Written by: Sam Orlando
Did Jail Officials Ignore a Man’s Medical Needs?
VERONA, VIRGINIA – Imagine being locked in a cell, writhing in pain, your body shaking from withdrawal. You beg for the medication you’ve been legally prescribed—only to be ignored, isolated, and left to suffer.
That’s what one Virginia inmate says happened to him. And now, he’s taking the fight to federal court.
Nathanel Harris, an inmate in the Virginia Department of Corrections, has filed a lawsuit against Middle River Regional Jail and one of its nurses, Erica Miller, accusing them of deliberate indifference to his serious medical needs. He claims jail staff refused to give him his prescribed Suboxone, forced him into withdrawal, and punished him for trying to defend himself.
The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia, argues that Harris’s constitutional rights were violated under the Eighth Amendment, which protects inmates from cruel and unusual punishment.
Now, he’s seeking justice—and compensation for his suffering.
Drug Test, Solitary Confinement, and Alleged Retaliation
According to court documents, Harris was booked into Middle River Regional Jail on April 4, 2024. He immediately informed jail staff that he had a legal prescription for Suboxone, a medication used to treat opioid dependence.
Instead of allowing him to continue his treatment, the lawsuit claims that Nurse Erica Miller administered a drug test—which falsely indicated multiple substances in his system.
Harris says he pleaded for a second test or a lab confirmation to prove that he had only tested positive for Suboxone. But instead of checking the results, Miller allegedly dumped his urine sample, threw the test in the trash, and sent him to solitary confinement for seven days.
During that time, Harris says he suffered through agonizing withdrawal symptoms—alone, untreated, and ignored.
He alleges that, even after his time in solitary ended, jail officials still refused to reinstate his medication, leaving him to endure prolonged pain and suffering for months.
Was This a Violation of Harris’s Constitutional Rights?
Harris argues that his treatment was not only inhumane but illegal.
His lawsuit states that Department of Corrections policies allow the administration of Suboxone to inmates who require it, but for reasons unknown, he was denied access.
Legal experts say the case could hinge on whether Harris can prove that jail staff acted with “deliberate indifference”—a key legal standard in cases involving medical neglect behind bars.
Under the Eighth Amendment, prisons and jails must provide adequate medical care to inmates. Courts have ruled that denying necessary treatment—or retaliating against inmates who request care—can be considered cruel and unusual punishment.
What Happens Next?
So far, Middle River Regional Jail has not publicly responded to the lawsuit. It remains unclear whether Nurse Erica Miller or the facility will contest the claims.
The case, Harris v. Miller, et al., is pending in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia under Case No. 7:25-cv-00124. A trial date has not yet been set.
If Harris can prove that jail officials ignored his medical needs, this case could set a precedent for how correctional facilities handle prescription medications and inmate healthcare.
We’ll continue following this case as it develops. For updates on this story and others like it, stay tuned.
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