SHAKOPEE, Minn. — Editor's note: KARE 11 aired the investigative special above on Nov. 25, 2022.
Attorneys for a man held in the Scott County Jail back in 2020 say they have secured a settlement of more than $12 million for alleged indifference that nearly led to his death.
Robins Kaplan LLC will hold a news conference Wednesday to share details of the reported settlement with their client Terrance Dwayne Winborn, who was incarcerated when a jail nurse allegedly failed to provide proper care as he suffered from a bacterial infection.
Winborn's attorneys say the nurse "allegedly failed to heed the many obvious warning signs of Mr. Winborn's deteriorating condition and chose not to provide vital medical care in the critical hours while he was at the Scott County Jail." As a result of the untreated infection, Winborn's legal team says he suffered a heart attack, skin hemorrhages, toxic shock, and gangrene that ultimately led to the amputation of both arms.
Outside legal counsel for Scott County, Jason Hiveley, confirmed the agreement in a released statement Wednesday morning.
"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," Hiveley wrote in a released statement. 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."
Among the other allegations involved in Winborn's case:
- His attorneys say Scott County failed to report the case to the Minnesota Department of Corrections within 10 days as required by law.
- The county reportedly allowed 39 hours of archived video capturing Winborn's situation to be deleted.
“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,” said attorney Katie Bennett, who represented Mr. Winborn in his case against Scott Country. “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 Kaplan says a judge was considering motions in a lawsuit against Scott County when the $12.2 million settlement was reached. The firm says the settlement amount is believed to be the largest of its kind ever in Minnesota.
Court documents show Winborn was jailed in connection with an alleged DWI and driving after cancellation, among other charges.
WATCH MORE ON KARE 11+
Download the free KARE 11+ app for Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV and other smart TV platforms to watch more from KARE 11 anytime! The KARE 11+ app includes live streams of all of KARE 11's newscasts. You'll also find on-demand replays of newscasts; the latest from KARE 11 Investigates, Breaking the News and the Land of 10,000 Stories; exclusive programs like Verify and HeartThreads; and Minnesota sports talk from our partners at Locked On Minnesota.
- Add KARE 11+ on Roku here or by searching for KARE 11 in the Roku Channel Store.
- Add KARE 11+ on Fire TV here or by searching for KARE 11 in the Amazon App Store.
- Learn more about the KARE 11+ app for Apple TV in the Apple App Store.
- Learn more about KARE 11+ here.
Watch more local news:
Watch the latest local news from the Twin Cities and across Minnesota in our YouTube playlist: