He took a knee to the face and needed surgery. Now he’s suing the Sheriff’s Office

A man says he was attacked so violently in the Horry County jail that he had to have a metal plate surgically implanted in his face to repair the broken bones. He sued the Horry County Sheriff’s Office recently for forcing what he describes as a “frantic” and violent inmate into his cell.

Plaintiff John Clark was jailed on July 29, 2016 on an outstanding bench warrant for a contempt of court charge when an “uncooperative and combative” inmate identified as “Arie Patterson” was forced into the cell with Clark at the J. Reuben Long Detention Center, according to court documents.

The suit, filed Sept. 29, states Patterson had kicked his flip-flops, refused to answer questions, was “disrespectful” and “generally demonstrated an elevated level of agitation,” before he was “forcibly” put into the cell after initially refusing to go inside, the suit claims.

As soon as Patterson was put the cell “against his will” he allegedly “violently struck [Clark] in the face with his knee,” resulting in facial fractures requiring surgery, the installation of a metal plate, displacement of the eye, facial and orbital deformities, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder, according to the suit.

Clark’s attorneys say in the suit that he sustained “psychological and emotional damages, deprivation of his rights and liberties,” and “loss of wages, diminution in future earning capacity, appreciable medical bills, and out-of-pocket expenses,” among others.

Clark is asking for an “award of actual damages in a sum sufficient to fully compensate him for his injuries and losses together with the costs of this action,” according to the suit, which doesn’t mention an exact amount.

A receptionist at the law firm representing Clark said his attorney would not comment.

Sheriff’s Office officials were not immediately available for comment.

This story was originally published October 6, 2017 at 7:30 AM with the headline "He took a knee to the face and needed surgery. Now he’s suing the Sheriff’s Office."