Just to forewarn you, this story is disturbing.
A gay inmate in Colorado has just filed a federal lawsuit claiming he was repeatedly raped in his prison cell by another inmate. To make matters worse, he says the guards did nothing to stop it.
“This is malice,” says attorney David Lane, who filed a lawsuit on the inmate’s behalf against the U.S. Federal Bureau of Prisons. “This is sadistic. They set him up to be beaten and raped and that is exactly what happened to him.”
The name of the victim, who was 21 at the time and openly gay, has not been released. His assailant was a man named William Mexican who belonged to a prison gang called The Boys.
According to the lawsuit, Mexican first threatened the victim in August 2014, calling him “gay” and “[voting] him off the yard,” saying he would be attacked if he didn’t go into self-segregation.
But that was only the beginning.
Related: What is federal prison like for a gay man? This former inmate shares all the details
The harassment continued for weeks. The victim claims he made “an emotional plea” to prison officials, saying he feared for his life and begging to be placed in protective custody, but nothing was ever done about it.
One official, the lawsuit says, only smiled at the request.
Then the unthinkable happened. Prison officials put the victim and Mexican in the same cell together.
What happens next is truly grisly. The Denver Post reports:
Over the next three days, Mexican repeatedly beat and raped the victim, the lawsuit says. Mexican allegedly listed his offenses to the victim, including a boast of stabbing someone to death and threatening to do the same if the gay inmate told authorities. Mexican also forced him to clean blood off the walls and floor, the lawsuit says.
The victim repeatedly pushed a “duress” button but got no help. On Oct. 10, 2014, he told correctional officers that Mexican had caused injuries to his rectum, ribs, chest, left bicep and face. An officer who took him to the hospital laughed when the victim said he had been beaten.
Mexican later admitted to assaulting the victim, claiming he didn’t want the other inmates to think he “condoned homosexuality.” In March 2015, he was indicted on charges of sexual abuse by force or violence and assault resulting in serious injury.
The victim is now compensatory damages for both physical and emotional pain and suffering as well as a punitive award.
Related: Former inmate shares the horrors of being gay in prison
Greg
The assailant’s name is “William Mexican”? This sounds fake. Nobody has the last name of Mexican. The victim’s name and the victim have not been released? So he’s seeking compensatory damages from Will Mex, but if he wins, how does he expect to get paid? I doubt the assailant is out of prison.
Greg
Oh, and how did he know that officials just smiled at his request to be put in protective custody?
Heywood Jablowme
He may have anglicized it from Guillermo Mejicano?
The victim is probably not suing Señor Mejicano; he’s probably suing the department of corrections (although Queerty left out a word or two from that paragraph so it’s confusing).
Juanjo
You might want to actually do some basic thinking and research before posting drivel. Mr. Mexican is apparently a member of a gang composed of Native Americans. You can read the story at this link.
https://www.denverpost.com/2018/01/03/colorado-prison-rape-lawsuit/
Dwight
His lawsuit is not against the assailant. It is against the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
Tête Carrée
@Greg
Maybe he has eyes?
Heywood Jablowme
@Juanjo: I read your link and I still don’t get what you mean. Are you saying Native Americans tend to give themselves ridiculous made-up names like William Mexican? Why do they do that?
And the “William” is so formal. I can see maybe Billy Jack Mexican, hey THAT’S a gang name!
SiamSam
Men are raped so often in US prisons they actually outnumber female victims of rape in the US. (Yes, you read that right.) But we should only care about this case because this guy was gay? The gay community is so parochial at times, so indifferent to the suffering of other men who are not gay while wanting everyone else in society to care about our rights and freedoms.
Heywood Jablowme
@SiamSam: I recall occasions when Queerty had an item about a straight male rape victim, and there were objections – and I think rightly so – that rape doesn’t automatically make it a “gay” story, and WTF were they thinking to spin it that way. This is a gay site so it’s understandable, even desirable, that it be “parochial” in focusing on gay issues.
(For example, I can’t figure out what the “gay” angle might be on the Logan Paul story about the suicide forest, since he’s apparently not gay — unless Queerty staffers have a crush on yet another straight guy. It’s unexplained.)
