A judge has awarded a former Hawaiian prison inmate nearly one million dollars in his medical malpractice lawsuit against the State of Hawaii. The prisoner had received delayed treatment and incorrect, inadequate medication for a painful scrotal infection. The mistake resulted in his eventual castration and additional medical problems.
Originally in prison on drug charges at Halawa Correctional Facility, in 2003 Gregory Slingluff complained to prison officials of experiencing severe pain in his scrotum and requested immediate medical attention but was not given that access upon his urgent request. According to Slingluff he had implored so strongly that he had indicated that he would hang himself due to the extremity of the pain, but was stillnot provided an immediate examination. Once the prison’s attending physician eventually examined him, he was prescribed an incorrect antibiotic at an inadequate dose, and less than a week after his initial complaint of pain his scrotum was grossly enlarged to the size of a small basketball. At that time he was provided with transfer to a local medical center for emergency treatment, but it was too late. Despite undergoing six separate surgeries he required castration.
The total damages awarded to Slingluff were $983,395.