Estate of Man Killed at Monroe Correction Complex Represented by Budge & Heipt to File Federal Suit

SEATTLE - June 8, 2016 - PRLog -- The Law Firm of Budge & Heipt, PLLC, has filed a federal lawsuit on behalf of the family of an inmate, Gordon "Casey" Powell, killed at the Monroe Correctional Complex in Monroe, Washington.

The inmate accused of killing him, Benjamin Cory Price, had a history of violence, including at least one previous attempt to kill a fellow inmate, as well as serious mental health issues.  Mr. Price is charged with aggravated first-degree murder after he stomped Mr. Powel in May of 2015 causing him to die from brain injuries.

The lawsuit, filed March 8, 2016, against nine corrections officers, alleges that officers at the prison failed to protect Mr. Powel from Price.  The lawsuit alleges that corrections officers knew Price was a danger but were "deliberately indifferent" in not protecting Powell.

The lawsuit alleges that on the day of the attack, Price was "clearly exhibiting ... aggressive, delusional and dangerous behavior" yet "no action was taken to segregate Price or otherwise protect other offenders from him."  That day, one corrections officer noted that Price appeared "off his baseline" and alerted fellow officers. Similar concerns also were noted in a prison log book, according to court papers.Powell was exposed to "a substantial risk of serious harm" by being exposed "to an unstable homicidal maniac with a history of killing and a present desire to kill without reason, provocation or justifications."

The mission for the attorneys at Budge & Heipt (http://budgeandheipt.com/the-firm/) is to hold corrections officers, police, law enforcement, jails, and prisons accountable for constitutional violations that result in wrongful death or serious bodily harm. If you would like to discuss a case involving excessive force, egregious injury, or wrongful death by law enforcement, please contact Budge & Heipt for a free consultation.