
Cheryl Weimar is 51 years old. She lives with mental illness as well as a physical disability, a hip condition that limits her mobility. Cheryl Weimar is also a `guest’ of Florida’s largest women’s prison, Lowell Correctional Institution. On August 21, a prison staff member directed Cheryl Weimar to clean the toilets. She explained that she could not, due to her hip condition, and asked for another assignment. Four `officers’ then threw Cheryl Weimar to the concrete floor and proceeded to beat her. Realizing they were in sight of a video camera, the four dragged Cheryl Weimar out of camera sight, and beat her to `within an inch of her life’. She is now in hospital, paralyzed from the neck down. Her neck is broken. She breathes through a tracheotomy and takes food in through a tube. This is Cheryl Weimar’s condition until the day she dies. While in hospital, Cheryl Weimar is `guarded’ by precisely the staff that put her in this condition. Cheryl Weimar is the embodiment of the phrase, “paying the price for one’s misdeeds”. Cheryl Weimar is the what justice looks like in Florida’s Lowell Correctional Institution. Cheryl Weimar was set to leave Lowell Correctional, February 2021. Now, she’ll never leave. Justice is served.
Cheryl Weimar is suing Florida. Former residents of Lowell Correctional have rallied in her name and called on Florida to fix this hellhole. Jordyn Gilley-Nixon, also living with disabilities and a former Lowell Correctional inmate, released a video describing in detail the sexual violence she suffered at the hands of Lowell Correctional staff. Former Lowell Correctional prisoners and supporters demonstrated last week. They showed up with their mouths taped. Latangela McCall showed up with her six-year old daughter and a sign that read, “Change is now, tired of talking, no one listens”. Other signs showed photographs of hundreds of former prisoners with their mouths taped. Debra Bennett, former prisoner and organizer of the protest, explained, “Weimar’s beating is alarming but not surprising … Silence got everybody’s attention – nobody ever listens to us convicts. We’re here to prove a point … We’ve been talking long enough. I’m tired of talking. We want action … It keeps getting worse. There’s going to be somebody else beaten.”
Cheryl Weimar’s story, Jordyn Gilley-Nixon’s story, and all the currently circulating stories were preceded by those of Michelle Tierney, 48; Latandra Ellington, 48; Regina A. Cooper, 50; Affricka G. Jean, 30, all four of whom `died’ under `mysterious circumstances’ in 2014. As we noted at the time, “they did not `die. They were killed.” Now, five years later, the world again `discovers’ the hellhole that is Lowell Correctional Institution. Yet again, the State, both Florida and federal, will `investigate’, and yet again worse than absolutely nothing will happen. This is our gulag, writ both large and small; our internal necro-colony, where not being able to clean a toilet is a death sentence. It’s too late to `fix’ Lowell Correctional Institution. Shut it down. Shut it down today. Shut it down now. There’s going to be somebody else beaten. It keeps getting worse.

(Photo Credit: Dana Cassidy / WUFT)
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“This department is in crisis,” GOP lawmaker says about FL Corrections agency https://www.floridaphoenix.com/2019/09/18/this-department-is-in-crisis-gop-lawmaker-says-about-fl-corrections-agency/
If a Florida inmate is gravely ill or brutally beaten, are kin promptly informed? Not always https://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics-government/state-politics/article235215137.html
Dozens gather in Ocala to press for prison changes
https://www.ocala.com/news/20190921/dozens-gather-in-ocala-to-press-for-prison-changes
Dem lawmaker talks about “culture of corruption” in FL corrections system https://www.floridaphoenix.com/2019/09/23/dem-lawmaker-talks-about-culture-of-corruption-in-fl-corrections-system/
Dept. of Corrections proposal to reduce daily work shifts of officers has one problem – most of them oppose it https://www.floridaphoenix.com/2019/10/11/dep-of-corrections-proposal-to-reduce-daily-work-shifts-of-officers-has-one-problem-most-of-them-oppose-it/
Guards allegedly beat an inmate to paralysis, and now the state is trying to dodge the medical bills, attorney says. https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2019/10/12/guards-beat-an-inmate-paralysis-now-state-is-trying-dodge-medical-bills-attorney-says/
Woman beaten to paralysis in prison refused state help with medical bills, lawyer says https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/woman-beaten-paralysis-prison-florida-medical-bills-cheryl-weimar-a9154016.html
Paralyzed inmate moved from hospital to Lowell facility
https://www.ocala.com/news/20191016/paralyzed-inmate-moved-from-hospital-to-lowell-facility
Florida prisons facing crisis https://www.wctv.tv/content/news/Florida-prisons-facing-crisis-563316272.html
Scores protest alleged abuse at Lowell prisonhttps://www.gainesville.com/news/20191019/scores-protest-alleged-abuse-at-lowell-prison
Scores protest alleged abuse at Lowell prison
https://www.ocala.com/news/20191019/scores-protest-alleged-abuse-at-lowell-prison
Ex-inmates and advocates protest prison abuse at Lowell Correctional Institution https://www.alligator.org/news/ex-inmates-and-advocates-protest-prison-abuse-at-lowell-correctional/article_60a60e6e-f393-11e9-b569-03f26146cc5e.html
