A Colorado public defender is taking legal action against the Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office after she was allegedly attacked by her client during a one-on-one meeting at the Arapahoe County Detention Center. The incident occurred on June 21, 2023, when the client, who was not handcuffed or shackled, became angry and assaulted the public defender, Anna Schamberg.
Schamberg, who had represented the client for two years, claims that deputies at the detention center failed to properly restrain the client before allowing him to meet with her in a private room. Despite Schamberg pressing a panic button for help, the deputies were slow to respond to the attack, according to the lawsuit filed by Schamberg.
The lawsuit alleges that the client struck Schamberg multiple times before leaving the room as deputies approached. Schamberg, who suffered physical and emotional trauma from the incident, had to relocate and seek treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder and anxiety.
The lawsuit also calls for structural changes to policies and procedures at the detention center, including the installation of panic buttons that emit a noise when triggered. Schamberg believes that having such a button could have potentially prevented the attack.
The Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office has stated that they are vigorously defending themselves against the claims made in the lawsuit and cannot provide further comment due to the pending litigation. The client involved in the incident was not charged with a crime in connection with the attack, and the sheriff’s office did not investigate the incident as no complaint was filed.
Public defenders like Schamberg are assigned clients and do not have the ability to choose who they represent. Schamberg’s lawsuit highlights the need for improved safety measures and protocols to protect public defenders and other individuals working in correctional facilities.
As the legal proceedings continue, Schamberg and her attorney seek justice for the incident that has had a lasting impact on her well-being. The Colorado Office of the State Public Defender has not provided any comments on the matter.
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