For the second time in scarcely a week, a female inmate has accused an employee at the Lexington Federal Medical Center of sexual assault.
According to The Lexington Herald-Leader, the lawsuit accuses Hosea Lee, a residential drug abuse program instructor at the Kentucky prison, of raping a female inmate. This complaint comes mere days after another prisoner said she was sexually assaulted by Lexington guard Christopher Brian Goodwin.
So far, the federal Bureau of Prisons has not commented on the pending litigation.
The most recent lawsuit alleges that Lee began giving her special attention during a drug abuse program he was teaching at the prison.
Lee then went out to begin sexually abusing the unidentified woman, raping her at least three times. In her complaint, the Jane Doe plaintiff states that she never consented to the sexual conduct. And, under federal law, the relationship could not have been consensual under any circumstance, as the Bureau of Prisons prohibits inmates and guards from having intimate relationships with one another.
The Herald-Leader notes that the woman says she did not report the assaults, because she feared that she would be retaliated against.
However, she began experiencing extreme stress and turned to the prescription medication Suboxone, causing her to fail a drug test. Ineligible for early release, she was transferred to Federal Prison Camp in Alderson, West Virginia.
Lee, says the Herald-Leader, is no longer employed but with the Bureau of Prisons.
However, the agency would not say whether Lee had voluntarily vacated his position or been fired.
“We can share that the Bureau of Prisons is committed to ensuring the safety and security of all inmates in our population, our staff, and the public,” Bureau of Prisons spokesman Scott Taylor said in a statement. “Humane treatment of the men and women in our custody is a top priority. Allegations of misconduct are thoroughly investigated, and appropriate action is taken if such allegations are proven true, including the possibility of referral for criminal prosecution when appropriate.”
David Bryant, one of several attorneys representing the two women, said that he and his colleagues intend to hold the Bureau of Prisons responsible for its failure to protect its female inmates.
“Sexual misconduct in our nation’s prisons is not limited to one bad actor or one specific facility,” Bryant said. “Female inmates are especially vulnerable to sexual abuse, as demonstrated by the complaints filed by L.C. and B.A. We intend to hold these bad actors responsible for the harm they have caused.”
Sources
Lawsuit accuses FMC Lexington guard of raping former inmate
Second Lexington FMC inmate files lawsuit accusing prison employee of rape
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