Inmate allegedly beaten by prison guards now a quadriplegic https://www.wogx.com/news/inmate-allegedly-beaten-by-prison-guards-now-a-quadriplegic
Fla. guard linked to near-fatal beating was promoted despite long string of alleged abuses https://www.miamiherald.com/news/special-reports/florida-prisons/article236900613.html
Florida women’s prison corrections officer promoted despite accusations of abusing inmates and trading cigarettes for sex https://www.newsweek.com/womens-prison-officer-keith-turner-promoted-despite-accusations-sexual-abuse-1469371
Allegations of abuse at Central Florida women’s prison https://www.wogx.com/news/allegations-of-abuse-at-central-florida-womens-prison
New head of Florida prisons sees dire warning signs. ‘Status quo is not sustainable’ https://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics-government/state-politics/article237756419.html
Judge orders emergency hearing for Florida inmate paralyzed in vicious attack by guards https://www.miamiherald.com/news/special-reports/florida-prisons/article237978849.html
Attorneys for quadriplegic inmate say they don’t know where she is being treated https://www.wogx.com/news/attorneys-for-quadriplegic-inmate-say-they-dont-know-where-she-is-being-treated
Witnesses called it a vicious mugging. The alleged ‘perps’: prison guards https://www.miamiherald.com/news/special-reports/florida-prisons/article240264451.html
Doctor says Central Florida inmate left quadriplegic after beating by corrections officers not getting adequate medical care in prison https://www.wftv.com/news/9investigates/doctor-says-central-florida-inmate-left-quadriplegic-after-beating-by-corrections-officers-not-getting-adequate-medical-care-prison/7NRXT2U7CJEUREDEIFYCYUE3PE/
Florida inmate paralyzed by guards denied COVID-19 test after possible exposure, lawyers say https://www.miamiherald.com/news/special-reports/florida-prisons/article244415462.html
Doctor says Central Florida inmate left quadriplegic after beating by corrections officers not getting adequate medical care in prison https://www.wftv.com/news/9investigates/doctor-says-central-florida-inmate-left-quadriplegic-after-beating-by-corrections-officers-not-getting-adequate-medical-care-prison/
Harmful and inhumane prison conditions demand action by lawmakers, but is time running out? https://www.floridaphoenix.com/2020/03/10/harmful-and-inhumane-prison-conditions-demand-action-by-lawmakers-but-is-time-running-out/
Florida OKs $4.65 million payout for beating by staff that paralyzed inmate Cheryl Weimar https://www.tampabay.com/florida-politics/buzz/2020/08/26/florida-oks-465-million-payout-for-beating-by-staff-that-paralyzed-inmate-cheryl-weimar/
Inmate whose beating left her in wheelchair seeks prison release https://www.ocala.com/story/news/2020/08/27/inmate-whose-beating-left-her-wheelchair-seeks-prison-release/5644222002/
Florida inmate paralyzed in prison beating awarded $4.65M settlement https://www.fox10phoenix.com/news/florida-inmate-paralyzed-in-prison-beating-awarded-4-65m-settlement
Paralyzed inmate set for prison release on Wednesday https://www.ocala.com/story/news/2020/09/11/paralyzed-inmate-set-prison-release-wednesday/3461061001/
Feds: Inmates at Fla. women’s prison subjected to ‘systemic misconduct’ https://www.corrections1.com/staff-misconduct/articles/feds-inmates-at-fla-womens-prison-subjected-to-systemic-misconduct-FbvmAvBB9FubvxpT/
Florida lawmakers call for firings, prison reform in the wake of leaked beating video https://www.miamiherald.com/news/special-reports/florida-prisons/article251760598.html
2 years later, investigation into inmate’s beating lingers https://www.ocala.com/story/news/2021/08/21/prosecutors-expected-review-report-once-its-finished/8217607002/
Lowell inmate severely injured after beating speaks out https://www.fox35orlando.com/news/lowell-inmate-severely-injured-after-beating-speaks-out
Fifty years after the Attica revolt ended in a bloodbath, prisons are still the problem no one wants to see https://reason.com/2021/09/13/fifty-years-after-attica-prisons-are-still-the-problem-no-one-wants-to-see/
Woman beaten so badly in prison that she’s now quadriplegic, but why hasn’t anyone been charged? https://www.wftv.com/news/9investigates/woman-beaten-so-badly-local-prison-that-shes-now-quadriplegic/LYFXOX22ZVCGXJQBRMFANM4XEM/
Protesters gather outside state attorney’s office to demand justice for Cheryl Weimar https://www.wcjb.com/2022/05/11/protesters-gather-outside-state-attorneys-office-demand-justice-cheryl-weimar/
Ocala protesters wants answers in case where inmate was allegedly beaten at women’s prison https://www.ocala.com/story/news/2022/05/10/protesters-ocala-florida-want-answers-beating-womens-prison/9714451002/
Ocala prosecutors: No criminal charges in case that left female prison inmate paralyzed https://www.ocala.com/story/news/2022/06/24/no-charges-case-left-prison-inmate-near-ocala-paralyzed/7688929001/
Florida will not charge corrections officer who beat woman at Lowell Correctional Institute https://www.wftv.com/news/local/lake-county/florida-will-not-charge-corrections-officer-who-beat-woman-lowell-correctional-institute/YU7JXHIECRFIFIC2R2VOM55YPU/
No charges to be filed against Florida corrections officers after inmate subdued, left paralyzed | memo https://www.fox35orlando.com/news/no-charges-will-be-filed-after-inmate-suffers-broken-neck-at-fl-prison