A transgender former prisoner who claimed that a guard had beaten her would receive $750,000 from the Maryland Department of Corrections.
Amber Canter was placed on pre-trial hold at the Central Booking and Intake Facility in Baltimore City back in June 2019.
When Canter allegedly refused to move into her housing unit, officer Zanel Santana helped another guard with her that day.
According to court filings, security footage shows Santana choking and pulling Canter until he lost consciousness.
According to reports, Canter sustained several face fractures as a result. After then, Santana and others reported the incident using fake excessive force. The department was sued by Murphy, Falcon & Murphy in August 2023.
After being found guilty of assault, Santana received a sentence of three months in prison and two years of probation.
This heinous assault was unacceptable. Because CO Santana’s prejudice against transgender people was so obvious, he didn’t object to being filmed. Trial attorney Malcolm P. Ruff of Murphy, Falcon & Murphy stated, “This case highlights the culture of inhumanity in corrections, where bigots like Santana go unchecked.” “It also highlights the prejudice that transgender individuals encounter in correctional facilities.”