Written by Eve Tannery and Kye Parsons
SMYRNA- Another violent incident in a Smyrna prison has once again put the Delaware Department of Correction in the hot seat.
Louise Ward, the mother of Timothy Ward, an inmate at the Delaware Correctional Center in Smyrna, said that on July 10, her son was beaten by another inmate and left to die in the prison courtyard. Ward described what happened when she first saw her son after the beating.
"They opened the door and they said, 'Is this your son?'" she said. "It was grotesque. His face was three times its size."
Timothy Ward's lawyers, Herbert Feurehake and Jeffrey K. Martin of Wilmington, said they are trying to get their client better medical attention.
The lawyers said during the attack their client was knocked unconscious, had teeth knocked out and his nose and jaw were broken. The lawyers said he suffered serious injuries to the orbit of his right eye and to the eye itself.
In a letter to Delaware Governor Ruth Ann Minner, Martin said he believes his client's eyesight may be endangered and that he may have lost his hearing out of his right ear.
Ward said guards were not around when the beating occurred and it was other inmates who helped him.
Beth Welch, a DOC spokesperson, said the prison courtyard was staffed. She said the DOC is investigating just how the incident happened.
"There were correctional officers," Welch said. "Our investigation is trying to ascertain exactly what their position was and where they were supposed to be and did they respond appropriately."
Ward is serving a 44-month sentence for armed burglary.
The beating of inmate Ward on July 10 occurred just two days before another incident at the Delaware Correctional Center at which time a prison counselor there was taken hostage by an inmate who ended up being shot and killed after a standoff. That incident is also under investigation by the DOC.
The counselor who was held hostage has also retained the legal services of Feurehake and Martin.
