Gregg County Jail Inmate Indicted for Assault

LONGVIEW — A Gregg County Jail inmate has been indicted on an aggravated assault charge arising from an April 20 attack on other inmates. Brandon Euguene Washington, 31, of Longview was in jail on a misdemeanor theft warrant and two unpaid traffic tickets. According to the arrest report, witnesses said shortly after 9 p.m. April 20, Washington started acting aggressively toward other inmates in the cell. Washington then approached the victim and struck him in the left eye, continuing to hit the victim in the head and face, according to a complaint. He is being held in jail under a $75,000 bond.

Initially the victim told officers the injury was caused by falling down, but he later said Washington had assaulted him without provocation. The victim told investigators he believed Washington was “agitated” because he was not granted a transfer request to another cell. Washington told investigators he was asleep at the time of the attack. When officers pointed out a red mark on Washington’s cheek, he claimed it was a “pressure mark” that must have occurred while he slept.

The victim was given medical attention from jail nursing staff the following morning, once the assault was reported, and then transported to Good Shepherd Medical Center after medical staff determined fluid in his eye was leaking from the eyeball itself. A post-surgical evaluation determined the victim had suffered a traumatic scleral rupture and would lose most, if not all, of the vision in his left eye. Doctors recommended possibly removing the eyeball if the condition does not improv