BASTROP COUNTY, Texas — Editor's note: The related video was published earlier this month.
A lawsuit filed on behalf of a former Bastrop County Jail inmate claims he was "brutally, illegally and cruelly assaulted and injured" by a Bastrop County Sheriff's deputy.
The lawsuit, obtained by KVUE, claims that on Aug. 3, 2018, while being processed into the Bastrop County Jail, Michael David Johnson was allegedly slammed into a concrete floor – while handcuffed – by Bastrop County Sheriff's deputy Vance Weltner.
According to the lawsuit, Weltner "purposely and intentionally slammed Plaintiff’s [Johnson] head, face and body into the ground" and "Plaintiff [Johnson] could not cushion his falling as he was handcuffed behind his back and fell, face first, to the floor."
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Johnson suffered a fractured eye socket, 10 stitches to his right eye and head area, neck and back pain, dizziness, confusion, constant headaches, a large hematoma, lacerations and massive eye swelling and bruising, according to the lawsuit.
The lawsuit alleges that the Bastrop County Sheriff's Office had knowledge of Weltner continuously using excessive force when handling arrested individuals in the past and refused to fire him. It also claims the county has Internal Affairs and Use of Force documents which evidenced Weltner "used force and was complained about more than any other officers."
No one from Bastrop County, including Sheriff Maurice Cook, has responded to requests for comment on the lawsuit. The defendants have also not filed a response to the lawsuit in court.
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