Jail at fault in cellmate beating, lawsuit claims

A man who was severely beaten by another inmate in King County jail is suing the county. The lawsuit claims the jail never should have placed him in a cell alongside an inmate with a violent history.

According to the complaint, Toby Meagher told jail staff he was afraid of his cellmate, Troy Leae, but was never moved. A few days later Leae attacked Meagher, according to Meagher's attorney, Tomás Gahan.

“[He] knocked him unconscious, broke several bones in his face, caused a serious traumatic brain injury, and shattered his teeth. The list of injuries goes on and on," Gahan said. "But it is something that should have been wholly prevented."

The complaint filed in King County Superior Court said Leae had a housing designation known as “ultra-security” and never should have been in a cell with another person. Gahan said staff violated jail policy by placing the two together.

“It’s not the first time they knew someone was imminently dangerous and posed a foreseeable threat to other inmates. This happens. That’s why the have a series of policies to address it. And the first thing you do is you don’t put him in a cell with someone as vulnerable as our client," Gahan said.

Meagher was a patient at Western State Hospital and was in the jail awaiting a hearing regarding his mental health.

Since the attack Gahan said Meagher has lasting injuries, including a traumatic brain injury.

We’ve reach out to King County jail for comment.