Inmate sues New Mexico prison after guards 'brutally beat him and denied him medical treatment after they mistook his DENTURES for contraband'
A former inmate at a New Mexico prison was beaten by corrections officers and denied medical treatment at a county jail after guards mistook his dentures for contraband.
Marvin Silva was left naked in a holding cell at the Valencia County Adult Detention Center in Los Lunas with no security cameras after a medical checkup, when a guard insisted that the inmate was hiding contraband in his mouth.
Several other corrections officers arrived and beat Silva. He left the cell with a fractured rib, collapsed lung, injuries to his spleen and others to his head, neck and abdomen, according to the civil rights lawsuit.
The lawsuit was filed by the New Mexico Prison and Jail Project - a watchdog group for improving prison conditions - in US District Court on behalf of Silva.
Former inmate Marvin Silva was left naked in a holding cell at the Valencia County Adult Detention Center with no security cameras after a medical checkup, when a guard insisted that the inmate was hiding contraband in his mouth
Guards are said to have attacked Silva after mistaking his dentures for illegal contraband (file photo)
It leveled charges of excessive use of force at four corrections officers and accused Texas-based prison health care provider CorrHealth and two of its employees of deliberate indifference to a person in serious medical need.
According to the lawsuit, medical personnel at the jail denied Silva's requests for medical care before he was released with no transportation home. Their press release did not say when the alleged attack took place, and no information on why Silva was behind bars was shared.
He walked five miles towards his house and then hitched a ride the rest of the way.
An ambulance later transported Silva to an Albuquerque hospital that treated him for his multiple injuries.
CorrHealth President Todd Murphy said that he could not comment on details of an active legal claim
The lawsuit seeks unspecified monetary compensation for Silva for injuries and emotional harm. It also calls for punitive damages against the jail and health care employees as well as the attorney's fees.
CorrHealth President Todd Murphy said that he could not comment on details of an active legal claim.
'Allegations such as these are important to us, as is ensuring we´re providing a high standard of care,' Murphy said in an email.
'Our team will be closely reviewing these allegations and this claim,' he added.
Administrators at the Valencia County detention center did not respond to phone messages seeking comment. County officials referred questions to attorneys who did not respond to phone and email messages.