Prison doctor laughed off inmate’s sexual abuse and asked for lunch date, Oregon suit says
A former prison inmate in Oregon is suing over alleged sexual abuse by a prison doctor, who is accused of laughing off the abuse and talking about meeting for lunch after the inmate’s release, a lawsuit says.
The alleged abuse is part of a troubling pattern within the Oregon Department of Corrections, said Alicia LeDuc Montgomery, an attorney for the former inmate, who’s suing in federal court.
“The Oregon Department of Corrections has been on notice for years about its systemic problem of sexual abuse and exploitation of inmates by prison staff,” she said in a statement. “In this case, the abuse was not only abhorrent but occurred while our client was seeking treatment for serious medical conditions, turning a moment of vulnerability into one of profound violation.”
An Oregon Department of Corrections spokesperson said the agency can’t comment on the specifics of the lawsuit but is committed to addressing all allegations.
It has “a zero-tolerance policy for sexual abuse and harassment and is committed to preventing sexual misconduct involving employees and the people in our care and custody,” spokesperson Amber Campbell wrote in an email to McClatchy News. “DOC continues to improve our systems for health care of adults in custody (AICs) throughout our agency.”
Dr. Leland Beamer, the doctor named in the suit, couldn’t be reached for comment.
In the lawsuit, filed Nov. 18,, former inmate James Watkins says he was sexually abused by Beamer at Deer Ridge Correctional Institution, where he is the chief medical officer, near Madras, about a 125-mile drive southeast of Portland.
The abuse happened during medical appointments between November 2022 and January 2023 after Watkins slipped in the prison kitchen and hurt his back, the lawsuit says.
The first appointment was routine, but Beamer’s actions “in subsequent medical appointments became increasingly inappropriate and harmful,” the lawsuit says.
During the appointments, Beamer made “uncomfortable personal remarks and engaged in inappropriate touching” of Watkins, including groping him and rubbing his leg, the lawsuit says.
Beamer also is accused of saying he’d provide personal favors to Watkins, including meeting him for lunch after his release from prison and helping with his art.
At a December appointment, Watkins was scheduled for an injection related to his back injuries, and Beamer told him to lower his pants and underwear to his ankles, even though that wasn’t medically necessary as the shot was to be given near his torso, the lawsuit says.
After the injection, Beamer is accused of open-palm slapping Watkins’ bare buttocks. The slap was unwanted and made Watkins feel sexually violated, the lawsuit says.
The following month, Beamer performed a sphincter exam, although Watkins was uncomfortable, according to the lawsuit. Watkins felt a sharp pain in his rectum during the exam and told Beamer to stop, but he didn’t, the suit says.
Instead, Beamer is accused of sticking his fingers deeper, saying he was going to check Watkins’ prostate, even though a prostate exam hadn’t been discussed or agreed to.
Beamer wouldn’t stop touching Watkins’ prostate, and Watkins had to remove Beamer’s hand to get him to stop, the lawsuit says. When Watkins asked why he hadn’t stopped, Beamer laughed and said he “only used four fingers,” according to the lawsuit.
Watkins experienced physical pain, fear, anxiety and emotional distress because of the sexual assault and eventually was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, the suit says.
Along with Beamer and the Oregon Department of Corrections, the 15-page suit also names several corrections employees, including the Deer Ridge superintendent.
Watkins tried to report what was going on, but his attempts were met with inaction, his attorneys said. LeDuc Montgomery is representing Watkins along with attorney Elisabeth Claus.
A news release from the pair points to other lawsuits involving alleged sexual abuse by Oregon corrections employees.
“This lawsuit aims to expose the systemic failures that allow such atrocities to continue and to bring justice to those who have suffered,” Claus said in the release.
Beamer’s medical license is active, according to the Oregon Medical Board, and doesn’t have current or prior board actions. He studied in Iowa and completed his residency in California.
Watkins was released from prison on Nov. 8.
This story was originally published November 20, 2024 at 1:55 PM with the headline "Prison doctor laughed off inmate’s sexual abuse and asked for lunch date, Oregon suit says."
.JPG)