On July 11th of 2023, Chad Watson, a Remedy Project member housed at FCI Leavenworth, was doing laundry in his cell when he inexplicably lost consciousness and fell. When he awoke, he was met with extreme pain and malformation in his right ankle––symptoms indicative of the resulting fracture in his fibula and dislocation of his tibia. He was brought to St. Luke’s hospital where, immediately, Dr. Robert Haas placed three screws and a plate in his ankle and, three days later, performed full surgery. Mr. Watson was told to apply absolutely no weight to his ankle, to have his blood pressure taken daily, and to change his bandages every two days. He returned to Leavenworth on the road to recovery, not knowing the medical neglect of the staff would leave him permanently injured.
Upon his return, FCI Leavenworth’s Nurse Crane immediately confiscated his fitted crutches merely because they were unlabeled, replacing them with uneven ones. Furthermore, Mr. Watson had been living five floors above the cafeteria. He was moved to the 3rd floor to “solve” this issue, leaving him to walk up and down three flights of stairs for every meal on uneven crutches. Despite many desperate pleas, Nurse Crane refused to arrange for meals to be brought to his room and refused to grant him proper crutches. Hence, within his first week back, Mr. Watson fell again and re-injured his leg. When he told staff, the guard retorted “if you’re not dying, it’s not re-broke.”
On July 27th, his visiting sister noticed he had lost a considerable amount of weight as he could no longer ignore the excruciating pain for cafeteria trips, and, thus, was not eating. Four days later, he went to the infirmary for an x-ray, but there was no one to administer one. Medical staff did not so much as look at his new or old injuries, leaving Mr. Watson to trudge back to his cell with no remedy.
Finally, on August 8th, medical staff at FCI Leavenworth removed his staples and cleaned his wound, however, they still did not measure his blood pressure or administer an x-ray. To make matters worse, the crutch had broken, so he asked Nurse Crane for a replacement to which she replied,“I’m busy. Come back later.” A guard had to tape his crutch just so he could return to his room. For reference, it had been a month since the second fall with no x-ray.
On August 17th, Mr. Watson was finally permitted to return to Dr. Haas at the hospital, who provided him with a boot. Unfortunately, in another stroke of bad luck, during evening count in the middle of a lockdown, Mr. Watson experienced his third fall. His leg was swollen, black and blue, and hot to the touch, leading him to request medical care and Ibuprofen. Neither of these were administered due to the lockdown.
On August 30th, two weeks later, Nurse Crane eventually agreed to see Mr. Watson. She simply told him to keep his leg elevated and to stay off of it (while having to traverse three flights of stairs multiple times daily). Nearly a month later, Mr. Watson saw Dr. Haas for a third time, who informed Mr. Watson that his leg had, in fact, broken again and healed improperly. Surgery was performed but was unable to be finished, so he was transferred to a different hospital. The wound was stitched back up and Mr. Watson was sent back to Leavenworth without painkillers in harrowing pain.
In one final visit to Leavenworth’s infirmary, they removed his bandages to reveal a wet cast from his shower. The medical staff had never provided him with proper covers, forcing him to resort to plastic bags from the commissary for coverage. The water damage had gone unnoticed by Mr. Watson because of the constant immense pain he was in. Although dry bandages were provided, the wet cast was reapplied on top. He was sent back with no follow-up appointment.
On November 9th, his new hospital doctor, Dr. Horton, discovered that his bone had completely fused to his ankle and that surgery was needed. He was told to not put any weight on that leg, however, the staff continually refused to move his room or bring him meals. For Mr. Watson, this instruction was impossible. He remains riddled with pain to this day.
The staff at FCI Leavenworth are expected to uphold their medical oath to properly care for all patients, regardless of incarceration status. Yet, time and time again, Mr. Watson was the victim of medical negligence, and, by all standards, malpractice. His story is a testament to the constant medical abuse and human rights violations throughout the Bureau of Prisons.
Nurse Crane and any other medical “professional” practicing within those walls should have their license revoked and their humanity questioned. Even when one of his leg swelled to double the size of the other, they still ignored Mr. Watson's condition without so much as a second thought. FCI Leavenworth and the Bureau of Prisons have permanently injured Mr. Watson, sentencing him to a life of pain that could have been a standard recovery.
Not only has Nurse Crane and the entirety of FCI Leavenworth failed Mr. Watson medically, they have also failed him mentally. He has developed depression and feels the mental weight of this unnecessary incapacitation in his every step. That is why it is imperative for us to listen to his story and become his advocate when FCI Leavenworth and the greater prison system has left him to rot.
Join us in demanding justice for Chad Watson. Foremost, he needs urgent medical treatment and pain relief for his leg. The staff must also make proper accommodations, whether it be a first-floor cell or delivering meals to his room. Furthermore, we demand that all involved in the care of Mr. Watson are thoroughly investigated for malpractice and medical negligence as the failure to treat Mr. Watson has lasted months. Advocating for him is advocating for all those across the entire United States who share a similar human rights injustice. We are requesting your support so that we can ensure all our members, including Mr. Watson, are properly cared for and that all medical staff at FCI Leavenworth involved in his care will be sufficiently punished for their medical impotence.
