A former detainee has filed a lawsuit against the County of Nassau and several associated entities, alleging severe civil rights violations during his detention at the Nassau County Correctional Center.
The complaint, filed on January 21, 2025, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York, names the County of Nassau, Nassau County Correctional Center, Nassau County Sheriff's Department, Sheriff Anthony J. LaRocco in his official capacity, and unnamed corrections officers as defendants.
The lawsuit describes an assault by fellow inmates on June 19, 2023, that left the plaintiff with significant injuries, including a ruptured eardrum and a fractured jaw. He claims the attack went unchecked due to alleged negligence by correctional officers who were absent from their posts.
The plaintiff accuses the defendants of failing to provide adequate protection and medical care, arguing that this constitutes deliberate indifference to his safety and well-being—a violation of his Eighth and Fourteenth Amendment rights under 42 U.S.C. § 1983.
The lawsuit also highlights systemic issues at the correctional facility, such as understaffing, improper inmate classification, overcrowding, and inadequate mental health services—all contributing to an environment where inmate-on-inmate violence is reportedly common.
The plaintiff asserts that these conditions were well-known to authorities but remain unaddressed.
"Defendants knew or should have known of the substantial risk," the complaint states, citing a pattern of negligence that allegedly extends beyond his own experience.
Seeking justice for these alleged violations of civil rights, the plaintiff is demanding compensatory damages of no less than $1 million per count across six claims, including failure to protect and denial of medical treatment. He also seeks punitive damages and attorneys' fees.
Representing the plaintiff is attorney Pablo A. Fernandez from Horn Wright LLP in Garden City, New York. The case is assigned Case ID 2:25-cv-00355.