Scott County paid a $12.2 million settlement to a man held in their jail after a bacterial infection caused him to lose both of his arms while he was incarcerated, according to his attorneys who negotiated the settlement.

Terrance Dwayne Winborn lost both of his arms below the elbows and suffered several other injuries due to a lack of medical care from the jail, the lawsuit states.

Winborn’s attorneys say his constitutional rights were violated when a jail nurse’s “deliberate indifference” to providing healthcare resulted in his condition getting worse and nearly resulting in his death.

A spokesperson for the Scott County Sheriff’s Office said the Minnesota Counties Intergovernmental Trust (MCIT) agreed to pay $2 million of the settlement while Scott County will cover the remaining $10.2 million.

Court records show he was booked around 1:30 a.m. on Aug. 27, 2020, for allegedly driving under the influence of alcohol. Those charges were dismissed, but he later pleaded guilty to gross misdemeanor driving after cancellation.

A complaint filed against Scott Count detailed a bacterial infection that grew after being left unchecked, leading to a heart attack, skin hemorrhages, septic shock, gangrene, and amputation of both of his arms below the elbows.

Winborn’s attorneys say officials at the jail did not report this to the Minnesota Department of Corrections within the required 10-day period, and that about 39 hours of archived video related to Winborn’s case was deleted.

Winborn’s attorney shared the following written statement:

“The failure to provide Mr. Winborn with constitutionally required care was, we maintain, inhumane and offensive on every level. To destroy the best evidence of the abhorrent conduct demonstrates the need for the asked-for sanctions and the size of this settlement. While this settlement cannot undo the pain and suffering that Mr. Winborn endured, it serves as an important step toward justice and  accountability and a message to correctional personnel and correctional medical providers not to engage in this kind of conduct in the future.”

Robins Kaplans Attorney Katie Bennett

Outside counsel for the Scott County Sheriff’s Office shared the following comment in response to the settlement:

“Scott County and its insurer the Minnesota Counties Intergovernmental Trust (MCIT) have agreed to pay $12.2 million to Mr. Winborn in exchange for a dismissal of his lawsuit and a release of the claims against the County and its employees. The County and MCIT are hopeful the resolution of this matter will help provide Mr. Winborn with the medical care and quality of life assistance he needs.”

The firm representing Winborn, Robins Kaplan LLP, believes this is the “largest settlement amount of its kind in Minnesota to date.”