On July 11th of 2023, Chad Watson, a Remedy Project member housed at FCI Leavenworth, was doing laundry in his cell when he inexplicably lost consciousness and fell. When he awoke, he was met with extreme pain and malformation in his right ankle––symptoms indicative of the resulting fracture in his fibula and dislocation of his tibia. He was brought to St. Luke’s hospital where, immediately, Dr. Robert Haas placed three screws and a plate in his ankle and, three days later, performed full surgery. Mr. Watson was told to apply absolutely no weight to his ankle, to have his blood pressure taken daily, and to change his bandages every two days. He returned to Leavenworth on the road to recovery, not knowing the medical neglect of the staff would leave him permanently injured.
Upon his return, FCI Leavenworth’s Nurse Crane immediately confiscated his fitted crutches merely because they were unlabeled, replacing them with uneven ones. Furthermore, Mr. Watson had been living five floors above the cafeteria. He was moved to the 3rd floor to “solve” this issue, leaving him to walk up and down three flights of stairs for every meal on uneven crutches. Despite many desperate pleas, Nurse Crane refused to arrange for meals to be brought to his room and refused to grant him proper crutches. Hence, within his first week back, Mr. Watson fell again and re-injured his leg. When he told staff, the guard retorted “if you’re not dying, it’s not re-broke.”
On July 27th, his visiting sister noticed he had lost a considerable amount of weight as he could no longer ignore the excruciating pain for cafeteria trips, and, thus, was not eating. Four days later, he went to the infirmary for an x-ray, but there was no one to administer one. Medical staff did not so much as look at his new or old injuries, leaving Mr. Watson to trudge back to his cell with no remedy.
Finally, on August 8th, medical staff at FCI Leavenworth removed his staples and cleaned his wound, however, they still did not measure his blood pressure or administer an x-ray. To make matters worse, the crutch had broken, so he asked Nurse Crane for a replacement to which she replied,“I’m busy. Come back later.” A guard had to tape his crutch just so he could return to his room. For reference, it had been a month since the second fall with no x-ray.
On August 17th, Mr. Watson was finally permitted to return to Dr. Haas at the hospital, who provided him with a boot. Unfortunately, in another stroke of bad luck, during evening count in the middle of a lockdown, Mr. Watson experienced his third fall. His leg was swollen, black and blue, and hot to the touch, leading him to request medical care and Ibuprofen. Neither of these were administered due to the lockdown.
On August 30th, two weeks later, Nurse Crane eventually agreed to see Mr. Watson. She simply told him to keep his leg elevated and to stay off of it (while having to traverse three flights of stairs multiple times daily). Nearly a month later, Mr. Watson saw Dr. Haas for a third time, who informed Mr. Watson that his leg had, in fact, broken again and healed improperly. Surgery was performed but was unable to be finished, so he was transferred to a different hospital. The wound was stitched back up and Mr. Watson was sent back to Leavenworth without painkillers in harrowing pain.
In one final visit to Leavenworth’s infirmary, they removed his bandages to reveal a wet cast from his shower. The medical staff had never provided him with proper covers, forcing him to resort to plastic bags from the commissary for coverage. The water damage had gone unnoticed by Mr. Watson because of the constant immense pain he was in. Although dry bandages were provided, the wet cast was reapplied on top. He was sent back with no follow-up appointment.
On November 9th, his new hospital doctor, Dr. Horton, discovered that his bone had completely fused to his ankle and that surgery was needed. He was told to not put any weight on that leg, however, the staff continually refused to move his room or bring him meals. For Mr. Watson, this instruction was impossible. He remains riddled with pain to this day.
The staff at FCI Leavenworth are expected to uphold their medical oath to properly care for all patients, regardless of incarceration status. Yet, time and time again, Mr. Watson was the victim of medical negligence, and, by all standards, malpractice. His story is a testament to the constant medical abuse and human rights violations throughout the Bureau of Prisons.
Nurse Crane and any other medical “professional” practicing within those walls should have their license revoked and their humanity questioned. Even when one of his leg swelled to double the size of the other, they still ignored Mr. Watson's condition without so much as a second thought. FCI Leavenworth and the Bureau of Prisons have permanently injured Mr. Watson, sentencing him to a life of pain that could have been a standard recovery.
Not only has Nurse Crane and the entirety of FCI Leavenworth failed Mr. Watson medically, they have also failed him mentally. He has developed depression and feels the mental weight of this unnecessary incapacitation in his every step. That is why it is imperative for us to listen to his story and become his advocate when FCI Leavenworth and the greater prison system has left him to rot.
Join us in demanding justice for Chad Watson. Foremost, he needs urgent medical treatment and pain relief for his leg. The staff must also make proper accommodations, whether it be a first-floor cell or delivering meals to his room. Furthermore, we demand that all involved in the care of Mr. Watson are thoroughly investigated for malpractice and medical negligence as the failure to treat Mr. Watson has lasted months. Advocating for him is advocating for all those across the entire United States who share a similar human rights injustice. We are requesting your support so that we can ensure all our members, including Mr. Watson, are properly cared for and that all medical staff at FCI Leavenworth involved in his care will be sufficiently punished for their medical impotence.
