Brian Slowick (IL DOC)
An inmate serving a seven-year prison sentence for residential burglary has filed a lawsuit against the Illinois Department of Corrections alleging civil rights violations.
Brian Slowick alleges that on Feb. 19, the medical staff at the Vandalia Correctional Center was making their nightly rounds handing out medications when the medical staff did not give him his medication.
Slowick claims he informed a corrections officer that he did not get his medication and asked if he could make sure that he would get it.
According to Slowick, shortly after his repeated cries for medical attention, an officer came to his cell and told him to get dressed so that he could go to the health care unit.
He claims after he dressed, he was handcuffed and instead of being escorted to get his medication, he was taken to segregation and was relieved of all clothing, mattress, bedding, eating utensils and toilet paper and told that he was being placed on suicide watch without an explanation.
Slowick alleges he asked several officers why he was on suicide watch and the only answer officers would give him is that they were only following orders.
Slowick claims a doctor talked to him "in a fit of rage" and informed him again that he was on suicide watch and that was why he was naked and could not have anything in his cell.
According to Slowick, he remained in segregation for three days and was then returned to the general population.
Slowick claims being placed in segregation without an explanation deprived him of due process.
He claims that for the three days he was forced to live with a headache, dizziness, runny nose and muscle twitches as a result of being denied three prescription medications.
Slowick also claims being placed in segregation constitutes cruel and unusual punishment because he was in a cold cell with no sheets or clothing.
He also claims since he was not allowed a fork or spoon he had to eat with his hands.
Slowick further alleges he suffers from a chronic runny nose and frequent bowel movements and was denied access to toilet paper or alternative means to clean himself.
Slowick is representing himself. He is seeking $500,000 in compensatory damages for emotional injuries and abuse, $30,000 for damages as a result of his denial of due process, $100,000 for damages he sustained for being placed in a stripped cell without the basic human needs and $60,000 in punitive damages.
The case has been assigned to Chief District Court Judge David Herndon.