State Penitentiary workers seriously injured after two separate inmate assaults

Staff members were seriously injured after two separate inmate assaults at the Nebraska State Penitentiary, corrections officials said Friday. 

A corrections spokesperson said the first assault occurred Tuesday when staff members were called to deal with an unruly inmate who was trying to open a secure door. 

Officials say the inmate refused to stop and assaulted officers as they were trying to restrain him. 

A staff member was treated for a fractured thumb, and two other staff members who were involved were not seriously injured. 

The other assault happened Wednesday when a staff member was following an inmate back to his cell. 

Officials say the inmate kicked the door that the staff member was holding onto, breaking the staff member’s finger which required them to get stitches. 

Both incidents will be investigated and the county attorney will determine whether to prosecute. 

The NDCS disciplinary process will be utilized with sanctions, such as loss of good time, applied according to the rules and regulations.

NDCS defines a serious injury as an injury that: requires urgent and immediate medical treatment and restricts the person’s usual activity. Medical treatment should be more extensive than mere first aid such as the application of bandages to wounds. It might include stitches, use of Dermabond or other topical skin adhesive, setting of broken bones, treatment of concussion, loss of consciousness, etc.