Brandt Diaz is Badly Beaten by His Lee County Jail Cellmate
Thirty-nine-year-old Brandt Diaz was the victim of a violent attack as he slept in his cell inside Lee County Jail at 3:45 a.m. on June 10, 2025. Charges have since been filed against his attacker and cellmate, Yanko Romero. The State Attorney’s Office filed charges against Mr. Romero on June 26, 2025. Mr. Romero had already been facing murder charges, and now, among his other charges, is one count of aggravated battery by a person detained upon another detainee, which is a first-degree felony.
Mr. Diaz, who may lose his right eye from the incident in Lee County Jail, sustained life-threatening injuries. He faces months of medical treatment. His skull was fractured, his nose was bitten, his Adam’s apple was dislocated, and his jaw was fractured, which will require multiple surgeries to correct.
Mr. Diaz was released on bond.
The address of Lee County Jail is 2115 Dr Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Fort Myers, FL 33901. The jail’s bed capacity is 2,017, all facilities included.
Jails Have a Duty to Protect Inmates
When inmates in U.S. county and municipal jails go through booking, one of the factors to be determined is the appropriate housing. In Texas, for instance, the Texas Commission on Jail Standards provides guidelines for operation, including the classification and separation of inmates. Each inmate shall be classified and housed in the least restrictive housing available without placing inmates, staff, or the public in jeopardy. The numerous risk factors to be considered include current offense or conviction, and offense history.
News stories frequently reveal that inmates in county jails have been attacked by one or more fellow inmates. Jails can and should be held accountable when negligence has contributed to these violent incidents. Examples follow:
Antonio Hammond is Brutally Attacked in Orangeburg County Detention Center, SC
In February 2021, Antonio Hammond was arrested on a minor, nonviolent charge and placed in an open dorm setting at the Orangeburg County Detention Center in South Carolina. During his incarceration, another inmate with a history of dangerous behavior, marked by violence, brutally and violently attacked Mr. Hammond. The jail was soon faced with the question of whether the two inmates should have been in the same area because officials with the Orangeburg County Detention Center were aware that the attacking inmate would pose a threat to other inmates.
As a result of the unprovoked assault, Mr. Hammond had to undergo extensive medical care, and his left eye suffered permanent damage.
Orangeburg County Detention Center is at 1534 Ellis Ave, Orangeburg, SC 29118. The jail has a 354-inmate capacity.
Harris County Jail Inmate Fred Harris, 19, Died After Another Inmate Stabbed and Violently Beat Him
Fred Harris, at 19, was a special needs teenager incarcerated in Harris County jail. On October 29, 2021, Young Harris weighed 98 pounds, and he was beaten, stabbed, and kicked in the head by another inmate who weighed 240 pounds. Mr. Harris’ head was also bashed against the concrete floor by the perpetrator, 25-year-old Michael Paul Ownby. The day prior to the attack against Mr. Harris, Ownby was accused of assaulting a guard at the jail.
The address of Harris County Jail is 701 N San Jacinto St, Houston, TX 77002.
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