California man in jail awaiting trial files lawsuit claiming deputies left him paralyzed

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Anthony Wright, a California man in jail awaiting trial, has filed a lawsuit against the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department, claiming injuries he sustained while in custody have left him paralyzed.

California man in jail left paralyzed

According to the complaint, the incident occurred on April 25, 2023, while Wright was in custody in the Glen Helen Rehabilitation Center in San Bernardino, awaiting trial on robbery and kidnapping charges.

Wright’s attorney Sam Harton told ABC News that his client was among approximately 80 detainees who were kept outside for hours while correctional deputies conducted a search of the facility.

“Anthony collapsed from dehydration and heat exhaustion, and when he regained consciousness near a metal toilet outside, fellow detainees pleaded for medical help. No staff responded. No medical staff responded,” Harton said.

“Instead, a deputy stood over him and violently yanked him forward by the wrists, slamming his head into the nearby toilet and fracturing his neck.”

He remains paralyzed

According to the complaint, Wright was rushed to a nearby hospital where he had to have surgery. He remains paralyzed from the neck down.

He’s currently in custody in a Riverside hospital, awaiting trial on murder charges filed against him and three other suspects after a home invasion robbery in Riverside, California in March 2022.