The family of a murdered Anamosa State Penitentiary correctional officer is suing the state.
Robert McFarland and his co-worker, nurse Lorena Schulte, died from blunt force trauma after being attacked by two inmates with hammers in 2021. The inmates, Thomas Woodard and Michael Dutcher, were trying to escape the prison. Both men are now serving life sentences without parole.
The lawsuit alleges that the Anamosa State Penitentiary was over capacity and under-staffed. It also alleges that the prison failed to properly train and prepare staff members with an emergency response plan. The lawsuit also claims there were known issues with officer radios, which hindered communication, and failure to control access to prison tools.
Schulte’s family has also filed a lawsuit against the state.
