Prisoner sues for injuries sustained during escape attempt

A Colorado prisoner who hurt himself while trying to escape from jail has filed a federal lawsuit against the sheriff and the county, claiming they were negligent in failing to prevent him from getting away.

Scott Gomez removed a ceiling tile from his cell in the Pueblo County Jail and made his way to the roof through the ventilation system, but fell 40 feet while trying to climb down using a rope made from bedsheets.

“Defendants…did next to nothing to ensure that the jail was secure and the plaintiff could not escape,” the lawsuit claims, complaining that the loose ceiling tiles amounted to “an open invitation” to risk a serious injury.

Gomez is demanding an unspecified amount of money to compensate him for the defendants’ carelessness in not making the jail escape-proof.

Source: The Los Angeles Times.