JEFFERSON CITY – The mother of an Algoa Correctional Center inmate who was assaulted while in custody and later died of his injuries has filed a lawsuit against jail officials.
Donna Holt filed a civil lawsuit in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri Southern Division on May 14 against Deputy Warden Bill Schmutz, nurse Stacie Frank, correctional officer B. Herndon, officer T. Herndon and officer Chad Hall. The lawsuit said that the defendants “were responsible for protecting inmates from substantial risk of harm and determining when inmates required necessary medical treatment."
Harley Holt, 39, died from injuries he sustained after two other inmates hit and kicked him on Dec. 17, 2015. After the assault, Holt was reportedly taken to a cell despite showing noticeable signs of head trauma. Over the course of the next couple of hours Harley Holt made repeated requests for medical attention, but was denied.
Medical personnel were called when Holt became unresponsive. He was then transferred to University of Missouri Hospital. He was taken off life support on Dec. 22, 2015.
Holt, who reportedly died as a result of head trauma resulting in swelling of his brain, was in jail for failure to register as a sex offender. The lawsuit alleges that Holt wasn’t given identification that would have identified him as a registered sex offender. The lawsuit further states that the defendants were aware registered sex offenders who were assaulted by other inmates would ask for protection and be put in solitary confinement.
“When Harley Holt arrived at Algoa Correctional Center there were no measures take by the aforementioned defendants to protect Harley Holt from being assaulted,” the complaint said.
The lawsuit accuses the defendants of being “deliberately indifferent when they knew Harley Holt was in need of medical treatment” and concluded that their refusal to provide medical treatment caused “a substantial risk” of harm, resulting in his death.
Donna Holt is seeking monetary damages against the defendants. She is represented by Brandon Potter of the Corbett Law Firm PC.