et al.
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
Many Delco officials are named as defendants in this case of a former employee who says she was sexually assaulted by Timothy Boyce, the county's former director of emergency services facing criminal charges of indecent assault, simple assault and harassment.
Jacqueline Kahler says this type of behavior was directed at her while she was employed in the same department as Boyce, forcing her to quit. Alleged is that Boyce told her she "had a nice ass."
Plus, allegedly, he tried to forcibly kiss her on the mouth while telling her how beautiful she is. This left her crying and in hysterics, she said. When she texted him to express disgust over his actions, he replied, "That was never my intention and I apologize. I have respect for you. Never my intention to come on to you," the suit says.
John and Michelle Hynes vs. Delta Air Lines
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
John Hynes said he was traveling from Philadelphia to Minnesota-St. Paul last year, when a Delta flight attendant dropped a container of hot water on him.
In addition to claims for John's injuries, Michelle, his wife, is asserting a loss of consortium claim. She has been deprived of the companionship of her spouse, she says.
"The Delta flight attendant spilling boiling water on John Hynes constitutes an accident in that it was an unexpected or unusual event or happening external to the passenger, John Hynes, and was a causal link to his injury," the suit says.