A Rockbridge County man has filed a pro se suit against the Middle River Regional Jail seeking $1 million in damages for alleged “deliberate indifference to a serious medical need.”
The suit – pro se refers to a suit filed by an individual without the assistance of a lawyer – was filed in Augusta County Circuit Court on Monday by Goshen resident Michael Keys Sr., who alleges that he reported a serious foot injury to jail staff during his 20-day incarceration in the summer of 2024, but was ignored and was “denied access to the proper cast/boot that was prescribed by a licensed physician.”
According to the suit, when Keys was evaluated by an orthopedic specialist after his release, “radiographs revealed a fractured lisfranc had not healed, and the delay in treatment caused permanent structural damage, necessitating multiple corrective surgeries.”
According to court records, Keys was in custody at MRRJ in 2024 on a felony charge of eluding police and a misdemeanor charge of destruction of property.
Keys accepted a plea deal on June 4 of this year in the case giving him a five-year sentence, with two years suspended and 80 days of jail time, but later decided to file an appeal, which was granted on July 6.
His next court date in that case is on the schedule for Jan. 25, 2027.