OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – More trouble for the Oklahoma County Detention Center: a former jailer is now being sued along with the Sheriff, Board of County Commissioners and the jail’s operation authority.
The lawsuit, filed Friday, accuses that jailer of letting an inmate out of his cell and into another where he stabbed an inmate who was sleeping.
Former detention officer of the Oklahoma County Detention Center, Michael Hughes, now faces a lawsuit for allegedly orchestrating the stabbing of inmate Roy Parkerson Jr. by another inmate.
Michael T. Hughes 
Roy Parkerson Jr.
“And while Roy was sleeping, he was nearly stabbed to death,” said plaintiff attorney, Carter Jennings.
Court documents reveal that on December 3, 2020, Hughes allegedly let Joesiah Turner out of his cell, although he was on protective custody and not allowed access to the general population.
Hughes is said to then have allowed Turner into Parkerson’s cell where, “Turner stabbed inmate Parkerson… three times with a jail made shank.”
“He was stabbed in his back shoulder, I believe, wrist, [and] hand,” said Jennings. “Those parts of him are certainly impaired. And as you might imagine, he’s traumatized from this.”
Jennings explained that they are not only suing Hughes, but the Oklahoma County Sheriff, The Oklahoma County Criminal Justice Authority (which operates the jail), and the Board of Oklahoma County Commissioners.
“The other legal entities we named are people who do have some responsibility for the maintenance of the county jail,” Jennings said.
In the lawsuit, the plaintiff claims the defendants exhibited “reckless disregard.”
“As Roy lay bleeding, the guard did nothing,” Jennings said. “He waited for a significant period of time to notify other guards on duty that there had even been an altercation. And because of that, we think Mr. Parkerson was injured worse than he otherwise would have been.”
He now wants Parkerson compensated for emotional and mental pain and suffering.
“We want to make sure that he is compensated for his injuries and put the county on notice, so this doesn’t happen to other people who are currently incarcerated,” Jennings concluded. “We’re hoping that the county learns a lesson from this so this doesn’t happen to others in the future.”
Oklahoma County Detention Center Spokesman Mark Opgrande sent KFOR the following on the lawsuit:
“We do not comment on pending legal action, but we can let you know, the detention officer mentioned in the lawsuit was fired, arrested, charged and pled no contest in court to Willful Neglect of Duty, stemming from the incident.”
Oklahoma County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Aaron Brilbeck said, “The Oklahoma County Sheriff’s Office does not comment on pending litigation.”
Oklahoma County commissioners Carrie Blumert and Brian Maughan both said they do not comment on pending litigation.