But I was unaware of the rape statistic you cite. That’s shocking.
DCguy
What a shock, No Bro’s newest screename is enraged because the victim here is gay and of course this trolls job is to be anti-lgbt.
timmycrawford1967
I can attest to that statistic. I was raped on several occasion when I was in prison.
DCguy
Surprise Surprise Surprise, sadists and homophobes work as prison guards.
ALLENGRUNDEN
Hi, Being gay is a gift… I recently found out that my ex-Boyfriend who used to love me was put under a love spell by another man. They considered themselves as couples. It really broke me. I was really worried about him as to what could happen to him. I still loved him. We were in a ldr and I couldn’t see him… We still communicated from time to time but he made sure he doesn’t get found out by the man. Idt got frustrating as how he cannot see past the spell! I really wanted him back and also to be safe first and foremost and be away from that man. I also met Dr. Akim online and he helped me break the blackmagSic on him and in 40 hours he called me and begged me to take him back. Akim’s website:https://prayerstosavemarriages.wordpress.com will be much appreciated if you contact him for marriage and relationship problems cos i promised to talk about him all over the internet 🙂
Vince
LMAO. Yeah, I kind of like this spam.
Notright
I’m withholding sympathy until I find out why the ‘victim’ was in prison in the first place.
Tête Carrée
Yes. Maybe he deserved to be raped and beaten. Just like all the other victims of homophobia, young and old.
draven
My bf is in a penitentiary right now. I hate it. He says he’s not out tho. This is his 2nd time there. All I do is hurry up and wait. It’s been 3 years now. Last time 7 years. 10 years of my life…… I love him tho. All I do is pray! Actually out of the 10 years we had 2 years of 8 hour visits. Three 1 hour love making sessions at home. Yeah I’m a fool. Go ahead everyone call me stupid. I just wanted to share. It helps. He’ll either get it together…..or no me when he comes home and I’ll find a nice guy. I’m a catch. Not vain or anything. I’m a good person. He knows that. Sometimes you have to walk away from people. He’s 27. I’m way older. I met him on a prison blind date. Wow. Fell in love at first sight. We wrote letters for two years first. Yeah life is interesting…..
Mykey
So mr. mexican (which by the way, sounds like a fake name) raped and assaulted the victim to show his peers that he does not condone homosexuality? I don’t understand…
JayHobeSound
The true character of a society is revealed in the treatment of its prisoners, elderly, disabled, children, i.e., the most vulnerable members of society.
We Americans have been indoctrinated via TV and movies to regard prison rape as something humourous, i.e., “Don’t drop the soap!”
jd.cali
NotRight- your comment is disturbing
And highlights
jd.cali
… the serious problems with peoples attitudes towards prisons. No one- regardless of crime deserves to be assaulted and or raped. That’s not justice. That’s inhumane and disturbing
Redmage
That last name.. LOL.
Seriously though, gay or straight.. This is sadly another serious problem men face. If a man is raped (which happens more to men, than women)- its not taken seriously, or the man isn’t believed, or laughed at. This is so much a thing, that MOST men will not even admit they were raped or so.
Males without a doubt have it harder than women, and the difficultly goes up if you are non-white, and or gay (especially if you’re non-white and gay).
Tykieboy
Huh. There is a William Mexican lol. http://www.writeaprisoner.com/Template.aspx?i=z-13369073
Onecaddy13
In response to Tete Carree. YOU ARE AN UNBELIVEABLE IDIOT!!! How could you make a statement like that? No one, man or woman deserves to be raped. Prison or out, nobody should lay a hand on anyone. We all know how the jail system works, and what goes on. But I’m sure you would not make the same statement if you or a loved one had this done to them. I just can’t believe that idiosyncrasies that come out of people
Onecaddy13
This is not a make fun of the guy comment. To the persons making jokes, wether the name of the abuser or the incident, or the guards looking the other way. THIS IS A CRIME. It’s people like you that make this world divisive with your hate mongering. Have a little bit of decorum, this could be your Mom, Dad, Sister???? Get it!!!!!