Former Warren Co. inmate seeks damages after being blinded in eye
UPDATE: Warren County Jailer, Stephen Harmon confirmed to News 40 on March 7th that Deputy Kevin Weatherby is no longer a current employee.
WARNING: The following video may be disturbing to some viewers.
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – A man formerly incarcerated at the Warren County Regional Jail is seeking no less than $5 million after he went blind in one eye.
According to a complaint filed in the United States District for the Western District of Kentucky, Bowling Green Division, Bradley Easley, now 41 years old, was arrested on March 6, 2024 and transported to the Warren County Regional Jail.
A uniform citation states Easley was arrested that day on a charge of public intoxication involving a controlled substance. Easley was also facing a charge of endangering the welfare of a minor, which has since been dropped, according to court records.
The complaint states Easley had to be cleared by The Medical Center at Bowling Green before being lodged at the Warren County Regional Jail.
Upon arrival, the complaint states Easley became “uncooperative with jail staff, which ultimately resulted in him being placed in a restraint chair for an unknown amount of time.”
Easley was later transported to “an observation room” once his behavior had subsided and was detained in a cell, according to the complaint.
While deputy jailer Pickett, accompanied by deputy jailer Kevin Weatherby, was returning an inmate to a cell, court documents state they were at the doorway when Easley moved toward the door as it opened.
At this time, court documents state Pickett met Easley and “placed his hands on his chest.” When Easley tried to step around Pickett, court documents state both deputies took out “their tasers and gave commands to Easley,” which he followed.
Court documents state Easley put his hands “in the air, stepped back and turned toward the wall,” following instructions to eventually be cuffed.
At this point, court documents state Easley complied and “did not pose a threat to himself or deputy jailers.”
While Easley was cuffed, court documents state Pickett accidentally “stepped on Easley’s sandal, causing him to move his leg slightly in a non-aggressive manner,” with Weatherby allegedly activating his taser and using it on Easley.
As a result of having contact with the taser, court documents state Easley moved away from Pickett, and Weatherby allegedly deployed the taser again, causing Easley to fall to the ground.
Court documents state Pickett had control of Easley when Weatherby allegedly deployed his taser again.
According to court documents, this was “an excessive use of force, unwarranted, and a violation of jail policy.”
When Pickett tried to move Easley’s arm over his head, court documents state, Easley raised his head, and Weatherby allegedly used his knee to strike Easley in the ribcage.
Court documents state Weatherby continued to “hold his taser to his back, drive stunning him again with his taser” during this time.
Weatherby then stood up, took a step back and “intentionally kicked” Easley “in the left side of his head and face,” court documents allege.
Court documents state there was a direct impact with Easley’s left eye.
The complaint states Easley was completely restrained by deputies.
According to court documents, Easley allegedly received “minimal, if any, meaningful medical care provided by the Warren County Regional Jail” and remained incarcerated until March 10, 2024.
Upon his release, court documents state Easley immediately sought medical treatment for his left eye. On his first visit from outside medical care on March 11, 2024, court documents state Easley had no vision in his left eye, “along with an infection, as a result of the trauma to the eye.”
Ultimately, court documents state Easley had surgery on his left eye.
According to court documents, Easley is “permanently blind in his left eye” and continues to have “emotional distress and physical pain and suffering” due to the injury.
Court documents state jailer Harmon “had failed to take any corrective action against Weatherby despite at least one prior incident of excessive use of force against an inmate.”
In addition, court documents state Harmon knew of Weatherby’s “violent tendencies,” but “retained defendant Weatherby as an employee.”
According to court documents, Easley is seeking no less than $5 million in damages for medical expenses, loss of earning capacity and mental pain and suffering.
When asked about what his client, Easley, has experienced, B. Alan Simpson with The Simpson Firm stated, “The loss of vision in any eye is going to be, you know, traumatic in and of itself. Uh, difficulty getting around, uh, and then, just knowing that you’re never going to have sight in your left eye again. Uh, it creates all kinds of depth perception issues, and, and just the trauma to be treated like an animal.”
Simpson further stated that “no matter who we are, no matter our station in life, everyone deserves to be treated with respect and humanely, and that would include Mr. Easley and anyone else who may be incarcerated.”
Matthew Cook with Kerrick Brachert Attorneys at Law, who is representing the defendants, including the Warren County Regional Jail, stated the following, “Our clients, uh, respect, uh, the rights of all the inmates in the county jail, and we believe we were acting in an appropriate manner to, uh, restrain Mr. Easley, who was being combative, uh, in this situation.”
News 40 will release further updates on this case as they become available.
You can view the full surveillance video below:
All allegations above may be attributed to the following document:
