A new federal civil rights lawsuit alleges that Gov. Rick Scott and other state officials caused, and then covered up, the systemic failures that have led to widespread abuse and a record number of inmate deaths in the Florida prison system.
The lawsuit, in U.S. District Court in the Northern District of Florida, was filed on behalf of the family of Ricky Martin, a 24-year-old convicted burglar who was fatally beaten, raped and stabbed at the Panhandle’s Santa Rosa Correctional Institution in March 2012. The circumstances of his brutal death were first reported in the Miami Herald in January 2015.
This is gruesome, but you need to read it…
Inmates testified under oath that an inmate had provided Rogers with “peanut butter squeezes” to use as a lubricant.
Rogers admitted to several inmates that he “stuck a finger in Martin’s ass.”
In addition, it is believed that Rogers anally raped Martin.
Rogers yelled “The cracker’s pussy is good.”
When Martin screamed out in pain, Rogers said, “Shut up cracker, shut up.”
Rogers announced that he was assaulting Martin for Trayvon and Martin Luther King.
The inmate testified that Defendant Beaudry told Martin, “Fight or fuck.”
Other inmates reported to investigators that they understood “fight or fuck” to be established prison policy at Santa Rosa Correctional Institute.
Defendant Beaudry did not move Martin away from Rogers.
The inmate’s interview discussing the “fight or fuck” policy was conspicuously omitted from the final inspector general’s report posted on the Department’s website.
Shawn Rogers, is a 6 foot 4 inch, 210-260 pound, black male inmate, who, during the relevant period of time, was known to have gang ties, and a long history of physically attacking and beating other inmates.
During the relevant period of time, Rogers was serving a life sentence for armed robbery and aggravated battery.
Roger’s disciplinary violations include violent assaults on inmates, exposing himself to inmates and staff, threatening inmates and staff, and fighting.
Rogers often threatened prison officials, and advised prison officials on more than one occasion that he had two life sentences, and that as a result, they could not do anything to him.
Ricky Dean Martin was a 5 foot 10 inch, 135-140 pound, white male, with blond hair and blue eyes.
Martin was serving a six-year sentence for grand theft and armed burglary with a tentative release date in October of 2013.
Martin’s armed burglary arrest resulted from allegedly breaking into an unoccupied house, stealing guns, and selling them for $600.
Martin’s burglary was classified as an “armed burglary,” because in Florida, stealing a weapon during a burglary is considered armed burglary.
In November of 2011, while housed at the Northwest Florida Reception Center, Martin filed a grievance, asking the inspector general to place him in protective custody because his life was being threatened.
Martin explained in his grievance that he had been labeled a “snitch,” because he had reported to prison officials that guards at the reception center had been running a “fight club.”
Martin further explained that specifically identified corrections officers “told me that I was a snitch and told inmates about the incident; now I have inmates and officers after me.”
Martin also claimed that one of the officers had set him up by planting a knife in his cell.
The inspector general denied Martin’s request for protection.
On March 27, 2012, in retaliation for his complaints against corrections personnel, the John Doe Defendants caused Martin to be transferred to the Santa Rosa Correctional Institution, a maximum security prison.
One inmate testified under oath that before the officer who had stopped to speak with Rogers departed D wing, inmates told the officer that he needed to get the white inmate out of the cell.
In all, 28 separately interviewed inmates told DOC investigators, including Defendant Beasley, that they heard Rogers tell a guard that he needed to get Martin out of his cell because he was trying to kill himself.
Some of the inmates further testified that they told Defendants Beaudry and Denmon that Martin was in trouble and needed their help.
All of the inmates testified that the officers ignored the warnings, while commenting that the next shift would handle it.
Inmates testified under oath that Rogers yelled, “Ya’ll think I should kill this cracker!” and that inmates began chanting, “Yes, kill him, kill him!”
Inmates testified under oath that they were so disturbed by the high-pitched screams, thuds, and slapping sounds, that inmates shouted for Rogers to “stop,” and “put him on the door.”1
Rogers used strips of cloth to tie Martin’s wrists behind his back, and to bind his ankles together.
Rogers punched, kicked, and stomped on Martin’s body.
